TNAG-0060-FCO40-96-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1968 — Page 140

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Part I to COS 16th Meeting/68 12th March 1968

SIR PETER FLETCHER (representing the Chief of the Air Staff) said that there would be no difficulty in providing a force of five Hunters or a Squadron of RAF Regiment, but the need was purely to meet a political, as opposed to a military, requirement. The cost would be £.3 million a year for the Hunters and he recommended that the Hong Kong Government should be invited to meet the cost.

GENERAL CARVER said that there was some military justi- fication for the increase to two Frigates. At present a second Frigate could be provided as necessary from the Far East Fleet but after 1971 there might, on occasions, be no reinforcements East of Suez, and it was therefore a sensible precaution to have a second Frigate as part of the Hong Kong force levels. Similarly the two MCMs at present deployed to Hong Kong might be inadequate if the Colony was faced by a major incursion of small craft into Hong Kong waters such as had occurred in 1967 in Macao, and he considered that a force of five MCMs would be reasonable. He felt that it would be appropriate for the Hong Kong Government to meet the costs of stationing the MCMS and the fighter aircraft in Hong Kong but not the additional Frigate.

SIR GEOFFREY BAKER said that a paper on accompanied service in Hong Kong was due to be taken by the Army Board the follow- ing week and he would not wish at this stage to enlarge on the problem. Whilst appreciating that logically it would be wrong to increase the number of families in the Colony in view of the continuing threat, there were two points to be stressed. After 1971, the Colony would be the only Army overseas station outside Europe and therefore if accompanied service was restricted to one battalion on Hong Kong Island, the effect on morale and wellbeing could be very real. Secondly, unaccom- panied service would have a considerable effect on roulement both in the UK and Germany, with a consequent increase in disturbance to families overall. He fully endorsed the Commander-in-Chief, Far East's recommendations on force levels and the need for an early decision on additional accommodation.

Summing up, SIR CHARLES ELWORTHY said that they agreed that there was a need for an early decision on the future strength of the garrison in Hong Kong and that, as far as the land forces were concerned, this must be a minimum of 7% major units after our withdrawal from the Far East; until then 6 major units would suffice. The requirement to build an additional barracks should have first priority. They would instruct the Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Policy) to include the points made in their discussion in the paper (16) being prepared on the future strength of the garrison in Hong Kong.

The Committee:

(6) Agreed with the remarks of the Chief of the Defence Staff in his summing up.

Note:

16. COS 1133/23/2/68, Annex A, Serial 157(1).

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Amended Page issued 13.3.68