CO537-(205_1260-1262) — Page 801

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CO 537/1262

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

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

leaflet.

External Chain of Military Responsibility

4. When ..dmiral Harcourt was Commander-in-Chief and Hood of tho Military Government ho commanded, in the formor capacity, the forcos of all three services stationed in the Colony, and was directly responsible to the Chiefs of Staff for its defonco. In his capacity as Hend of the Military Administration he was rosponsible to the Secretary of State for er.

5. With the return of the Civil Governor it is no longer appropriate that the local command in Hong Kong should be directly responsible to the Chiefs of Staff for the defence of the Colony. In our view the individual servicos should be separately responsible' to their own Ministries in London through Commander-in-Chiof., B...F., ALISEM and ACSE, the last two neting in their British enproities. These three Commanders-in-Chief aro alrondy responsible for the administrative support of their rospective forces in Hong

Kong.

6. Undor this areentoment, LFSEA and 1CGE. will have responsibilities in Hong K、ng not shared by 3.CSE.. Yo consider, however, that this dianavantage should be accepted as a short-term neren oment, since thoycystom we advocate will conform with the lon: torm policy" for commend in the For East, when this is brought into effect.

Local Command Arran remonta

7.

Admiral Harcourt advocated strongly that a Portros8 Commander should be appointed to co-ordinate and control the notivities of all throe 3ervices in Hon; Kong. ronsons voro as follows:-

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His

() The appointment of a single commander who could

sponk on behalf of the three Services would be an advantage in dosling with the Chinese, particularly in respect of the difficult situation resulting from the use of the port for the trans-shipment of Chinese Armies.

(b) The appointment of a Fortress Commander would

enable responsibility to the Governor for all Service personnel at prosunt employed on civil duties to be vested in a single military authority.

Admiral Harcourt's proposal would conflict with the

chain of responsibility of the individual services, particularly

in the case of the Nevy, Moreover, although we appreciate

the force of his arguments and that conditions in Hong Kong

have not yet returned to normal, we consider that no doparture from the standard ornisation referred to in para raph 2 above is nucossary.

X J.. (46) 59

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Offices o Ministe

25TH MA