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the Gulf that included Kuwait as his next stop. 458 The Adviser noted that during Al-

Sadat’s visit, the Egyptian Minister suffered an embarrassing moment when he was

carried on the shoulders by Bahraini supporters and accidently dropped into a

puddle of mud. He then lunched with the Ruler in his palace in Riffa and departed.

The Ruler informed the Adviser that Al-Sadat requested a brush and water to

remove the mud stains. Unfortunately, no brushes were available, only a broom.

The Adviser considered the visit to be a complete ‘flop for the Committee’ because of

the embarrassing incident of dropping Al-Sadat. 459 Burrows commented on the visit

saying that Al-Sadat ‘disappointed the “High Executive Committee” and the more

enthusiastic pro-Egyptian elements’. But he did not elaborate further on the

reasons for that disappointment. 460

At the conclusion of the year Bahrain prepared itself for its epoch-making

elections for the councils. Events in Jordan in 1956 led Bahrain into further

disturbances that included an attack on the British Foreign Secretary’s car

procession. Both states would cast their shadows on the process of decision-making

in Whitehall.

458 Sir Charles Dalrymple Belgrave’s Personal Diaries, 17 October 1955; and ‘Bernard Burrows,
Residency’s Report for the Month of January 1956’, 1-8 (1).
459 Sir Charles Dalrymple Belgrave’s Personal Diaries, 18 and 24 December 1955; and Belgrave,
Personal Column, 217-18.
460 TNA, FO 371/120561, Burrows to FO, 24 December 1955.

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