TNAG-0537-FCO40-632-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 107

CONFIDENTIAL

2ND DRAFT

Battalion at Shorncliffe.

10. As explained in Chapter V (paragraph 14), the recruitment of

Juniors, following the raising of the school leaving age, has consider-

ably exceeded expectations, and other changes announced in November

1973, which would have reduced the capacity of the Junior Training

organisation, will not now take place. Consequently, for the time

being, the Junior Leaders Regiment of the Royal Corps of Transport

and the Royal Engineers will remain at Taunton and Dover respectively.

It has also been necessary to transfer the training of Junior soldier

recruits to Royal Signals from the Army Apprentices College at Harrogate

to Catterick, and to retain the camp at Oswestry for at least a further

six months (from the previously announced closure date of 1 April 1975)

as a Junior Infantry Wing to cater for those Junior Infantrymen who

cannot be trained at Divisional Depots because of the shortage of

living accommodation.

11. A further review of the Junior Training organisation is being

put in hand to take account of the latest forecasts of recruiting

trends and the implications of the Government's review of Defence

expenditure.

ROYAL AIR FORCE

Ground Training

1.2. A common training syllabus has been introduced at the Royal Air

Force College, Cranwell, and the Officer Cadet Training Unit, Henlow,

which will ensure that all new officers are trained to the same

standard.

13. A revised pattern of command staff training, outlined in the

Statement on the Defence Estimates 1973 (Cmnd. 5231), has been adopted

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CONFIDENTIAL