Coll 30/191 ‘Persian Gulf. Defence of the Persian Gulf. Establishment of aircraft facilities at Socotra and Salalah (Muscat) and Assembly Port at Masira Bay.’ [‎13v] (26/967)

Content

The file contains papers, mostly correspondence, relating to defence facilities in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and on, or near, the Southern Arabian Coast. It includes papers relating to the following:

• The construction of a naval ammunition store on Jiddah Island (also spelled Jidda Island in the file), near Bahrain
• The use of Masirah Bay by the Royal Navy as a port of assembly
• The proposed provision of additional facilities for aircraft at Socotra (also spelled Sokotra in the file) and Salalah in Muscat territory, for action against enemy warships (including the question of whether Britain was bound under Article 6 of the 1938 Anglo-Italian Agreement regarding certain areas in the Middle East to notify the Italian Government of the measures to be taken at Sokotra and Salalah)
• The proposed acquisition of permanent facilities for the Royal Air Force on Masirah Island, and the question of whether this should take place through the purchase or lease of Masirah Island from the Sultan of Muscat, or the exchange of Masirah Island for the Kuria Muria Islands, accompanied by cash compensation for the Sultan of Muscat.

The main correspondents are as follows: the 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. ; the Admiralty; 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. ; the Commander in Chief, East Indies; 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. and HM Consul, Muscat; Saiyid Said bin Taimur [Sa‘īd bin Taymūr Āl Bū Sa‘īd], Sultan of Muscat and Oman; the Government of India External Affairs Department; the Foreign Office; the Air Ministry; the Royal Air Force Middle East Headquarters; the Colonial Office; and the Treasury.

The file also includes:

• A copy of a Foreign Office Eastern Department paper, dated 25 April 1938, regarding the Anglo-Italian Agreement regarding certain areas of the Middle East
• Draft minutes of meetings between representatives of the 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. , the Foreign Office, the Air Ministry, the Treasury, and the Colonial Office, held on 13 April and 8 September 1944, to discuss the proposed purchase or lease of Masirah Island
• A Cabinet joint memorandum by the Air Ministry and the 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. on the proposed acquisition of Masirah Island as a permanent RAF base, dated 29 May 1945, which includes a map showing the location of Masirah Island [IOR/L/PS/12/3928, f 61], and draft versions of the memorandum.

In addition, the file includes a copy of an aide memoire in Italian from the Italian Air Ministry to the Air Attaché of the British Embassy, Rome, dated 13 March 1940, of which there is a copy of an English translation.

The file includes a divider, which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format

1 file (482 folios)

Arrangement

The papers relating to the construction of a naval ammunition store on Jiddah Island are arranged together in their own folder in chronological order at the rear of the file (folios 475-482). The papers relating to the use of Masirah Bay by the Royal Navy as a port of assembly are also arranged together in their own folder in approximate chronological order at the rear of the file (folios 447-473). The rest of the papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 483; 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.

Written in

English and Italian in Latin script

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