TNAG-0059-FCO40-95-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1968 — Page 138

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Part I to cos 60th Meeting/67 1st August 1967

and would then be replaced by another battalion from within Far East Command. If a second reinforcing battalion was required in Hong Kong, bringing the strength of the garrison up to 83 units, this would also be found from within Far East Command.

A contingency plan to send a small brigade headquarters, two battalions and appropriate support by air to Hong Kong from the United Kingdom should be prepared by the Commander-in-Chief, Far East, as a Reinforced Theatre Plan, in the normal way, which would then be examined by the Defence Planning Staff before being put to them for approval. SIR JOHN RENNIE (Foreign Office) endorsed the preparation of this contingency plan and emphasised the need for strict security to prevent any leak of information.

C.

It would be entirely wrong at this juncture to make any detailed plans for the evacuation of Service families, There would be a danger of information leaking and this would have an adverse effect on the maintenance of confidence in Hong Kong, which was vital in the present situation. There would therefore be no examination of this problen in Whitehall at present. In any examination of the withdrawal of families from Hong Kong, there were a large number of non-Service families, who would have to be considered. MR HALL (Commonwealth Office) said that he considered there should be no evacuation of Service families from Hong Kong until such time as an emergency evacuation had to be undertaken,

a.

The improvement in the methods of working together between the civil and military authorities in Hong Kong was a matter to be resolved locally.

e.

It was agreed that the Chief Staff Officer to the Commander British Forces should be replaced by a Colonel (Army or Royal Marine) as soon as possible. The appointment of a Colonel (Army or Royal Marine) to this post would apply only for the next incumbent of this post, and the post would not be designated as an Army/Royal Marine appointment for the future. It was also agreed that this appointment should be reviewed at a later date.

f.

It was agreed that for representational reasons rather than on military grounds, there was a requirement for a Group Captain in Hong Kong and that as the next Chief Staff Officer was to be a Colonel, the Station Commander, RAF Kai Tak should be a Group Captain.

&. It was agreed that the duties of the Commander British Forces as GOC Land Forces had been made quite clear carlier this year when they had established the Unified Command in Hong Kong (5), and required no reconfirmation or repetition of the instructions.

5. COS 34/67.

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