Page 64 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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any bilateral agreement, but permission for it was granted in a Note Verba e-from
His Majesty’s Embassy, Baghdad, to the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Afiairs.t ) in
1949 Mr. Bosworth started local flights from Bahrain as a private venture and in
1950 established the Gulf Aviation Company, in which shares were held by the
Ruler, the Bahrain Government and some Bahrain and Qatar merchants, for local
services.(333) In 1951 Bosworth was killed in a flying accident in the United Kingdom
and the Company was for a time in diificulties. The British Overseas Airways
Corporation eventually acquired Bosworth’s shares and took over control of it(25‘)
In 1953 it maintained services from Bahrain to Dhahran, Dohah and Sharjah and
was beginning to pay its way. Cyprus Airways maintain a regular service to
Bahrain. Other aviation companies, e.g., Aden Airways and Air Djibuti have
proposed scheduled services to or through Bahrain, but have not yet established
them. Many foreign lines are classed as occasional users of the areodrome but are
not permitted to exercise traffic rights.
127. In August 1947 a British Overseas Airways Corporation flying-boat
crashed when landing and there were some fatal casualties. An official enquiry
was held. In June 1950 during a period of bad visibility two Air France aircraft
crashed into the sea at night while approaching the Muharraq aerodrome within
forty-eight hours of each other with heavy loss of life.(355) The Ministry of Civil
Aviation sent out an Inspector of Accidents and a formal enquiry was held
provision for which was made in a specially enacted King’s Regulation^46) which has
since been repealed. Opinions had been expressed that the accidents were due to
inadequate night-landing facilities at Muharraq but the enquiry found that this
was not the case and that none of the ground staff there were in any way to blame.
It was however decided as a result of the accidents to improve the approach lighting
at Muharraq.
128. In August 1949 when the flying-boat services were about to cease the
Political Resident called attention to the lack of co-ordination at the Muharraq
airport and suggested the appointment of a Civil Manager.(24?) The aerodrome was
owned by the Royal Air Force who maintained a care and maintenance party
there under a junior officer who was the final overall authority. International
Aeradio Limited were responsible for control of aircraft in the air and for safety
regulations as the agents of the Royal Air Force, while the British Overseas Airways
Corporation, who were presumably as successors of Imperial Airways His Majesty’s
Government’s agents under the Civil Air Agreement, were about to make an
increasing use of the aerodrome. The whole matter remained under discussion
for many months during which there was increasing friction between the authorities
concerned until in June 1951 an official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation was
appointed as Civil Commandant of the airport. He was provided with detailed
terms of reference under which his duties were confined to Bahrain, except for
advice to the Political Resident about day to day civil aviation problems on which
he might be consulted and ad hoc assignments by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.(246)
In December 1952 a new incumbent was appointed as Civil Aerodrome
Commandant, Muharraq Aerodrome, Bahrain.(2”) His duties were the same as those
of his predecessor except that he was also appointed as Ministry of Civil Aviation
Representative, Persian Gulf, and charged with the supervision of the aerodromes
at Sharjah, Kuwait and Dohah.
129. In May 1952 letters were exchanged with the Ruler whereby amendments
were made to Articles 2, 4 and 5 of the Civil Air Agreement and the Air Navigation
Regulations attached to it were completely revised.(26°) The amendments covered the
appointment of agents by Her Majesty’s Government and the Ruler, and the grant
or refusal of certain privileges by Her Majesty’s Government to aircraft of all
nationalities. The Ruler did not issue a decree enforcing the revised Air Navigation
Regulations until October 1953. A draft Queen’s Regulation applying them to
persons subject to the Order in Council was under consideration at the end of the
(M1) Baghdad to F.O. Despatch 241 of July 1947 (W 5324/192/802 of 194’’)
(”*) P.R. to F.O. 85/55/50 of June 5, 1950 (GA 86/15 of 1950).
(*“) Tel. from P.R. to F.O. 29, Saving, of August 10. 1951 (GA 60/34 of 1951)
(”*) P.R. to F.O. Despatch 51 of June 26, 1950 (GA 6/25 of 1950)
(**•) No. 1 of 1950.
(”’) P.R. to F.O. 26/139/49 of August 18, 1949 (W 4772/15/802 of 1949)
(”') F.O. to P.R. GA 60/16 of May 29. 1951.
(”*) M.C.A. to F.O. OF 3 of December 12. 1952 (GA 60/41 of 1952)
(”*) P-R- to F.O. Despatch 91 of August 24. 1942 (GA 60/22 of 1952).