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CINCFI.1511/6130/18
UK EYES ONLY
The withdrawal of the Carrior from FXT might result in somo slight reduction in overseas spending, but the C-in-C did not consider that the saving would be sufficient to justify the risk involved.
(3)
The Amphibious Force must continue to be based on Singapore as long as the Commando for it was stationed in Far East Command.
The ARY COMANDER said that his forces comprised:-
b.
(1)
Teeth Arus
(2)
(3)
Commonwealth Brigade Commando Brigade
99 Gurkha Brigade
Base units and installations to support peacetine ORBAT.
L of C logistio units to support SIATO Plans.
Short-term reductions to 1st April 1968 would require a reduction in the task of FARELF before they could be achieved. Even assuming that it would be possible to re-negotiate our commitments to SATO in the very near future, it was unlikely that any significant reductions could bo achieved during the current financial year. To obtain any significant reduction it would be necessary to reduce teeth arms and this could not be done without a reduction in the Army's tasks in the Far East. The Gurkha rundem plan stretched to the early 70s and should not be speeded up. The base facilities were geared to tasks and the size of the tooth arus and they could not be reduced arbitrarily without reducing our capability to moct our commitments. By cconomios in existing establishments and some further rationalisation, sono 200 odd night be-cut by the spring of 1969 but this would result in civilian redundancy. The ratio of military personnel to civilians
in the base wes:-
550 Officers 2,654 Soldiers
3,204
LEP
Civilians
2,871 14.,600
Dealing with the long-term reduction to 50 by 1970/71, it would be necessary to depend, to a large extent, on reinforcements from UK to meet our commitments, unless these were considerably reduced. main field to which we could look for reductions were:-
(1) Force contributions to SEATO Plans 4 and 8.
(2)
Operational Forco.
(3) Logistic support.
(4) Gurkhas.
The
Cuts in tooth arms located in Singapore and Malaysia, bosides calling for replacements when operations are ordered, would also entail revised plans for logistic support. We night have to look to our allics to assist in this direction and to provide maintenance support as well. This could increase the time factor. Tooth-arm build-up (ox UK) would take longer. A longer warming period would thus be
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