IOR/R/15/2/746

The file comprises copies of correspondence relating to the purchase of machine guns by the Government of Bahrain, through the Political Agency, for use in Bahrain. The file’s principal correspondents are: the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf (Lieutenant-Colonel Trenchard Craven William Fowle; Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Geoffrey Prior); the Political Agent 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 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 (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).