IOR/L/PS/12/2153

This file relates to the disputed south and south-western boundaries of Saudi Arabia. It primarily concerns an expedition to southern Saudi Arabia that was undertaken by Harry St John Bridger Philby in 1936, during which Philby was reported to have entered Yemeni and British territory. Much of the correspondence discusses Philby's visit to Shabwa [Shabwa, Yemen] (reportedly with an armed Saudi party), a visit considered by the British to be an incursion into the Aden Protectorate.

The file's principal correspondents are the following: His Majesty's Minister at Jedda (Sir Reader William Bullard); the Acting Political Resident, Aden (Morice Challoner Lake); Harry St John Bridger Philby; the Minister for Saudi Foreign Affairs [Fayṣal bin ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Āl Sa‘ūd]; the Sultan of Shihr and Mukalla; the Imam of Yemen [Yaḥyā Muḥammad Ḥamīd al-Dīn].

In addition to correspondence the file includes Philby's own account of his visit to Shabwa, in an article published in The Times in January 1937.

The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.