‘File 28/23 American Naval Observer at Bahrain’ [64r] (127/142)
The record is made up of 1 file (69 folios). It was created in 27 Dec 1940-1 Nov 1944. 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.
TOP S&ilVICK - GUARD
From
Date
SENIOR NaVAD OFFICER,
PERSIAN GULF
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
.
27 September, 1944. N0.1649/P.G. 0657.
To.
COJClAND^IW-CHIliF, EASTERN FLEET.
€opy toi Chief of Intelligence Staff, Sastem
Fleet.
H.B.M.Ambassador, Tehran.
H.B.M.Ambassador, Baghdad.
Thh Hon^le 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 Pei*sion Gulf.
The Director of Naval Intelligence.
mzm. mi* a MUk .mwvitfi*
In the course of this year I have gleaned the information
from ray own observation, and from conversations with Consular and
other authorities, that the United States is showing a marked
interest in trade developments in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
area.
2. The development of oil projects, some of which are
shared with Britain and other countries, is, of course, as
legitimate as it Is obvious.
I gather that their enquiries ara not confined to oil,
but in any case such purely trade and commercial activities are
matters for Consular and Political authorities in which the Navy
is hot indirectly concerned.
3. If, however, it should appear that U.S.Naval authorities
are interesting themselves in essentially commercial inquiries, I
deem it desirable that this should be known. And in this connect
ion a brief review of the U.3.Naval set-up in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
is
relevant.
The following appointments are now held*-
Basra
U.S.Naval Observer.
Lieut. Com. USNR.
2 Assistant Officers.
1 Commander.
Khorramshalir
Coast Guard Staff
1 Officer.
2 Officers.
Abadan
1 Officer. Inspector of
?>feterlal •
Bahrain
S-k&.K.O. Staff.
1 Officer.
2 Officers.
During the past six months the number of officers has
gradually been built up to that shown above.
5. In March 1944 Commander W.N.Benkhart, U3NR, was
appointed to the post of U.S.Naval Observer, in which he was
releived by Lieutenant Commander C.£.Perry, USNR. on about
12 August, 1944 - Commander Benkhart then proceeding to an
appolntement in Calcutta.
About this item
- Content
The file comprises copies of correspondence and other papers relating to the initial proposals for, and subsequent appointment and activities of, United States Naval Observers in Bahrain. Correspondents include: 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 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 (Major Reginald George Evelin William Alban and Major Tom Hickinbotham); and various representatives of the Government of India, 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. , Foreign Office, and Combined Intelligence Service Iraq (CICI).
The file includes:
- correspondence dated between December 1940 and March 1941, in response to an application from the United States Chargé d’Affaires in London to Anthony Eden (then at the Foreign Office), dated 27 December 1940 (f 29) for the presence of a US Naval Observer at Bahrain. Subsequent correspondence records discussion of the application (and its consent) between officials in the British Government and the Government of India, 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. , and 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. Points discussed include: the status of the Naval Observer in Bahrain; censorship and access to cypher facilities; British jurisdiction over the Naval Observer; the consent of the Ruler of Bahrain, Shaikh Ḥamad bin ‘Īsá Āl Khalīfah, to the application (ff 3-32);
- telegrams and correspondence, dated June 1941, relating to the loss with no survivors of an aircraft, travelling between Baghdad and Basra, on which the US Naval Observer at Bahrain, Lieutenant Commander George W Grove, was travelling, to take up his post in Bahrain (ff 34-39);
- correspondence dated between August and November 1941, relating to Grove’s replacement, Lieutenant (J.G.) [Junior Grade] Derwood W Lockard: his appointment, arrival in Bahrain, and the US Naval Department’s desire to transfer his post to Basra, and possibly later on to Khorramshahr in Iran (ff 40-52);
- correspondence dated October 1943 and September 1944, relating to British naval officials’ observations and reports on the presence and activities of US Naval Observers in Bahrain, including a report marked Top Secret, prepared by the Security officer at Bahrain (Captain A C Campbell) dated 3 August 1944, on American intelligence activities at Bahrain, and their primary interest in oil production (ff 61-62), and a letter from the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (Commodore John Montagu Howson) to the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Fleet, dated 27 September 1944, commenting on the American presence in the Gulf, its apparent commercial as well as military nature, with profiles of a number of US individuals encountered by the Senior Naval Officer (ff 64-66).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (69 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 69-70) 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 71; 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, intermittent foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-68; 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
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/2/715
- Title
- ‘File 28/23 American Naval Observer at Bahrain’
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:11v, 13r:14v, 16r:23v, 26r:28v, 30r:33v, 36r:47v, 49r:51v, 53r:66v, 68r:70v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence