IOR/R/15/2/540

The file contains correspondence relating to the visits of suspected German agents to the Persian Gulf region. The main correspondents include: Tom Hickinbotham (later Hugh Weightman), Political Agent at Bahrain; Trenchard Craven William Fowle (later Charles Geoffrey Prior), Political Resident at Bushire; Gerald Simpson de Gaury, Political Agent at Kuwait; the RAF Air Officer Commanding at Hinaidi, Iraq; and Shaikh Abdullah bin Qasim al Thani [‘Abdullāh bin Jāsim Āl Thānī], Ruler of Qatar. Recipients include: the Political Agency at Muscat, the British Consulate at Basrah, the British Embassy at Bagdad [Baghdad], the India Office, the Government of India, the British Ministry at Tehran, the British Consulate at Kerman, the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian Gulf, the British Minister at Jedda, and the British Consulate and Vice-Consulate at Bandar Abbas and Khorramshahr, respectively.

The file covers the discussion over the visits of the following four suspected agents:

• Auguste Rudolf Lindt, a Swiss journalist, and his British-born wife, who visited Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat, and Kerman;
• Baron Von Schirach, suspected of visiting Bahrain, though no trace of him is found;
• Kurt Lori, a German electrical and wireless engineer who visited Kuwait and requests to visit Bahrain in search of work, which is denied;
• Jack Wolters and his (unnamed) brother, believed to be in the Gulf region and to be arrested if found.

Included in the file is a letter (folio 25) in English and Arabic from Weightman to Shaikh ‘Abdullāh, dated 9 October 1939, requesting that he arrest Wolters and his brother should they try to enter Qatar. It is followed by ‘Abdullāh's compliant response (folio 26).

At the back of the file (folios 27-29) are internal office notes.