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‘File 28/10-(e) War. St. John Philby’ [‎6r] (11/44)

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The record is made up of 1 file (20 folios). It was created in 27 Jun 1940-27 Aug 1940. 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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Telegram
From
To t
Repeated
No.
S.
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. , London.
Government of India, Simla.
■Political .Resident, Bushire, 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.
4062.
Dated and received the 20th July 1940.
Philby.
A
v
.V
1 .
v our telegram No.2567 dated July 17th addressed
to Bahrain and Political Resident’s telegram No.o45 dated
July 17th. Object being to avoid discouraging Philby from
completing his journey to India it would be better that
any action in respect of his passport should be left to
Indian authorities (despatch paragraph No.3 of my telegram
dated July 16th). Action to arrest and deport him should be
taken only if J^e gives trouble in Bahrain or attempts to
slip away to another destination. .X
3. Your telegram No.2564 dafed July 17th. His Najesty’s
Government have no objection to Philby being sent to United
Kingdom provided precautions can be taken to ensure that he
does not slip away en route. I will telegraph further as
regards your paragraph No.2. Me must be careful to avoid
JUstiiiable criticism of the treatment of him and despite
Ibn Saud’s opinion I would hesitate to sav his conduct
hitherto warrants his being treated as a mental patient
immediately on arrival in India. Might it not be wiser to
wait and see how he behaves ? Under which Defence of India
Rule would you propose to arrest him ?
Retaxandum •

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Content

The file comprises correspondence exchanged between 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), 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 British Government’s representative at Jedda, and officials at the Government of India 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. in London, in tracking a journey made by Harry St John Bridger Philby from Saudi Arabia, via Dhahran, Bahrain and Karachi, to Bombay. The correspondence focuses on when might be an appropriate moment to apprehend Philby, so that he may be deported back to Britain. Proposals to apprehend Philby, who is believed to be carrying letters and articles of an anti-British bent in his luggage, in Bahrain, are abandoned due to uncertainty over whether the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Defence Regulation contained sufficient legal power to enable the deportation (f 11). Correspondence from the Foreign Department of the Government of India reports Philby’s detention upon his arrival at Karachi (f 16). Included in the file is a notice from J W Stafford, Chief Passport Officer in the Passport Office of the Foreign Office, dated 27 June 1940, which contains details of Philby’s appearance, his background, and instruction to impound his passport (f 20).

Extent and format
1 file (20 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 21) 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 back cover with 22; 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 also present in parallel between ff 2-20; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence.

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English in Latin script
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‘File 28/10-(e) War. St. John Philby’ [‎6r] (11/44), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/696, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025482432.0x00000c> [accessed 16 June 2026]

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