ENG-1966 — Page 281

15

The Armed Services and Auxiliary Services

THE British regular forces in Hong Kong are under the overall control of the Commander-in-Chief, Far East. The commanders of the three services generally work under their respective service commanders in Singapore, but in some respects the Commander British Forces Hong Kong co-ordinates service activities in the Colony as well as commanding the land forces. The units of the Royal Hong Kong Defence Force are administered by the Hong Kong Government, but come under the command of the regular commander of the appropriate service for operations, and for train- ing in their operational roles. The Army and Royal Navy both recruit a considerable number of local personnel. These serve in the Army within the Colony or, in the case of the Navy, on board HM ships anywhere in the Far East.

The Naval shore base, HMS Tamar, provides full maintenance facilities and support for the coastal minesweepers based per- manently in the Colony and also assists ships of the Far East Fleet which visit Hong Kong regularly for maintenance, and for leave and recreation. Land Forces Headquarters is in Victoria Barracks on Hong Kong Island. There are two subordinate formations-48 Gurkha Infantry Brigade Group, which is located in the New Territories, and Hong Kong and Kowloon Garrison, which consists of both operational and administrative units in Kowloon and on Hong Kong Island. Royal Air Force Station Kai Tak is a separate enclave alongside the civil airport but uses the same runway and control facilities to operate both resident and visiting RAF aircraft. Radar and signals facilities are provided by the RAF for distant control of civil and military aircraft approaching the Colony.

The year 1966 proved an eventful one for the British forces in Hong Kong. The two most important and publicized events which involved the services were the civil disturbances in Kowloon in April and the disastrous rainstorm in June. Confrontation between