CAB129-33 — Page 125

Page 125

5.

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Shanghai, assistance to Hong Kong should be given Page 126df488and the forces availage 126 dhe88vacua-

tion of Shanghai would be substantially reduced. Moreover, Hong Kong would not be available as a transit base for Shanghai evacuees. A number of harbour craft in Hong Kong are being refitted at once for coastal patrol work when the need for this arises.

(ii)

Army

If the threats under (a), (b) and (c) occur simultaneously before the end of 1949, two Brigade Groups at least would be required at Hong Kong. One is already available there, and the second would have to be found from outside the Far East area, unless operations in Malaya are to be seriously interfered with. One Battalion and one A. O. P. Flight from security forces in Malaya are, however, being earmarked to reinforce Hong Kong, should it be necessary, as a temporary advance guard of the second Brigade reinforcement referred to above (see paragraph 5 below). Shanghai and Burma commitments are likely at any time to put a heavy load on already over-strained resources in this theatre.

(iii) Royal Air Force

An Air Force reinforcement would be required to meet the simultaneous occurrence of the threats under (a), (b) and (c), and can be provided from forces available in the Far East provided that the recruitment of the Hong Kong Defence Force Air Unit is proceeded with. But if any one of the threats arose simultaneously with evacuation from Shanghai and/or Burma, it would be difficult to give full assistance to Hong Kong.

The Chiefs of Staff Committee generally agree with the foregoing appreciation. They further agree that no land force reinforcements ought to be sent at the present time to· Hong Kong from the United Kingdom, despite the desirability of forestalling an emergency in Hong Kong, but that one Brigade Group should be held in readiness from April till the end of 1949. Two months, however, might have to elapse before reinforcements could arrive in Hong Kong.

6.

The following matters have been urgently examined by the Governor in consultation, where necessary, with the local Military Authorities and the British Defence Co-ordination Committee, Far East:-

(a) Closing of land frontier

In the event of a threatened influx of refugees, the frontier could be completely wired in 14 days, the essential minimum being completed in 4 days. The Governor considers that no wiring should be done until the threat appears imminent, as once it is done police and troops will have to guard it, and its erection would cause uneasiness on the frontier and might lead to incidents (there is a tacit under- standing at present whereby both Communist guerrillas

Page 72 Government troops respect the frontier).

The Chief of Staff Committee hage accept Ad &the Governor's recommendations.

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