TNAG-0252-FCO40-288-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1970 — Page 121

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DP 31/70(C)(Flimsy Draft) (Continued,

Forult this.

Ms.

and might also demur at meeting the full costs of a unit

which had another commitment. The Governments of

Singapore, Australia and New Zealand would not welcome the

double carmarking of the battalion in Singapore but would

probably accept it as part of the price of UK involvement

in the defence of SE Asia. Thus it would be necessary to

remove these Commonwealth countries' objections to double

darmarking at a very early stage and their agreement to

it should perhaps be made part of the arrangement for the

UK presence in Singapore and in Brunei after 1971.

b.

Simultaneous Operations. There is a risk that

either battalion might already be involved in operations

elsewhere when required in Hong Kong, although it is

improbable that both battalions would be committed

simultaneously.

? Better I

Barmark Ker Brauer On DHK S'pue Bon SEATO

M

Training.

The requiremont to keep the spearhoad

battalion at 60 hours notice would inhibit training.

This

restraint would bear more heavily on the Singapore battalion

than on the one in Brunei. As a component of an ANZUK

force, the Singapore battalion would be expected to

adhere to the Force Commander's training programme.

However by carefully arranging the spearhead roster it

should prove possible to overcome this problem.

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