'Historical Summary of Events in the Persian Gulf Shaikhdoms and the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, 1928-1953' [‎81r] (166/222)

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IV.—The Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. Levies
43. In 1948 the number of cases of forcible abduction into slavery which
occurred on the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. and of the shooting up of British officers and oil
company personnel on the roads leading into the interior led to the active
consideration of ways and means for preserving law and order and in
1949 consideration was given to a proposal to raise a force in the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates.
the main functions of which would be (a) the suppression of the slave trade, (b) the
maintenance of peace between the various Shaikhdoms, and (c) the provision
of escorts for government officers.( !7 ) Subsequently the Secretary ol State for
Foreign Affairs agreed to the institution of a Levy Force, the primary task of
which would be to prevent trading in slaves but which would also be available
in an emergency for the protection of British oil installations and Political Officers.
Early in 1950 the Treasury agreed to the raising of a force of 70 men instead
of 100 as had been proposed, and that the cost should be borne by the Foreign
Office.C 8 ) It had originally been suggested that a nucleus for the force should be
obtained from Aden but subsequently it was decided that better material would
be available from the Arab Legion in Jordan. The services of a British Officer
were obtained from that source for the post of Commandant togetner with two
Arab officers and 32 other ranks on secondment, leaving the re ft ^ Jhe Torce
to be recruited locally. It was decided that the force should be called the Trucial
Oman Levies and that it should be located m the vacant Royal Air Force
Levy Lines at Sharjah. There was much discussion regarding His Majestys
Government's right to establish the force as there was no treaty which could be
held to^over this and it was at first proposed that an attempt should be made
to obtain the Rulers' consent to it. The ^htical Resident o^ected to this course
of action and he was eventually instructed to inform the Ruleis orally oi tne
proposal to raise the force and of the reasons for it. with the ,d ®a ^^afterjhis
inforirod accordin^l^in September lls^whh Satisfactory results.( = '') Subsequently
the establishment of the Levies was everywhere welcomed except at Dubai, where
hwas feared that they might interfere with nefarious trading activities. ^
AA TV hrintr all members of the Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. Levies under His Majesty s
• ■ : ^ . h _ matinc 0 f a King's Regulation for the "establishment,
jurisdiction and to cover the makm^ ot a t ^ Councjl for the
recruitment, discipline and eontro o Regulation made under
Trucial States A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. was ^sued in ^ eAlishment of the Trucial Oman A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates.
it in the f , oll f own ;§ ei il' (a) for the" maintenance of peace and good
Levies and for their employment W) f urn i s hing escorts for British Political
order in the Tr " c ?^ re ( „ ard i n g arrest and search and empowered the
Representatives, laid down rules re = f r tlle f orce . penalties were also
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. to make ru ' es , ^ t he force by persons subject to the
prescribed for offences mber s of it ( 21 ) While the Regulation was in
Order in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. who were , . the a pp r0 val of the Rulers should be
draft form the Foreign 0ffi< ? e .^ , t on 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. 's objecting to this,
obtained to some oi its P r ° vl ® ffi ient t0 S end the Rulers Arabic copies of the
it was agreed that it would ^^Xir subjects of the offences in respect of
Regulation asking them t0 "J them they would be punished if they
the force described in i J nd t ° J f Disc ip]ine under the Regulation were issued
S m ";' o " a IAp SSS x D, w., p .1,0 taed deHnlng the dui... of the
force - . „ o^ nl lord an was assembled at Sharjah by the end of
45. The contingent from J ° r h b the local enlistment of drivers and
February 1951 and at the end ^reached 53. During March patrols
menial staff the strength of the to were weU received. In May a mutiny
visited all the Rulers except A ronc i e( j from the Arab Legion and a number
occurred amongst the personne
(O) F.O. to Chiefs of ^Yp^J'^o^'af'januaty J IS 1^1 of t950|.
( 20 ) Tel. from P.R. to F.O. 325 or aepic
( 22 ) F .o /to P.R. EA 1201/M to Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Gazette.
( 23 ) p. 243, Supplement, No. 1 of OctoDei i.