'A Grandfather's Tale: Memoirs being mainly concerned with service in the Indian Army and the Indian Political Service in India and the Persian Gulf from 1932-1947' [‎45v] (90/118)

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later, the wretched man had just turned his face to the wall and died, and this
was probably the best solution. I did not like having to pass a capital sentence ^done ® 01
but in the same circumstances I would do the same thing again. ^thin?'
There was, and still is, slavery on the Saudi mainland and occasionally A mon
slaves would escape to Bahrain and come to the Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. for a Manumission to
Certificate. This was an impressive-looking document embossed with a Union Jack foreign®-^
and drawn up in English and Arabic, stating that the bearer was now a free man. ijpressi 76 5
I had to warn the holder, however, that it would cut no ice in Saudi ArabifiL, and a his ® atf
that if he wished to remain free he must remain in Bahrain or go to some other
neutral country. As wi
at Arabic.
Qatar was an independent sheikhdom, under British protection, but had, until ,,J
1868, been subject to Bahrain. It consisted of about 4,000 square miles of desert, v 0 nel Gal
occupying the Qatar peninsula on the west coast of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and in 1946 ^ons frc
had a population of about 50,000, most of whom lived in or near the capital Doha. ^
At that time the main occupations were fishing and pearl diving. Some years later, tael
in 1949, oil was discovered and the State has since become far more prosperous. y-Ba >r a
In 1946 relations between Qatar and Bahrain were not very cordial and there was
little communication between them, although they were so close. Qatar was still - "gc
extremely primitive. I never had the chance of visiting it myself but the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. ^ ^
Surgeon used to go across about twice a year to treat the Sheikh and other notables,
and would stay in the State Rest House in Doha. The second time he went there in ’
*'QS6u ire
my time he found the bed unmade just as he had left it six months before. Conditions ‘
now, I gather, are rather different.
0 a.u, to
There was a Division of four sloops in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , based on Jufair, ai ^ 3 "
on the coast about five miles out of Manamah, and at that time the Senior Naval
Officer Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , a Commodore R.N. had his headquarters ashore at Jufair, and
from time to time sloops came in to rest and refit, and give the crews a run ashore.
The A.P.A’s house was only a couple of miles from the Base and we were lucky
enough to be made free of their tennis court and very pleasant swimming bath, and
both Christopher and Elizabeth learnt to swim there. The Commodore was very keen ^ es wa
on tennis and I was one of a men's four which played regularly twice a week. jesert be
Altogether our relations with the Navy, both official and social, were extremely
good • Grisewooe
Arab and
From time to time "V.I.Ps" passed through Bahrain and sometimes spent a C 0 Ilta!: t,
night there. If they were of real importance we would call on them and sometimes
put them up for the night. Soon after I arrived in 1946 the "Auk" (Field Marshal
Sir Claud Auckinleck) then Commander-in-Chief India,landed at Moharraq on his way
to attend Army Conferences in England, and spent the night in the R.A.F. Mess.
As 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. was away I went to meet him when he arrived and later dined
with him and his party. He was very pleasant and easy to talk to but I could not
forget that he had failed to stand up to the Politicians, both British and Indian,
over the Indian National Army Trials. Because of this renegades who had fought for
the Japanese, and been responsible for the death and torture of many of their
comrades, who had been faithful to their salt, were set free or given only nominal
sentences. The effect of this on the morale of the vast majority of the Indian
and Gurkha troops, who had remained loyal, was catastrophic, and in my view, and