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13031/4/46 Part II

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9th October, 1946.

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CO 537/1261

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

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restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright

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We have now been able to examine the latest revised of the draft Paper by the Joint Planning Staff on the future garrison of Hong Kong (No. J.2.(46) 179(0), and we think it may be of oaristened to the Joint Planners to have a statement of the view we take about the proposal th t - locel militia or gendarmerie mi ht be roland in Hong Kon⋅ to replace at some future date the British gorrison,

This sur cstion originated with the War Office. It has nover been communte tl to, or considered by, the Hong Kong Covernment, the Hong Kon Delonos Committee, or the Tritish Defence Committe in Jouth East Asic. We are overe of the difficulties with which the "er Ofrieg erc Pacal in regard to mon-power and of course reise no objection whatever to the

proposal being consilored on its merits t the awopriate time. Fut in view of the recommendation o' the South East Asia Defence Committed that it nhoull be neceptel in principle that a garrison of on itil brisale and lel? regiment will be required in Hong Kong until ceriitino in China boccone zo stable onl

in the 'sence of consultation ith the local civil and militery authoritics we io not feel l to ro Jurther than thrt.

On the question whether the "resent is on ap ropriate time to take the matter Turth, very little to da to my letter

of the 28th September?. It has been urged by the Hong Kong Dofonce Committee and the British Defence Committee, South East

sie, that for the resent a itirh Carrison is essential because of the risk of attack by Jhinese vor lords or guerillos, and this view, we understand, the Joint Monners are prepared to accept. It aceme to us pito impossible to 'oresee how matters will develop in Ching or to from any netim te of the time when it may bo nocsible to discount the theat or large scale attack on Hong Kong from the Chinese meinlcv). Then that time nrrives, the internal situation in Hong Kong itself may be quite different from what it is tiny, In 11 the circumstances we consider that, as the proposal to raise a militia or enlarmorio to take the place of the British garrison is not et rusent a practical issuc consulteti me on the project now would serve no useful purpose.

We assume that the conclusion in paragraph 16(a) that the Carrison of Hong Kong should consist of a British Force until the security of the Colony can be accured by a gendarmerie was not intended to inv. lve any departure from the corresponding ennslusions in pare waph 11(0) z11 (3) of the previous draft, nomely that in view of the Fecommendations of the Dough Brat sie Defence Committe it should be co tcl in rinciple that a Torrison of one witish bigole and a field regiment will be required in Hong Kong until conliting in China become more stable, and that local militia should be the eventual garrison, although it is realised that this may not be possile for c considerable Period. It seems to up, however, that the conclusion in the Latest revise may give is to soru misunder::taming as to the continuing necd for a British military rrison whilst the cor.litions in Ch ne ore unottled, an in vivo ti importance of this point, we would like to suggest that the origin two conclusions in Paragraph (0) and (b) of the provinüs draft should be substituted for the conclusion in zaraph 16(a) of the latest draft with, perhaps, the salatitution of the wo 1 "gentartx ric” for thy word "mi itin in the eccord conclusion,

Attnabel on Anex II to this Minute.

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