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Strength and Composition of Garrison
no illusion about the ability of the present Garrison to resist
for long, regards the existence of British troops deployed to
guard the frontier as an assurance of our intention to maintain
our position in the Colony. The principal role of the
garrison is tnereiore to assist in maintaining internal
security and local confidence; if either were to slip, the
Chinese Government would be quick to exploit the situation
and our position would rapidly become antenable.
21. Hong Kong became an independent military command in April,
1970. The present Garrison in the Colony consists of 63
major Army units and three coastal minesweepers.
Until
but
recently Fighter air cover was provided from Singapore;
this arrangement could not be continued after the withdrawal
of an RAF Hunter squadron fromSingapore in March, 1970.
Fighter cover on a reduced scale is now provided by visits to
the Colony by RAP detachments of aircraft on training flights
to the Far East. Since it would not be possible to reinforce
the Hong Kong Garrison from Singapore or Malaysia in time of
need, the previous Government decided that, after 1971, the
Gerrison should consist of:
Royal Navy
Army
Royal Air Force
Two Frigates
Five Mine counter measures
One small tanker
73 major units
Ten Whirlwind helicopters (already in Hong Kong)
RAF staging elements
RAF Signals elements.
22. From local funds Hong Kong maintains a Police Force
with an establishment of about 12,000 all ranks (overwhelmingly
Chinese in composition) and a Volunteer Defence Force about
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