ENG-1979 — Page 241

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THE ARMED SERVICES AND AUXILIARY SERVICES

the United Kingdom; and two companies from 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles from Brunei.

The primary task of the Army in Hong Kong is to operate in support of the Hong Kong Government, in particular, the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. In 1979 the large numbers of illegal immigrants from China attempting to reach Hong Kong across the northern land border, combined with those who attempted to land on the coastal perimeter, resulted in the full and extended deployment of all infantry battalions and the arrival of reinforcement units to counter this influx.

In July, 1979, the Royal Army Ordnance Corps Composite Ordnance Depot at Blackdown Barracks, San Po Kong, was awarded the Wilkinson Sword of Peace for the Army. The sword was awarded in recognition of the depot's community relations activities during 1978. These activities included the organisation and running of six adventure training camps attended by several hundred young people, many from deprived backgrounds; organising parties for the disabled; and the sponsoring of visits to the depot by several hundred children. The high standard of individual training in Hong Kong-based units was again demon- strated in the 1979 shooting competition at Bisley in the United Kingdom, an event in which all units of the British Army are eligible to compete. This was won by the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles. Major R. H. Coleman, from the same regiment, won the Queen's Medal as the best shot in the Army. Five of the first 10 places in the competition were taken by Gurkha units from Hong Kong.

Royal Air Force

The Commander Royal Air Force (Hong Kong) has under his direct command No. 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, which is based at Sek Kong with eight Wessex helicopters. The Royal Air Force station, co-located with the Headquarters of the Gurkha Field Force, is ideally placed and equipped to perform its primary role. This is the rapid movement of troops and supplies in support of the Gurkha Field Force, Army Support Units and the Royal Navy. The Wessex helicopter can carry up to 12 men or 614 kilograms of freight either internally or underslung. Its lift capacity, versatility and safety margin makes it well- suited to the conditions and tasks of Hong Kong.

The ability of No. 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron to ferry troops and equipment has been of great value in anti-illegal immigration operations. The helicopters have provided a quick means of interception over inhospitable terrain and on outlying islands, and a capability for resupplying troops in remote areas.

As well, the squadron has assisted the Queen's Gurkha Engineers in building permanent military installations on inaccessible sites. The helicopters have flown everything from concrete mixers and cement aggregate to the prefabricated buildings themselves. They have also been used by the Hong Kong Government in a wide variety of tasks including support for civil engineering projects. The Wessex also have a fire-fighting capability for which a special underslung bucket is used.

No. 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron is especially proud of its search and rescue opera- tions and the medical evacuation role which it shares with the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force. The Wessex have flown more than 500 medical evacuation missions in Hong Kong. Among its many functions, the squadron provides the air traffic control services at Sek Kong and a territory-wide air traffic advisory service.

Two further squadrons support the flying squadron: an engineering squadron and an administrative squadron. Not all Royal Air Force personnel are based at Sek Kong. They also serve at Headquarters British Forces, at the RAF Airport Unit which co-ordinates the