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National Union Committee (NUC). 586 The FO expressed its pleasure to the Residency

that the situation in Bahrain had settled down. 587

The proclamation of the official recognition of the NUC was reported

internationally and the BBC’s English radio also announced on 16 March that Iraqi

policemen were being despatched to Bahrain. Following the report the Resident

requested the FO to issue a statement denying the validity of the news report on

both the Arabic and English services. 588 The initial broadcast by the BBC was picked

up by other media outlets, such as the New York Times, which reported that an Iraqi

unit of one hundred and forty men was on its way to Bahrain from Baghdad. 589 The

Manchester Guardian also covered the rumours of Iraqi officers being sent to

Bahrain. The newspaper added further and exaggerated claims to the initial

account, saying that two hundred Iraqi officers were on their way to Bahrain but

were asked to return. It also said that an agreement had been concluded between

the Iraqi and Bahraini Governments on seconding the Iraqi officers for six

months. 590 The Daily Express also covered the news of Iraqi officers being sent to

Bahrain with its claim that two hundred policemen were to be sent. 591

The announcement of the NUC’s official recognition was followed by another

public notice from the Government on the formation of a Board of Enquiry to review

recent developments in Bahrain, headed by the Judicial Adviser to the

Administration Geoffrey Peace and the Assistant Judge for HMG Court for Bahrain,

586 TNA, FO 371/120545, Government of Bahrain: Notice, No. 17/1956, 16 March 1956.
587 TNA, FO 371/120544, Despatch 281, FO to Residency, 17 March 1956.
588 TNA, FO 1016/465, Despatch 233, Burrows to FO, 17 March 1956.
589 ‘Bahrein Curbs Meetings’, New York Times, 17 March 1956, 6.
590 ‘Change of Plan: Return of Iraqi Police Loaned to Bahrein’, The Manchester Guardian, 19 March
1956, 7.
591 S. Harper, ‘Britain allows oil mob to win’, Daily Express, 17 March 1956, 1.

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