Page 409 - Bahrain Gov annual reports (V a)_Neat

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Motor Transport
13. Transport allocated to Mobile Force consists of eight Land Rover Pick-ups and three
short chassis Land Rovers, held by the Armoured Car Squadron as a vehicle pool. One of the
Pick-ups has been adapted as a riot vehicle and another is shortly to be fitted out for similar use.
The number of vehicles is inadequate for the duty commitments of Mobile Police Force,
consequently the vehicles get a great deal of work. It is proposed to increase this fleet by
eight more.

Wireless Communications
14. All three short chassis Land Rovers and two of the Land Rover Pick-ups are fitted
with Pye 5 W R/T sets. These have proved to be a very great asset in maintaining communi­
cation between units and from units to Police Force Headquarters during operations.

Discipline and Morale
A high standard of discipline, cleanliness and turn-out is aimed at in Mobile Force and
during the period under review the men have shown a ready response which has resulted in a
considerable improvement.

Special Operations
16. In the late afternoon of September 29th, it was reported that a small boat had capsized
at sea that morning between the east coast of Bahrain and the island of Nabi Seleh and that a
number of men, women and children were missing. A party was quickly formed and sent to the
coast where they were instrumental in the rescue and rapid transference to hospital of a youth
and young girl, both of whom subsequently recovered. It was learned from these survivors
that a further seven people were missing. Searches of the coastline and sea in the vicinity of
the accident continued until well after nightfall and the bodies of two women and three children
were found and taken to the mortuary at the Government Hospital. At dawn the following
day the search was again started at the sea and along the whole of the east coast around Sitra
island, during which the body of an adult male was found and taken to the mortuary. The
search continued the whole of that day until ten o’clock at night and was resumed at dawn on
October 1st until the last body was reported to have been found by fishermen at Umm al Hasam.
17. At the end of October when it was decided in view of civil unrest to move the families
of Europeans living in Manama, Mobile Police Force were in part instrumental in the successful
organisation, protection and evacuation of European families to Jufair.
18. During the disturbances in November Mobile Police Force was very actively employed
in the further evacuation of European civilians, in breaking up and dispersing riotous mobs,
clearing streets and road blocks, protecting property and in other riot duties, including the arrest
of fifty-two persons suspected of leading the rioters. Various parties carried out the organis­
ation and control of the issue of kerosene in Manama, frequently dealing with large crowds,
the escort of essential BAPCO supplies of petrol and kerosene to Manama and Muharraq, and
in protecting the tradespeople in Manama Suq and restoring confidence amongst them.