TNAG-0062-FCO40-98-Dormant-Commission-to-appoint-the-Commander-of-British-Force-1971 — Page 8

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Present

situation

advise the Governor and consult him fully in all matters

affecting the security of the Colony."

10. As a result of the run-down of our Forces in the Far East,

Hong Kong became an indpendent command on 1 April 1970. This

involved certain further amendments to the Directive and a

fresh Directive was accordingly issued and came into force on

that date. This Directive was itself amended in May 1971 as

a result of the decision to make Commander British Forces,

Hong Kong, responsible for the normal day to day administration

and training of the United Kingdom garrison in Brunei.

However,

none of these amendments involved any substantial change in

the task of the garrison which remains as stated in paragraph 9

above with one amendment to sub-paragraph (c) thereof which

now reads as follows:-

11.

"(c) to be prepared, in the event of Chinese armed

aggression, to identify such aggression and to offer such

resistance as may be appropriate in the circumstances

then prevailing, in accordance with political direction

at the time."

twenty

It is clear from the foregoing information that the role

of the Hong Kong garrison has undergone a fundamental change

since the Dormant Commission was issued seventeen years ago.

There is no longer any question of fighting a "last ditch"

rearguard action in support of a general evacuation plan.

It would be impossible to implement any outline plan for a

large-scale evacuation from Hong Kong without making detailed

arrangements in advance. It would be equally impossible to

make such detailed arrangements without its becoming publicly

known that large-scale evacuation was being planned, and this

would have disastrous effects on the morale and economy of the

Colony. These facts have been accepted by the DOPC which,

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/at its