TNAG-0061-FCO40-97-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1968 — Page 136

SECRET

Part I to COS 25th Meeting/68 30th April 1968

demand for Hunter aircraft and they were in short supply but in the early 1970s it was unlikely that there would be difficulty in providing four or five Hunters.

In discussion on this subject, the following points were made:

مان

It was agreed that the Air Force Department would initiate a study on the feasibility of a small RAF element consisting of four to five Hunters being provided for the Colony backed by a Hong Kong

Auxiliary Air Force component, and taking into account the possibility of maintenance backing by HAEC.

b.

The Hunter aircraft were likely to be too complicated for Auxiliary Air Force pilots.

C. It was hoped that the charge to the. Hong Kong Government could be limited to operating costs and that it would not be necessary for them to purchase the Hunter aircraft.

UNACCOMPANIED TOURS.

Turning to the question of whether the Hong Kong Garrison should in the future be accompanied or unaccompanied SIR DAVID TRENCH said that it should presentationally be possible to bring the Garrison to an unaccompanied status without adversely affecting the morale and confidence in the colony if such a move were seen to be tied to the. rundown of our forces in Singapore and Malaysia. In any case, some service families would remain since it had never been proposed that troops serving on Hong Kong Island should be unaccompanied. On the other hand, if the Garrison remained accompanied, although there could be some re-grouping, a large number of families would still be scattered about the colony and this would mean that if trouble broke out a large proportion of our tooth arms might be tied up in the protection of these families. It was important to remember here that the disturbances in 1967 were directed against the police and were not necessarily an indication of what might happen in future. If we were to have an all-British fully accompanied Garrison he hoped that the full implications were realised. A considerable building programme would be needed, not only to modify the existing Gurkha accommodation but also to provide for the Battalion at present unaccompanied. There would also be an increase in other facilities required such as. schools, and medical arrangements, and if the necessary building programme were to be completed in time a decision could not long be delayed. In addition, there was the problem of future negotiations with the Hong Kong Government on defence contributions. One solution, which would solve a number of problems, would be for the future Garrison to include three or four Gurkha Battalions.

SIR GEOFFREY BAKER said that while he fully appreciated the reasons behind the proposal that the Garrison should be on an unaccompanied basis, this represented a drastic change in current policy, which was that, in our volunteer forces, wherever possible, service should be accompanied. However, the problem was very complex and was closely linked with the size of the Garrison, the future policy for the Gurkhas and costs, and further examination of all these points was now in hand.

- 3 -

Amended page issued 3.5.68.

SECRET