TNAG-0059-FCO40-95-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1968 — Page 59

C

1

LABLE HERE ANYWAY.

IF UNACCOMPANIED TOURS FOR A CONSIDERABLE PART OF THE GARRISON BECOMES EVENTUALLY UNAVOIDABLE, I WOULD PREFER TO REACH THIS POSITION GRADUALLY AND THUS MAKE THE CONCEPT OF COMBAT UNITS COMING HERE FOR THE SHORT UNACCOMPANIED TOURS FROM THEIR BASE IN U.K. LESS DIFFICULT TO PRESENT. I BELIEVE THAT WITH CAREFUL PRESENTATION, A REDUCTION CAN BE ACHIEVED IN THIS WAY WITHOUT UNDERMINING GENERAL CONFIDENCE, PARTICULARLY AS

A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF FAMILIES WOULD STILL BE HERE WITH HEAD- QUARTERS AND STATIC UNITS AND WITH THE INFANTRY BATTALION ON

HONG KONG ISLAND.

3. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, I ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF CINCFE AND CBF THAT THERE SHOULD BE A GRADUAL AND UNOBTRUSIVE REDUCTION OF FAMILIES BY THE MEANS WHICH CINCFE HAS PROPOSED TO THE MOD. ON THE PARTICULAR PROBLEM OF THE RELIEF OF 1ST BATTALION THE WELCH REGIMENT, I WOULD PREFER TO MAKE USE OF THIS, OPPORTUNITY TO START THINNING OUT THE FAMILIES IF OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ENABLE

THIS TO BE DONE.

AMEROR

Sur & Teadla

مت دوم

HK DEG

احبا

-

1 B

حنت

then

2124

SENT 0406Z/18 NOVEMBER

RECD 0418Z/18 NOVEMBER

Q