CO537-(205_1260-1262) — Page 57

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CO 537/1260

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

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e note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' lerms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyrigh

restrictions.

Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet

NEXI

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uly, 1946.

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THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

}

Ref.:

CO 537/1260

Please note that this copy us her formation is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives ieaflet.

to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyrigh

restrictions. Further

ANNEX II

TOP SECRET

Copy of letter from Sir George Gater to D.fi, 0.

24th August 1946

I must apologise for the delay in answering your letter 1.0.12/BM/1105 of the 31st July on the subject of the Hong Kong garrison. The question raised required some consideration here, and apart from that I have been on leave for a few days.

2.

As I understand it, the Chiefs of Staff have agreed for the present to defer consideration of the proposal to

ithdraw all British forces from Hong Kong, and the policy remains as laid down in COS telegram 021403 of the 3rd April, namely that the garrison will remain, as now, at two Brigades but be reduced to one when the police force or the Colony is fully re-established.

3.

While appreciating the point that it would take some time to work out the details of a scheme for a gendarmerie to replace the troops, we feel that ther. are some aspects of the question of the replacement of troops by a gendarmerie which require further consideration before going into the details. An appreciation has been prepared by the Hong Kong Defence Committee on certain Defence questions which vere remitted to them for consideration by the South East Asia Defence Committee. I enclose a coy of this appreciation which we have only recently reccived from the Governor of Hong Kong. ("ould you please return it when you have finished with it as it is our only copy) It takes the form in part of a commentary on the Report by the Joint Planning Staff on the "Hong Kong Defence Plan" (J.P.(46) 10 Final Revise) dated the 8th April which was approved by the Chiefs of Staff at their meeting on 11 April. You will see that the Hong Kong Defence Committee do not accept the view that sporadic guerilla attacks on Hong Kong as a result of internal unrest or civil var in South China are most improbable. They state that whilst on local intelligence there is considered to be no immediate threat of an attack by Chinese "ar Lords, the situation in China is rapidly deteriorating and renewed hostilities between Nationalists and Comunists may well be a prelude to the reappearance of "ar Lords equipped with modern arms. They add that it is impossible to predict this eventuality more than six months ahead. On the question of thermed forces to be maintained in Hong Kong, they express the view that until such a time as the police and volunteer forces are up to strength and fully trained, the minimum garrison required for the Colony is:

2 British Infantry Brigades

2 Field Artillery Regiments

and

Ancillary troops.

+ Returned to Colonial Office.

/Once.

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