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THE last troops to be stationed on the land border with China will take their final orders tomorrow when both British and Hong Kong soldiers take part in their last anti-illegal immigrant operation.

  The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) have been joined by 20 members of the British Territorial Army for their final week-long spring camp.

  The Volunteers have assisted the police in border operations since they took over full responsibility for border patrols three years ago.

  The regiment of 900 part-time soldiers had also relieved sections of the Army twice a year since 1980.

  But tomorrow will be their last day protecting the territory before the regiment disbands in September.

  Lance Corporal Tse Wai-keung, a civil servant, said he would have to find other clubs or associations to fill the one weekend a month and two evenings a week he commits to the regiment.

  'I have good memories of my 10 years,' he said.

  For Trooper Neville Stanthorpe of the British Royal Yeomanry it was his first and last visit to Hong Kong to assist in The Volunteers' operation.

  'There were many of us who put in to come out here, and I'm very honoured to be one of the last troops to patrol the border,' he said.

  Six squadrons have patrolled various sites on the border since last Saturday. By yesterday, a combination of observation, patrolling and ambushes had led to 46 illegal immigrants being picked up.

  'None of them gave any resistance,' said the regiment's commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Kestrel Simpson.



Troops prepare to beat border retreat