CO537-4998 — Page 25

(b)

1

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the garrison, reinforced to the strength shown below would be strong enough to hold local

guerilla attacks; moreover its presence would show our determination to hold the Colony and should thus deter the Communists from open hostilities:

Navy

Far Eastern squadron augmented

by local patrol craft and manned from the cruisers on

station.

Army

Two infantry brigades

One armoured regiment

Air Force

Two field regiments

One composite AA regiment

Ancillary administrative units.

One fighter/ground attack

squadron of 16 aircraft

Fighter control and early warning

radar

Five Sunderland flying boats.

should a large scale Communist threat develop,

further reinforcements would be required;

(c)

(a)

further military action now required is:-

(i) to send to Hong Kong as early as

possible the remainder of the brigade group, namely two infantry battalions, one armoured regiment, one field regiment and one composite AA regiment;

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

to augment the fighter squadron being sent to Hong Kong from 8 to 16 UE aircraft;

to bring forward and arm additional patrol craft;

to consider how the additional reinforcements shown below could be provided in the event of a large scale Communist attack:

Navy

Army

One aircraft carrier

One division of frigates.

One division

Air Force

One fighter squadron

One light bomber squadron.

Recommendation

5.

We recommend that our report at Annexes I and II, if approved, be submitted to the Defence Committee.

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, S.W.1.

29TH APRIL, 1949.

-2-

(Signed)

T.M. BROWNRIGG W.S. COLE

D. MACFADYEN

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