‘File 28/55 Provision of machine guns for Bahrain police’ [28r] (55/260)
The record is made up of 1 file (128 folios). It was created in 20 Sep 1938-20 Aug 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.
Copy to:- 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.
, BAHREIN .
Reference Ho:-
S»10547/1/Air 0.
q Tpn TJ T?
hi w tw It
[eacUiuar te r s 9
1, >ritiGh Force 3 in ’
H^bbaniya, 'IRAQ,
24^ fune, 1939>
DKP-3T<s-: oi^ lUiraKinr^ ^
Sir,
I have the honour to
31st May* 1939 forwarding a copy
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.
f BAIIR1.IIT ITO* C/3 y _ .. 1CV
1939 regarding the possible purcliase of "Bren’' guns from
CZBCT' JL . v;: IA#
P3-1
r to your 517-s dated
a letter from the
• a/43 dated 24 th I lay*
2* I have heard* unofficially, that some trouble
has been experienced by the Egyptian Army, who are
equipped with "Bren” guns of C2ECIISL0VAK manufacture
owing to the fact that spare parts made in EUGLA’Tp for
these "Brens" do not, in all cases, fit the foreign made
guns, although these guns are of the same general design*
Should, therefore, you decide that these guns are to be
purchased from the foreign firm mentioned in your letter
I would suggest a suitable supply of spare parts be r /
obtained at the same time from the firm. o •
3. with reference to my letter S,10547/1/Air 0
dated 1st June, 1039, last sentence of paragraph 4, since
writing this letter an official War Office Training Memo
randum lias arrived in which it states that IITDIA has
decided to replace the "Vickers-Berthiere" by the "Bren"
gun. I do not think this has anything to do with any
defects in the "Vickers-Berthiers" which is by all
accounts a most excellent light automatic but simply to
have the whole Army at home and abroad equip/ped and"
trained with the same weapon* The above may, however,
affect your decision as to whether to purchase "Brens" or
"Vickers-Bdrthiers" for BAHREIN, KUWAIT and other Persian
Gulf Stations#
I have the honour to be.
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
it*- ^
Air Vice Marshal,
Comanding British Forces in 'Iraq,#
The Hbnouraile
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.
,
V’he'Re s Nden cy w
v { BUSNIREJlX'
Iraq,
About this item
- Content
The file comprises copies of correspondence relating to the purchase of machine guns by the Government of Bahrain, through the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , for use in Bahrain. The file’s principal correspondents are: 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. (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle; Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior); 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 (Hugh Weightman); officials at Royal Air Force (RAF) Headquarters in Iraq; Government of India officials; the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave).
The file includes:
- correspondence concerning an order for machine guns, initiated by the Ruler of Bahrain, Shaikh Salmān bin Ḥamad Āl Khalīfah’s request through the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain in March 1939, that he would like to purchase twelve Bren guns (f 5), including: discussion amongst British Government officials over the long delays involved in obtaining Bren guns (f 9); Government proposals for Vickers-Berthier (VB) guns as an alternative, and the relative merits and demerits of VB against Bren guns (f 14); the eventual order of VB guns, with equipment lists (ff 38-42), and their despatch to Bahrain from Karachi in September 1939 (f 70); the Government of Bahrain’s order for ammunition for the guns (ff 56-57);
- arrangements for a Havaldar Custodian; police sergeant; jail or prison guard. instructor to be sent to Bahrain to assist in the training of use of the machine gun (f 45, f 74, ff 80-81), and arrangements for training sessions at Bahrain (ff 82-86);
- correspondence dated September and October 1939 between RAF and Air Ministry officials, concerning the need for a Defence Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (f 65, f 88);
- further correspondence dated from June 1940 onwards, relating to the supply of machine guns and ammunition for the Bahrain Defence Force, and the loan of VB guns by the Government of Bahrain to the Bahrain Defence Force (ff 103-120);
- acknowledgements of receipt dated September and October 1939 respectively, from the Chief Local Representative of the Bahrain Petroleum Company, Milton H Lipp, for sixteen Verey light pistols and ammunition (f 78), and one revolver with ammunition (f 92).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (128 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 125-129) 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 inside back cover with 130; 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. Two additional foliation sequences are present in parallel between ff 3-124 and between ff 125-129; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
‘File 28/55 Provision of machine guns for Bahrain police’ [28r] (55/260), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/746, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025781528.0x000038> [accessed 16 March 2025]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100025781528.0x000038
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100025781528.0x000038">‘File 28/55 Provision of machine guns for Bahrain police’ [‎28r] (55/260)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100025781528.0x000038"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000241.0x00009b/IOR_R_15_2_746_0055.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000241.0x00009b/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/746
- Title
- ‘File 28/55 Provision of machine guns for Bahrain police’
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:3v, 6r:9v, 11r:21v, 23r:42v, 44r:55v, 57r:77v, 79r:84v, 86r:91v, 93r:113v, 115r:117v, 119r:129v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence