TNAG-0061-FCO40-97-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1968 — Page 83

W(BL 51-7433

IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

HWB.10/9

DRAFT letter

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

To:-

Top Secret.

Secret

Confidential.

Restricted. Unclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

„In Confidence

Type 1 +

From

Sir David Trench,

K.C.M.G., M.C.,

HONGKONG.

Sir Arthur Galsworthy

Telephone No. & Ext.

Department

138

You will be glad to learn that on 29 May Miesters

the Defence and Overseas Policy Committee

approved without modification the Defence

Secretary's proposals with which all concerned

agree for the future strength and structure

of the Royal Navy and Army components of the

Hong Kong Garrison after our withdrawal from

Singapore and Malaysia by the end of 1971.

[ Take in

instep] The Committee also approved the proposal for

the inclusion in the Garrison of a permanent

RAF fighter/element of Hunter aircraft,

subject to further examination being given to

NP # Mmuters

which Chefs of Staff have asked the

Air Force Department to examine)

the possibility that the aircraft mightbe

1

manned/and serviced from local resources.

is clearly

This we take to be a reference to your idea

that the fighter presence might be based partly

on RAF personnel and partly on Hong Kong

Au Force personnel

Auxiliarye and that maintenance might be

provided by the H.K.A.E.C.

Ma So far as finance is concerned, the

Committee consider that it would be premature

to attempt to decide now where r the costs

of the garrison should be borne and called

for a further assessment to be made of the

actual costs involved.

On the whole, we regard this coutcome reasonably

as, satisfactory. Although I think we must

regard the Committee's conclusion about the

Hunter aircraft as representing only

SECRET

/conditional