Page 338 - UAE Truncal States_Neat

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

313