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‘File 13/15 Air base at Dhahran’ [9r] (17/94)
The record is made up of 1 file (45 folios). It was created in 25 Aug 1944-5 Dec 1947. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
HTDIA OFFICE,
External Department
T
From:
EXPRESS LETTER (AIR MAIL ) I’OP SECRET
Secretary of State for India.
To:
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.
,
repeated to Government of I n dia, External
Affairs Department, and
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.
Dated:
No. :
2^ October 1944.
Ext.V779/M-.
I i
Please refer to Jedda telegram 157 of 10th May, copy
forwarded under EXT. 2156/44 of 19th May 1944 (not copied to
Bahrein), regarding American request for permission to construct
airfields in Saudi Arabia.
2. On October 3rd A.O.C. laddie East telegraphed stating that
message had been received from Washington by local U.S.A.A.F.
authorities requiring them to arrange immediately for the
provision of Very Heavy Bomber Airfield at Dhahran, and that .
reply had been sent to Kashin,.ton on A. O.C. 's advice requesting
that proposal should be put as firm requirement to British Chiefs
of Staff. Until such proposal as received no action is being
taken by British authorities either at Washington or London.
3. Meanwhile, matter has been considered here provisionally
under following heads:-
(a) Our transport interests.
Air Ministry consider that it would be advantageous to have
large relief aerodrome of this kind provided it did not add to
our maintenance difficulties in the area. Same relief could,
however, possibly be afforded at perhaps less cost by Americans
developing Abadan. As regards Bahrain, trouble is at present
being experienced with use of runways by heavy aircraft, though
by use of steel planking it is hoped that airfield will be fit
for use by heavy aircraft by February next. To provide full
length V.H.B. runways however, at Bahrain, would be major
undertaking of many months and airfield would meanwhile be largely
out of commission. (l aln replying separately to«jour express
letter No. C/209 of 30th August regarding future use of Muharra.q
aerodrome)
(b) Constructional aspect.
Owing to other liabilities in Middle East and
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
region at would probably be imp ossible for British Authorities
to construct airfield at Dhahran of type proposed and Americans
would have to do it themselves and at their own charge.
(c) The American case.
The Americans can probably make a good military case for
building a heavy bomber airfield at Dhahran though it is doubtful
whether they could justify prevision of V. II. B. airfield. The
northern route via the Azores and
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
is being developed
and will be much more heavily used than hitherto. It is possible,
however, that development of Abadan may suit them as well for
/practical
About this item
- Content
The file contains correspondence relating to the construction by the United States of an airfield at Dhahran in Saudi Arabia. The majority of the correspondence in the file was received by rather than sent from the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. in Bahrain. Correspondence comes from the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , officials at the India and Foreign Offices, the Secretary of State for India, and the British Legation at Jedda.
Correspondence from mid-1944 to mid-1945 documents the United States Air Force’s desire to construct an airfield capable of accommodating ‘very heavy bombers’ at Dhahran, in order to maintain military supply lines to the Far East theatre of war. This is in response to Britain’s airfield at Muharraq in Bahrain being inadequate for the use of larger aircraft, to the concern of British officials. Details of the extent of the American airfield, construction of which began in August 1945, are given in correspondence 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. to 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. (ff 14-15). A confidential telegram from the British Legation at Jedda confirms an agreement reached between the United States Army Air Force and the Saudi Government for the construction of the airfield (f 18).
Post-war correspondence, covering the period late-1945 to 1947 documents the use of the Dhahran airfield for civil aviation purposes. This includes British Overseas Airways Corporation’s (BOAC) negotiations with the United States to use Dhahran for their Avro 688 Tudor II aircraft, being introduced on the air route to India, and which are too heavy to land at Muharraq (f 26). Correspondence between Ministry of Civil Aviation and 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. officials in late 1946 discusses the redevelopment of Muharraq to accommodate heavy aircraft, though acknowledging that there would be ‘difficulty in persuading the Treasury’ of such a project (f 31).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (45 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 (ff 45-46) mirror the chronological arrangement.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; 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 2-39; these numbers are also written in pencil, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence, but they are not circled.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/523
- Title
- ‘File 13/15 Air base at Dhahran’
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:46v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence