Canberra, 2 October 1964
950. Top Secret Immediate
Use of Australian Forces
Your telegram No. 1034.1
Chairman Chiefs of Staff is despatching following telegram to Admiral Begg.
‘Australia has agreed to the terms of the supplementary directive on employment of our forces on operations against Indonesian infiltrators into Malaya/Singapore as amended by the British and New Zealand Chiefs of Staff. There is a minor disagreement persisting between yourselves and New Zealand regarding the position in the directive of the paragraph relating to financial arrangements but we consider this is a minor matter and we are not concerned where the paragraph comes in the directive.
Australian forces, therefore, are available if required in the above roles in accordance with the terms of the directive. Should you require to employ the forces in this role it would be appreciated if you would consult the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur who has authority to commit the forces.
We have also agreed to the request outlined in the recent letter from the Malaysian Minister for Defence that the Commonwealth Brigade at Terendak should accept responsibility for the defence of the State of Malacca against any further infiltrations.2 This requirement is of course covered by the above directive and their availability is as stated in paragraph 2.3
At your meeting on 26th September you also sought approval for the Australian forces now operating on the Thai border to extend their tour of duty from mid-October to mid-December. It is confirmed that the Battalion is available for operations on the Thai border or for use against Indonesian infiltrators into Malacca as required by the Military situation.’
2. Delegation of authority to you is immediate expedient pending clarification from you of position regarding United Kingdom and more particularly New Zealand forces. To what extent must Begg consult respective High Commissioners?4 We should like to bring Australian practice into line with that of British and New Zealanders if possible. You would of course authorize use of Australian forces unless proposed employment was clearly against Australian policy, for example, in support of the civil power in a riot. This occasion should not arise in view of paragraph 6(d) of supplementary Directive to C.-in-C.F.E.5
3. You may now reply to Razak that Australian forces may be used for the defence of the State of Malacca against further infiltrations.
[NAA: A1209, 1964/6040 part 3]
1 Document 214.
2 See Document 214.
3 That is, paragraph 2 of this message.
4 The UK and New Zealand had delegated full authority to Begg to employ their forces under the supplementary directive without consultation with their High Commissioners.
5 Paragraph 6 (d) stated: ‘Commonwealth forces shall not be employed on operations of a type of which their National authorities may disapprove or which in your opinion or the opinion of National authorities are militarily unsound. Australian and New Zealand forces are not to be used in aid of the civil power in civil disturbances without prior National Government consent.’