CO537-(205_1260-1262) — Page 98

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Ref.:

CO 537/1260 THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

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

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 copyrigl

00083

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

ст

Ref.:

Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives CO 537/1260

restrictions Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leahet and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyrigh

Nowy.

Army.

R.A.F.

Joint

Intelligence Committee

Auxiliary Forces

(b)

(3)

"The BRITISH Pacific Fleet based on HONG KONG should afford sufficient local protection, in particular for the suppression of piracy and other acts of violace. Certain additional ships could with ad- vantage be placed in reserve at PONG KONG, which would be available for service should this be callod for",

"The Army Garrison should be progressively reduced from

its present strength of two Brigades. The first stage in this reduction should be reached by January, 1947 when the strength of the local police force should be sufficient to allow a reduction to one Brigade.

Reduction below this strength should be possible there- after but this will depend on the situation in CHINA, and we are unable to forecast the stages by which this reduction might be made".

"A detachment of half a Flying Boad Squadron is

sufficient air garrison for the Colony, reinforcements, if required, being drawn from elsewhere within the theatre. The provision of fighter, A.A. and naval defences are affected only by our long term polią of providing for the possible need to use HONG KONG as

an operational naval and air base. These parts of the G. in C. HONG KONG's Defence Plan should, therefore, be examined by the Defence of Bases Committee and the Service Ministries".

"The establishment of a Joint Intelligence Committee at

Hong Kong should be authorised".

"The question of the formation of Volunteer or Auxiliary Forces including a Police Reserve should be considered by the three Service Ministries and the Colonial Offic"

Comments of the HONG KỤNG Defence on the LONDON Joint Planning Staff pacer as follows :

(For cavenience the relevant

Annex II Paragraph 7.

(1)

extracts are tabulated)

"Mine Sweeping". The provision of mine sweepers cannot be

considered essential in view of the J.I.C. estimate that

mining is only likely if hostilities break out with the

Central Government of CHINA and that the likelihood of this

in the next ten years is so remote as to be negligible.

question of laying up reserve of mine sweepers at HONG

KONG, as an assurance, should, however, be considered when

mine clearing operations have been completed in the Far East",

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