Page 162 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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IV.—The Trucial Oman Levies
43. In 1948 the number of cases of forcible abduction into slavery which
occurred on the Trucial Coast 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
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.(17) Subsequently the Secretary of 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 Oflicers.
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.C8) 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 together with two
Arab officers and 32 other ranks on secondment, leaving the rest of the force
to be recruited locally. It was decided that the force should be called the Trucial
Oman Levies and that it should be located in the vacant Royal Air Force
Levy Lines at Sharjah. There was much discussion regarding His Majesty’s
Government’s right to establish the force as there was no treaty which could be
held to cover this and it was at first proposed that an attempt should be made
to obtain the Rulers’ consent to it. The Political Resident objected to this course
of action and he was eventually instructed to inform the Rulers orally of the
proposal to raise the force and of the reasons for it, with the idea that after this
it should be regarded as being legalised by sufferance.C9) The Rulers were
informed accordingly in September 1950 with satisfactory results.(20) Subsequently
the establishment of the Levies was everywhere welcomed except at Dubai, where
it was feared that they might interfere with nefarious trading activities.
44. To bring all members of the Trucial Oman Levies under His Majesty’s
jurisdiction and to cover the making of a King’s Regulation for the “establishment,
recruitment, discipline and control ” of the force a new Order in Council for the
Trucial States was issued in December 1950. A King’s Regulation made under
it in the following March provided for the establishment of the Trucial Oman
Levies and for their employment (a) for the maintenance of peace and good
order in the Trucial States, and (b) in furnishing escorts for British Political
Representatives, laid down rules regarding arrest and search and empowered the
Political Resident to make rules of discipline for the force. Penalties were also
prescribed for offences committed in respect of the force by persons subject to the
Order in Council who were not members of it.(2‘) While the Regulation was in
draft form the Foreign Office desired that the approval of the Rulers should be
obtained to some of its provisions but on the Political Resident’s objecting to this,
it was agreed that it would be sufficient to send the Rulers Arabic copies of the
Regulation asking them to inform their subjects of the offences in respect of
the force described in it and to warn them that they would be punished if they
committed any of them.(22) Rules of Discipline under the Regulation were issued
in May.(23) A directive (Appendix D) was also issued defining the duties of the
force.
45. The contingent from Jordan was assembled at Sharjah by the end of
February 1951 and at the end of March by the local enlistment of drivers and
menial staff the strength of the force had reached 53. During March patrols
visited all the Rulers except Abu Dhabi and were well received. In May a mutiny
occurred amongst the personnel seconded from the Arab Legion and a number
(,T) F.O. to Chiefs of Staff Committee. E 2892/1535/91 G of September 6. 1949.
('•) Treasury to F.O. l.F. 196/07 of January 24. 1950 (EA 2181 /1 of 1950).
('•) F.O. to P.R. EA 2181/9 of July 25. 1950.
(20) Tel. from P.R. to F.O. 326 of September 18. 1950 (EA 2181/49 of 1950).
(Sl) No. 1 of 1951.
(2a) F.O. to P.R. EA 1201/34 of May 8. 1951.
(”) p. 243, Supplement, No. 1 of October 1, 1953, to Persian Gulf Gazette.

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