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‘File 28/57 II Volunteers for national service’ [‎289r] (583/719)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (351 folios). It was created in 24 Feb 1930-2 Feb 1942. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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PETROLEUM CONCESSIONS LTD.
BAHRAIN
PERSIAN GULF The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
doA* 30 / 2761
Dear
CONFIDENTIAL
22nd December, 1941
*
With reference to your D.O. No . C/2256-12/19 dated the
11th December 1941.
I am afraid this is a question which must be referred to
our London principals direct or through our General Manager
in the Near East (Haifa). 1 am sure they will not approve of
local Managers giving views which might influence the local
► representatives of H.B.M. f s Government in advocating or bring
ing into force any local form of conscription.
As you know our parent Company is the Iraq Petroleum
Company operating in Iraq, Palestine, Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan and Syria
including also various subsidiaries under different names.
All these locations and subsidiaries come under the Iraq
Petroleum Company, Ltd., London, for all the ’’essentials” of
administration. All employees are liable to inter-Company
transfers at short notice and I feel that, should they be con
sulted, our principals would think it most desirable that any
form of conscription introduced by the British Government
should apply equally to all our areas and locations.
Without knowledge of the particulars of the conscription
scheme to which you refer it is difficult for me to offer any
unofficial comments on the advantages and disadvantages of
conscription as applied to Qatar.
At present, the situation there seems quite satisfactory
as regards the British and American staff. In this connection,
however, I should like to bring it to your notice that if any
conscription is brought into force it could be applied also
with advantage to Indian staff, clerical and artizan particularly
- at least to the extent of requiring them to fulfil their
contract periods. At present under the Protector of Emigrants’
form of agreement they can always give one month’s notice of
termination and satisfactory replacements in these days are very
difficult indeed to arrange. An air raid or an agitation for
war bonuses might easily lead to a general exodus.
Yours sincerely,
Major R.G.Alban, O.B.B.,
H.B.M.’s Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. ,
Bahrain.

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Content

The volume comprises applications made by individuals in Bahrain (chiefly employees of the Bahrain Petroleum Company, BAPCO) for emergency commission to the military forces, and correspondence concerning official policy towards volunteers for military duty, and proposals for the introduction in Bahrain and Qatar of conscription for military duty. The file is a direct chronological continuation of ‘File 28/57 I Volunteers for national service’ (IOR/R/15/2/748). The principal correspondents in the file are: the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior; Lieutenant-Colonel William Rupert Hay); the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain (Hugh Weightman; Major Reginald George Evelin William Alban); the Chief Local Representative of the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) (Ward P Anderson; Milton H Lipp).

The volume includes:

While the earliest piece of correspondence in the volume is dated 24 February 1930 (a school reference submitted by a BAPCO employee, f 174), the volume commences with correspondence dated from October 1940.

Extent and format
1 volume (351 folios)
Arrangement

The volume’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest item at the front to the latest at the end. The file notes at the end of the volume (ff 323-353) mirror the chronological arrangement.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 357; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 6-278; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
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‘File 28/57 II Volunteers for national service’ [‎289r] (583/719), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/749, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100026187823.0x0000b8> [accessed 12 June 2026]

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