Page 338 - UAE Truncal States
P. 338

The External Jn/luenccs

           In the first year of its existence the force was successful in
         stamping out the lingering security problems such as occasional
         abductions, highway robberies and tribal hostilities against the
         foreigners who increasingly needed to move around in the country.
           When the border dispute concerning parts of the Buraimi area and
         the southern desert of Abu Dhabi became acute again in 1952, the
         British Government decided to strengthen the TOL which by 1955
         numbered about 500 men in three rifle squadrons. After the Levies
         participated in the eviction of the Saudi force from the disputed area,
         the force was built up further to reach the strength of five squadrons,
         which were distributed throughout the Trucial States, moving
         frequently from one location to another.92
           During the time of rapid expansion of the force the percentage of
         Trucial Slates recruits fell because there were belter job opportu­
         nities, or at least the expectation thereof, in the oil industry. Only the
         soldiers from the northern Trucial States stayed in any number. The
         force was by then largely made up of Omanis from the tribes living on
         the fringes of Oman. One squadron consisted entirely of Dhufaris,
         who also manned up to one third of other squadrons. Men from
         Dhufar had left their homes in search of employment in Bahrain,
         Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. They worked for the oil companies
         and then for the police forces and became well trained in various
         skills, but were gradually edged out of such employment when the
         locals of these states grew to resent their presence in such relatively
         large numbers. In the TOS the Dhufaris presented problems because
         they did not mix well with the other soldiers on account of their
         different tribal background, and because many of them speak a
         language of their own.93
           Because of the mixture of nationalities in the force and the
         involvement of Omani tribesmen from many parts of that country, it
         was a bold decision on the part of the British Government to send the
         TOS to assist the Sultan’s forces on their final assault against the
         rebellious Sulaiman bin Himyar of the Bani Riyam and other
         supporters of the Imam.94 The force fought with a good military
         record in Oman from November 1957 until January 1959, when the
         Imam’s natural bastion the Jabal al Akhdar was taken by the Special
         Air Service regiment of the British Army.
           The TOS were not required to fight again outside the territory of
          the seven States. They concentrated on the maintenance of law and
          order, which still occasionally meant that they had to step in when

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