‘File 28/61 War. BAPCO and A.I.O.C. – Attitude of employees regarding enlistment in armed forces at outbreak of war’

Content

The file comprises copies of correspondence relating to the appointment of employees of the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) as special police officers, to be engaged as part of BAPCO’s oil refinery defence scheme in time of war. The file’s principal correspondents are: 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); 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 Trenchard Craven William Fowle; Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior); and the Chief Local Representative for BAPCO (John S Black; Milton H Lipp).

The file includes:

• copies of correspondence between the British Legation at Tehran and the Foreign Office, relating to the drawing up of lists of surplus employees of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), who might be commissioned in time of war, and correspondence between 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 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. , agreeing that similar lists should be drawn up in collaboration with BAPCO (ff 2-9);
• correspondence from the Chief Local Representative at BAPCO: nominal lists of employees in accordance with the proposed Refinery Defence Scheme (ff 10-11, f 14); lists of employees with their names and departure dates (ff 15-17); a draft copy of a note entitled ‘Defence Protection for the Bahrein Petroleum Company in the Event of Hostilities’ (ff 18-31);
• notices issued by the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , containing lists of employees to be appointed as special police officers under the Bahrain Order-in-Council and King’s Regulation No. 2 of 1938 (ff 12-13, ff 33-34, ff 35-36);
• correspondence concerning the restiveness of some British BAPCO employees after the declaration of war in Europe; a request for an official statement on the importance of oil production in war time; a request from 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. for the authority to create a Volunteer Defence Force in Bahrain; correspondence between 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. and Foreign Office officials on official policy for British BAPCO employees (ff 38-52);
• correspondence over whether the appointment of special police officers from BAPCO staff represents a breach of civil contract, with 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. stating that the appointments are not an order, and are ‘entirely voluntary’ (ff 53-54);
• correspondence concerning the relative importance of oil production in Bahrain, including a secret letter sent from by John Percival Gibson 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. to F C Starling of the Petroleum Department, dated 27 September 1939, setting the importance of Bahrain’s oil in a broader context, in terms of production quantity, quality, and its usefulness to the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force (ff 58-62).

One letter in the file is erroneously dated (f 7), being given as 8 August 1938 instead of 8 August 1939.

Extent and format

1 file (62 folios)

Arrangement

The file’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 file (f 63) mirror the chronological arrangement.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 64; 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 2-62; 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

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

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.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/2/753

Former external reference(s)

Confidential Files: 28/61

History of this record

Date(s)

31 Mar 1939-2 Oct 1939 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Military recruitmentPetroleum industrySecond World War (1939-1945)EmployeesDefenceDefence policy

People & organisations

Bahrain Petroleum Company, Chief Local RepresentativePolitical Resident, Persian Gulf

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‘File 28/61 War. BAPCO and A.I.O.C. – Attitude of employees regarding enlistment in armed forces at outbreak of war’, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/753, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000241.0x0000a2> [accessed 24 April 2024]

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