TNAG-0543-FCO40-638-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 194

COLE 1277

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BRIEF H

HONG KONG DEFENCE COSTS NEGOTIATIONS OCTOBER 1975

THE BRIGADE OF GIRKMAS

BACKGROUND

1. Gurkhas are enlisted from the Hills of Nepal. They have been in British Service for over 160 years. The organisation and deployment of the Brigade of Gurkhas in the British Aray is shown at Appex A. The Indian Army enlists large numbers of Gurkhas from the same villages and they have some 35-40 active battalions of Gurkhas in their Army.

2. Gurkhas are enlisted in the British Army for world-wide service, although their employment is subject to certain constraints according to circumstances.

3. They are essentially long-service soldiers. They join with the intention of earning a pension (after 15 years). Almost all complete this service. Only those who have then reached the rank of sergeant or above are allowed to remain in service beyond this. The others are sent on pension after 15 years to make way for recruits..... of whom there is no shortage. In last year's recruiting season there were some 15,000 applicants for 327 places.

4. Below the rank of Warrant Officer, a Gurkha soldier is only entitled to be accompanied by his family for a percentage of his service. In effect this works out to be about one third of his service. Married quarters are provided therefore for only about 30%.of each unit. All Gurkhas are entitled to 6 months leave in Nepal after every 3 years.

5. The strength of the Brigade of Gurkhas was reduced from around 14,500 to 7,000 during the period 1967-1971. The present authorised strength of the Brigade of Gurkhas is around 7,000, This is expressed as a constant figure of 6,700 with an allowance of extra menpower to cover the periods of recruit training and terminal leave before pension, in order to keep units up to effective strength.

DEFENCE REVIEW REDUCCIONS

6. The situation over rundown and reorganisation plans is that CGS directed that the Brigade of Gurkhas should bear a share of the reductions resulting from the Defence Review. The Defence White Paper, talking in round terms, has specifically mentioned a reduction from 7,000 to 6,000. The reduction is to be achieved by 1 April 1979.

but

7. The details of how the reductions are to be carried out, and the timing of then, are at present the subject of a paper being prepared for the Aray Board in November this year, in principle the reduction will be achieved largely by the deletion of one battalion from the order of battle, and will entail a measure of limited recruiting and a redundancy scheme.

CONNUENTIAL