TNAG-0060-FCO40-96-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1968 — Page 167

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ANNEX A to DP 9/68(C)

(Draft)(Continued)

C. Limited shore support facilities at HMS TAMAR.

The remainder of the Far East Fleet, based on Singapore, is

available for reinforcement of the Hong Kong garrison.

Army

6. The present forces are 63 major units, reinforced by one

infantry battalion, and are based on a concept of operations

which provides the capability to contain an internal security.

situation. This in turn depends on our ability to control the

frontier, in order to prevent the situation being aggrevated by

an influx of large numbers of infiltrators or refugees. To fail

to do this would, apart from other consequences, present the

Chinese with a pretext for military intervention.

7.

Furthermore, if we are to continue to implement our present

policy to expose any Chinese incursion into the colony by armed

force as an act of aggression, it is necessary to provide a

screen on the frontier composed of all arms. This must be

strong enough to prevent Chinese forces from crossing the front-

ier at will, and to make them deploy and carry out co-ordinated

military attacks.

8. The most recent examination (6) of forces required for the

garrison was made in 1966, before the recent emergency in the

We then concluded that the permanent Army garrison re- quired was 6 major units, of which two battalions should be

The tasks for these forces were as follows:

colony.

British.

Note:

6.

a.

External defence on the frontier and internal security

duties in the New Territories:

and 13 supporting units.

b.

two infantry battalions

Internal security duties in Kowloon: two infantry

battalions.

C. Internal security duties on Hong Kong Island: one

infantry battalion.

COS 119/66

A - 4

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