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APPENDIX A.
DIRECTIVE TO THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, FAR EAST.
1. You are appointed Commander-in-Chief, Far East.
2. You will be responsible to the Chiefs of Staff for the operational control and general direction of training of all British land and air forces in Malaya,1 Burma and Hong Kong, and for the co-ordination of plans for the defence of these territories.
You will also be responsible for the operational control and general direction of training of British Air Forces in Ceylon and of the general reconnaissance Squadrons of the Royal Air Force which it is proposed to station in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal for ocean reconnaissance in those areas.
3. For these purposes, the following will be under your command:—
General Officer Commanding, Malaya.
General Officer Commanding, Burma.
General Officer Commanding, Hong Kong.
Air Officer Commanding, Far East.
4. It is intended that you should deal, primarily with matters of major military policy and strategy. It is not the intention that you should assume administrative or financial responsibilities or the normal day-to-day functions at present exercised by the General Officers Commanding and Air Officer Commanding.
These Officers will continue to correspond as at present with the War Office, Air Ministry, Colonial Office and Burma Office, on all matters on which they have hitherto dealt with these departments, to the fullest extent possible consistent with the exercise of your Command; keeping you informed as and when you wish.
5. Your staff will consist of the following only, and no expansion of this staff is contemplated:—
A Chief of Staff (an army officer of the rank of Major-Genera.1),
A Senior Royal Air Force Staff Officer,
A Naval Liaison Officer,
An Army Officer of the -rank of General Staff Officer, 1st Grade,
An officer from each Service of the equivalent rank of General Staff Officer, 2nd Grade, together with the necessary clerical and cypher staff.
6. You will, where appropriate, consult and co-operate with the Commander-in-Chief, China, the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies, and the Commander-in-Chief in India. You will also communicate direct with the Defence Departments of the Governments of the Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand on all routine matters of interest to them, but on matters of major policy you will communicate to these Dominion Governments through the appropriate Service Department of His Majesty's Government.
7. You will keep the Governor of the Straits Settlements and High Commissioner for the Malay States, the Governor of Burma and the Governor of Hong Kong closely and constantly informed and will consult them as appropriate.
8. The General and Air Officers mentioned in paragraph 3 above remain, subject to your general direction and supervision, in touch with the Governor of the Straits Settlements and High Commissioner for the Malay States, the Governor of Burma and the Governor of Hong Kong. In the case of Burma you will ensure that the constitutional relations between the Governor and the General Officer Commanding are not affected. This is of particular importance with regard to any movement of troops which might affect internal security.
9. You will, where appropriate, maintain touch with His Majesty's, (representatives in Japan, China, the United States of America and Thailand, and with His Majesty's Consuls-General in the Netherlands East Indies and Indo-China. The maintenance of touch with His Majesty's representatives and Consuls-General in these countries will rest with you exclusively and not with the General and Air Officers referred to in paragraph 3.
10. The Far East Combined Intelligence Bureau, in addition to keeping you informed of current intelligence, will be charged with the duty of collecting such special intelligence as you may require. The Bureau will remain under the control of the Admiralty.
11. You will normally communicate as necessary with the Chiefs of Staff, the Air Ministry being used as a channel of communication for telegrams, and letters being addressed to the Secretary, Chiefs of Staff Committee; but you have the right to correspond direct with an individual Chief of Staff on matters particularly affecting his Service.
Notes
1 Including the Straits Settlements, the Federated and Unfederated Malay States, Brunei, Sarawak and North Borneo.
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