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dangers might be reduced if evacuation were to bo effected by night but
they would still be appreciable.
9. At such time it is likely that airlines would have ceased to operate through Hong Kong. It is also possible that bombardmont, sabotage or oven human obstruction might put Kai Tak Airport out of commission and provent its use. Merchant shipping would avoid Hong Kong and ships in port would not romain longer than was absolutely necessary.
Operation "DIGIT"
10.
A scheme was prepared in Hong Kong in the carly 1950s for the ovacuation of 16,500 non-Chinese women, children and elderly mon; its existence is known only to the Governor, the C.B.F. and a small group of Hong Kong Government officers. Apart from the fact that it is now out-of- dato, it has the dofect that no preparations whatsoever have been mado on the ground. It consists of sets of instructions to be issued to designated officers on the day evacuation is ordered; most of these officers would havo no prior knowledge of what they would bo oxpected to do.
11.
The secret of this plan has been well kept in Hong Kong although its existence has been known to a number of governmont officers. It is
arguable, therefore, that we might safely extend the knowledge of any plan within Hong Kong a little wider than the limits now laid down. We think this risk might be worth taking if, by doing so, wo could produco an offective plan. But our conclusion is that no plan can be produced that has any chance of offective implementation unless it includes detailed proparation on the ground and advance knowledgo on the part of all those who aro concornod in carrying it out.
Conclusions
12. (a) Consistent with the security requirements laid down, only
an outline plan can be prepared for vacuation, whothor of largo or small numbers.
(b) An outline plan for large-scale evacuation might succood
in circumstances of negotiated withdrawal, in which time was available to improviso detailed arrangemonts when
ovacuation was ordorod. It could not be successful in
conditions of enforced withdrawal.
(c)
In the case of an enforced withdrawal, a limited
ovacuation of vory vulnerable poople (with their families) by such Service transport as was available at the time, would probably be possible. But, subject to detailed study, it
/would
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