‘File 28/13 Black out and A.R.P. [Air Raid Precaution] measures in Bahrain’ [282r] (563/632)
The record is made up of 1 file (314 folios). It was created in 4 May 1940-22 Nov 1944. It was written in English and Arabic. 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.
i
KrP'
lb-
The Bahrein Petroleum Company Limited
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m
No. FA-908
E. B. Wakefield Esq.,-
H. B. M*s
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.
,
The
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
, Bahrein.
Dear. Sir:
Bahrein Island.
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
.
llth May, 1943.
A
R25TEERY BLACKOUT
A
T.Trs 'n. /
Please refer to your confidential letter No/C/632
dated May 10th 1943 regarding possible shortening of the hours
of blackout in the Refinery.
The Company is able to give the desired guarantee.
The nightly blackout of lights at 11.00 p.m. will serve as a
check on the efficiency of the blackout and the speed of
extinguishment. We anticipate the blackout can be imposed in
a few minutes time.
Unless you have an objection, I suggest that the
term "refinery" be made to include Sitrah terminal, Zellaq
facilities, and the field installations. None of these
installations are any more vital than the refinery proper.
Since speaking with you on this subject, a point
of minor importance has come to my attention. The shifts at
the refinery change at 11.00 p.m. It would be a bit more
convenient if the blackout started at say 11.30 p.m. This
would have the advantage of avoiding the work of extinguish
ment of lights right at shift change time and would allow the
new shift a few minutes in which to look things over with
benefit of lights before the blackout started. This point
however is of relatively minor importance and if it were to
cause delay in obtaining approval, it can be disregarded.
W. P. ANDERSON
Chief Local Representative
THE BAHREIN PETROLEUM COMPANY LIMITED
About this item
- Content
The file contains correspondence, copies of official notices and regulations, and other papers, relating to air raid precautions and passive air defence measures taken in Bahrain throughout the Second World War. The principal correspondents in the file are: 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. in Bahrain (Major Reginald George Evelin William Alban; Edward Birkbeck Wakefield); the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave); the Port Director at Bahrain (Claud Cranbrook Lewis DeGrenier, who also occasionally writes in the capacity of Acting Adviser to the Government of Bahrain); the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (SNOPG); the Defence Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Major H T Hewitt); various representatives of the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO).
The file includes:
- discussion between officials in May 1940 of arrangements for the dowsing of BAPCO flares, and the assessment that the risk of an air raid in Bahrain is sufficiently low to not require extensive blackout plans (ff 2-12);
- correspondence issued in the immediate wake of an Italian bombing raid at Bahrain and Dhahran on 19 October 1940, relating to the enforcement of blackout procedures at the BAPCO refinery, in Manama and Muharraq and at the Bahrain port. Papers include: official notices (issued by the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , Government of Bahrain, BAPCO) of blackout procedure (including dimming of car headlamps; extinguishing of port navigation lights; operation of refinery without gas flares); reports by the Assistant 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. , assessing the effectiveness of the blackout from the air; formulation of an emergency medical aid scheme for Bahrain (ff 13-79);
- correspondence, dated May 1941, concerning night-time flying boat services at Bahrain, and restrictions on lighting for these services (ff 106-111);
- correspondence dated between July and October 1941, concerning the relaxing of the existing blackout regulations, in light of the diminished threat to Bahrain from enemy air raids. Papers include: official notices of the relaxation of measures, issued by the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. and Government of Bahrain (ff 117-139);
- correspondence, between March and November 1942, relating to the renewed threat of air raids at Bahrain, including: correspondence relating to instructions in dealing with incendiary bombs; extracts from newspapers ( The Statesman , the Bahrain Newspaper ) and a journal ( Indian Information ) relating to air raid risks and precautions at Bahrain, including lessons learnt in the wake of Japanese air raids on Rangoon [Yangon]; minutes of the meetings of the Bahrain ARP committee; air raid warning procedure; telephone and radio communications in the event of air raid warnings received at Bahrain; ARP practice; the visit to Bahrain of Home Office ARP expert Lucas Webster (ff 145-257);
- announcement in December 1942 of a relaxation of blackout restrictions at Bahrain (ff 259-265);
- correspondence in early 1943, relating to the lifting of regulations on the dimming of car headlamps in Bahrain (ff 276-277);
- official announcement in June 1943 of the lifting of all blackout regulations in Bahrain (ff 287-293).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (314 folios)
- Arrangement
The file’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest item at the front to the latest at the end. The file notes at the end of the file (ff 299-315) mirror the chronological arrangement.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the back cover with 316; 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. An additional mixed foliation/pagination sequence is also present in parallel between ff 2-296; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. Pagination: the file notes at the back (ff 297-315) have been paginated using pencil.
- Written in
- English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/699
- Title
- ‘File 28/13 Black out and A.R.P. [Air Raid Precaution] measures in Bahrain’
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:12v, 14r:16v, 18r:18v, 20r:36v, 38r:42v, 44r:51v, 54r:56v, 63r:63v, 65r:73v, 76r:77v, 79r:81v, 83r:84v, 86r:88v, 90r:97v, 100r:105v, 107r:109v, 111r:116v, 118r:132v, 134r:135v, 137r:137v, 140r:140v, 142r:142v, 144r:149v, 151r:152v, 154r:159v, 162r:175v, 177r:180v, 182r:216v, 218r:218v, 220r:226v, 228r:235v, 237r:240v, 242r:251v, 253r:256v, 258r:264v, 267r:292v, 294r:315v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence