ENG-1996 — Page 395

THE ARMED SERVICES

September saw the disbandment of 67 Gurkha Independent Field Squadron, Queen's Gurkha Engineers, based at Borneo Lines. Gurkha engineers have been based in Hong Kong since 1955, providing general engineering support to the British Forces. In January, the Squadron embarked on its last major project with 120 Sappers returning to their home country of Nepal to help build a 100-kilometre road in the Himalayas.

In August, 50 Hong Kong Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, the vehicle repair and recovery sub-unit based at Shek Kong, closed. It was formed at Sham Shui Po in 1946 and at its full strength employed 77 military and 161 Chinese civilian tradesman.

Shek Kong Station finally closed with the movement of the Royal Air Force's helicopter squadron, 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, from RAF Shek Kong to its forward operational base at Kai Tak in November. It will continue to operate from the territory's international airport until June 1997.

Over 40 years of schooling for three generations of Service children in Hong Kong came to an end in July with the closure of Shek Kong Primary School, St Andrew's Primary School and St George's Secondary School. Gurkha soldiers' children. continued with their education at the Gurkha Primary School, Shek Kong, until it closed in November, the end of the Nepali academic year.

By the end of 1996 the Garrison was left with three major sites Prince of Wales Barracks, Stonecutters Island and Osborn Barracks - plus some minor sites, mostly married quarters.

The withdrawal of British Forces will continue during 1997. The Staffordshire Regiment will return to the UK in February and will be replaced by the 1st Battalion The Black Watch, which last served in Hong Kong between January 1993 and August 1994.

Units of the fleet, including the three ships of the Hong Kong Squadron, will be present in Hong Kong until June 30, 1997. However, the Royal Navy's shore-based presence, which has lasted for more than 150 years, will come to an end when HMS Tamar, its headquarters on Stonecutters Island, decommissions in April.

The Royal Navy has served in the territory since 1841. At the end of World War II, Hong Kong's liberation from Japanese occupation was effected by Rear Admiral Cecil Harcourt's naval task force on August 30, 1945, after which the Royal Navy returned to establish a base in the territory. Rear Admiral Harcourt became the first and only British military Governor of Hong Kong, serving until April 1946 when Sir Mark Young had recovered sufficiently from his wartime internment to resume his duties. The penultimate commanding officer of HMS Tamar was Commander Ross Thoburn. As part of the drawdown process, he handed over to his deputy, Lieutenant Commander Cliff Squibb, in December 1996.

May will see the disbandment of the Regimental Headquarters of the Logistic Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps. The Logistic Support Regiment was formed in April 1994 and was known as the '1 000-Day Regiment' because of its short lifespan.

Early June will bring the closure of 28 (AC) Squadron's forward operational base at Kai Tak and Headquarters British Forces, based in the Prince of Wales Barracks,

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