'File 8/16 Bahrain Intelligence Reports' [118r] (235/432)
The record is made up of 1 file (214 folios). It was created in 20 Jan 1941-31 Dec 1942. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
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call on His Highness the Shaikh at the iVkmruna ralao© where
H^s Highness and his uncles gave the visitors a very friendly
welcome. The
Political Agent
A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
, who acted as interpreter,
had exhausted his vocabulary of complimentary epithets before
the interview, which lasted nearly half an hour, came to a
close.
Mr. Kirk and his party left Bahrain on the last
stage of their journey in the early afternoon of May 10th.
It is understood that Mr.Kirk was visiting Saudi Arabia in
order to present to Ibn Saud his letters of credence.
Mr. Khair ul Din ul Zarkali called independently on the
Political Agent
A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
.
i
(ii) fir. Thornton, Divisional Manager (Middle East)
of Cable ahd Wireless Limited, arrived at Bahrain on May
2nd and stayed a few days.
(iii) Lieut-Colonel Martin, of the Royal Corps of
Signals^ arrived on May 5th and stayed several days.
(iv) Lieutenant Swellenham arrived on May 7th, and
was followed on May 12th by Majors Borden, Crosthwaite
and Bell. These Officers, who are Royal Engineers and
are engaged on the preparation of a ’denial’ programme
for the Bahrain Petroleum Company, visited the California
Arabian Standard Oil Company camp at Dhahran on May 14th.
They dressed as civilians for their visit to the mainland,
and were given identity cards which described them as
American engineers.
(v) The Shaikh of Ajmah called on the
Political Agent
A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
on May 10th. He had flown from Dubai on a short visit to
Bahrain in order to condole with the A1 Khalifah on the
death of Shaikh Hamad and to congratulate the new Ruler.
(vi) Two Saudi Arabian officials, the Directors of
Customs of A1 Khobar and Oatif, arrived on May 10th. The
object of their visit was to purchase electric fittings
for Ibn Baud’s palace at Riyadh.
(vii) Colonel Hall, with three other officers of the
Iraq Levies, arrived on 14th May.
TO. R oyal A ir Force .
(i) Reference para 47 of Intelligence Summary No.6
of 1942 in which it was reported that Flying Officer
R.A.A. Bratt had assumed charge of the duties of Air
Liaison Officer, Bahrain.
The extent to which RrA.F. activities have recent
ly developed in Bahrain has made it necessary to appoint
a more senior officer to the post of Air Liaison Officer.
On the 15th May Squadron Leader W.A. Chase arrived at Bah
rain and has taken over charge as Air Liaison Officer
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
and Officer Commanding R.A.F. detachment,
Bahrain. His duties will be many and varied, but he al
ready knows Bahrain well and his appointment is welcomed
both by the
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
and by the Bahrain Government.
(ii) Reference para 60 (v) of Intelligence Summary
No.8 of 1942 in which it was reported that a levy service
was being recruited locally for the protection of the
Bahrain aerodrome.
Encouraging progress has been made in the execution
of this scheme. Within a week of the date when sanction
to the scheme was received over 1000 candidates for recruit
ment had been medically examined and either accepted or
About this item
- Content
The file contains fortnightly intelligence summaries produced by the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. at Bahrain for the years 1941-42. The reports, marked as secret, were sent to the Government of India, the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , and numerous diplomatic, political, and military offices in the Middle East. Most of the reports cover a two week period, though due to holidays, tours, and work pressures some cover an entire month.
The reports are divided into short sections that relate to a particular subject, often closely connected to the Second World War. Contained within the file is intelligence on the following:
- international shipping and the activities of the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, and commercial transport companies such as Imperial Airways Limited;
- the movements of British and Foreign subjects, and Arab notables;
- local affairs of Bahrain, as well as news from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Persia [Iran], and the Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. ;
- economic matters and food supplies;
- foreign radio broadcasts and press, with a focus on anti-British sentiment;
- the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Fighter Fund;
- defence matters;
- smuggling of gold and arms and the traffic of slaves;
- meteorological data;
- medical matters.
Folios 57-61 are correspondence relating to the alleged sinking of an Iranian dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. by a British man-of-war in March 1941.
Folios 85-88 is a list of prominent individuals in Bahrain, compiled by the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain, Reginald Alban, and submitted to the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. at Bushire.
Folio 122 is the statement of thirteen Qatari sailors who were aboard a dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. sunk by a Japanese submarine on 12 April 1942.
Folio 176 is a telegram from the Government of India in New Delhi requesting that intelligence summaries differentiate between truly confidential content and that which can be distributed more widely.
Folio 190 is a letter, dated 15 October 1942, from Charles Geoffrey Prior, the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , to Edward Birkbeck Wakefield, the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain, regarding the risk of including information about the revival of the slave trade in the Gulf in his diaries due to their wide readership.
Included in the file is correspondence between the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and the Naval Officer in Charge at Basrah regarding prominent people of the region and events of the war.
On the inside of the front cover is the distribution list for the summaries.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (214 folios)
- Arrangement
The file is arranged chronologically.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 216; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'File 8/16 Bahrain Intelligence Reports' [118r] (235/432), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/314, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025549536.0x000024> [accessed 3 January 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/314
- Title
- 'File 8/16 Bahrain Intelligence Reports'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:215v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence