Page 163 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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of them had to be sent back to Jordan. By the end of 1951, 50 local recruits
had been obtained, 30 of them being bcdu and the rest non-combatant personnel.
The Political Resident reported that, as a result of the establishment of the Levies,
no case of abduction into slavery had been reported during the year and that
there had been a decrease in highway robbery.(2')
46. In 1952 the force was recruited up to a strength of 100. Posts were
established at Rams and in the Wadi al Qaur and, after the arrival of Turki at
Hamasah, at Al Ain in the Buraimi oasis.
47. Early in 1953 a decision was taken to recruit the force up to a total
strength of 500 in order to deal with the situation created by the establishment
of a Saudi Amir in the Buraimi oasis and guard the Trucial States frontier
against further Saudi encroachments. Aden Protectorate Levies were brought in
temporarily to make up the requisite strength and recruiting for the force was
carried out urgently in Aden. By August the desired number of recruits had been
obtained and the Aden Protectorate Levies were released. In November there
were serious breaches of discipline in one of the squadrons recruited from Aden
and an attempt to arrest some of the offenders resulted in the murder of two
British Officers and one Jordanian Warrant Officer. The murderers were arrested
and the whole squadron was sent back to Aden and disbanded. In the latter
half of 1953 the force was brought under the operational control of the War
Office but it still remained under the administrative control of the Foreign Office. (”)
A new post of Senior Army Officer, Persian Gulf, was created at Bahrain for the
purposes of operational control (Chapter 2, paragraph 117). During the year a
number of additional posts were established to watch the Trucial States’ frontiers.
The role of the Levies has thus been extended to include the protection of the
Trucial States against external aggression.

V.—Local Development
48. The Rulers of the Trucial States, owing to their lack of resources, have
hitherto been able to do very little to improve the conditions under which their
people live. Sharjah, Dubai and Ras al Khaimah possess rudimentary schools
and the Ruler of Sharjah has made some ineffectual efforts to improve his creek.
Elsewhere nothing has been done on the Rulers’ initiative.
49. The British Government of India, with their policy of non-interference
on land on the Trucial Coast, did nothing beyond opening a dispensary at Dubai
in 1939 and providing the services of the Sub-Assistant Surgeon. Her Majesty’s
Government contributed to the cost of this measure but apart from this no funds
were made available for local development until 1953. During the last war,
however, a fund was raised from contributions obtained from the Rulers and
merchants and from profits on the sale of cereals and other commodities to the
local population for the establishment of a hospital at Dubai. The services of a
British doctor were obtained in 1949 and the hospital was opened in 1951
(paragraph 151 below).
50. At the end of 1952 in view of propaganda spread by the Saudis regarding
their intention to extend the benefits of education, agricultural development, &c.
to Buraimi the Political Resident recommended that Her Majesty’s Government
should build schools at Sharjah and Dubai and pay for a survey of the water
resources of the Trucial Coast.(“) Her Majesty’s Government accepted these
proposals in principle and also suggested that the Red Cross Society should be
asked to assist in improving the medical facilities on the Trucial Coast and that
some financial contribution should be made towards a survey of the Dubai creek.( )
Sanction was subsequently accorded to the building of a school at Sharjah and to
a survey of the water resources at the expense of Her Majesty’s Government. A
water survey was carried out by Colonel Merrylees in the spring of 1953 with
(«) P.R. to F.O. 1202/1/52 of January 2, 1952 (EA 1201/11 of 1952).
(,s) The War Office assumed administrative control in April 1954, financial responsibility
rera^mngwilMhe F°reienF°(J'c<:g6 5,^ of December 17. 1952 (EA 1084/478 of 1952).
(”) F.O. to P.R. HA 1084/478 of January 5, 1953.