CO537-4999 — Page 294

In discussion there was general agreement with the views expressed by the Chief of the Imperial General Staff about our policy for the defence of Hong Kong. Reference was made to the problem of providing air support for operations in that area. It was pointed out that if the air field at Kai Tak was put out of action it would not be possible to provide the necessary air cover unless a carrier was operating in the area. The advantage of having a carrier in these waters in the early stages would be that the additional air strength might prevent the Kai Tak airfield from being put out of action, On the other hand, the retention of a carrier in that area for more than two or three months would present considerable logistic problems. The implications of employing a carrier for the defence of Hong Kong should be examined in the report which the Joint Planning Staff were preparing,

THE COMMITTEE

instructed the Joint Planning Staff to prepare a report on the threat that was likely to develop against Hong Kong in time for consideration at the meeting on Monday afternoon, 2nd May..