Trucial Oman Scouts facts for kids
The Trucial Oman Scouts was a special group of soldiers and police. The British government created them in 1951. They were first called the Trucial Oman Levies. Their job was to keep peace in the Trucial States, which are now part of the UAE. In 1956, their name changed to Trucial Oman Scouts. When the UAE was formed in 1971, these Scouts became the country's first army, known as the Federal Union Defence Force (UDF). Today, this force is called the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces. The Trucial Oman Scouts were known for being well-trained, fair, and effective.
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Starting the Trucial Oman Levies
The Trucial Oman Scouts began in Sharjah in 1951. They were first called the Trucial Oman Levies (TOL). Their base was next to a RAF air base. In 1956, their name changed to "Scouts." This new name sounded more exciting and made it clear that people joined willingly, not by force.
What the Levies Did
In 1951, the TOL had important jobs:
- Keeping peace and order in the Trucial States.
- Stopping the trade of enslaved people.
- Protecting British officials traveling in the area.
Later, their duties grew. They also helped keep law and order. They stopped fights between different tribes. This was important so oil companies could explore for oil without problems. The local rulers were not asked if they wanted this force. Only the ruler of Sharjah, who rented out the land for the base, knew about it.
How the Force Began
The idea for the force came from talks between British officials and Brigadier John Bagot Glubb. He was a British commander of the Jordanian Arab Legion. He suggested how much money was needed. The force started with a British commander, two Arab officers, and 32 soldiers from the Arab Legion. Over time, it grew to include 30 British officers and many Arab soldiers. Most of the soldiers were recruited from Abu Dhabi. By 1952, there were about 200 men. Some soldiers from Yemen also joined. Eventually, the force became as big as a battalion.
A Difficult Moment
In November 1952, a sad event happened. Some TOL soldiers were thought to be selling ammunition. Major Otto Thwaites, the commander, went to investigate. Three Yemeni soldiers shot and killed him. A Jordanian sergeant and a British doctor were also killed. Two other British soldiers were hurt but managed to escape. The three Yemeni soldiers ran away to Saudi Arabia. But they were later sent back to Sharjah for trial. This happened after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi helped. This event showed that it was important to check soldiers carefully before they joined.
Early Successes
The Levies' first big success was stopping the trade of enslaved people. This trade was happening especially in the Buraimi Oasis area. By the end of 1951, this trade had reportedly stopped. By 1955, the Trucial Oman Levies had 500 people. They were organized into three rifle squadrons. In 1956, they had four squadrons, with one based in Buraimi.
The Buraimi Dispute
The Trucial Oman Levies fought a short battle in the Al Buraimi Oasis. This happened on October 26, 1955. Two squadrons of Levies, along with soldiers from the Sultan of Muscat and Oman's guard, moved in. They forced out a small Saudi Arabian police group from an old fort and a village. This Saudi group had been there since August 1952.
Why the Fight Started
The dispute began because Saudi Arabia claimed a large part of Abu Dhabi in 1949. Oil was thought to be in this area. The claim included a 20-mile circle around the Buraimi Oasis. This claim came after an oil company group from Saudi Arabia crossed a border line. This line was agreed upon in 1935 by the British and Saudi Arabia, but Saudi Arabia had rejected it. The oil company group was with Saudi guards. A British officer was briefly held by the Saudis. This led the British to complain to the Saudi king. The Saudis then claimed even more land.
The Battle for Buraimi
The British planned to use a lot of force to avoid a long fight. They sent 220 men, including two squadrons of the Trucial Oman Levies. They were up against a small Saudi force. The operation was tricky because many local tribes were around the oasis.
On October 25, the Trucial Oman Levies quickly took the oasis. They captured all fifteen Saudi soldiers. The Saudi commander was shot and lightly hurt when he tried to resist. The captured Saudi force was flown to Sharjah and then sent to Saudi Arabia by sea. Most of the fighting happened after the Saudis surrendered. A local tribal force of about 200 men fought bravely against the Levies.
Aftermath of the Battle
The operation in October 1955 resulted in nine deaths. This included seven Saudi police or military personnel and two TOL soldiers. Three TOL soldiers were honored for their bravery. Captain A. R. Steggles received a medal for saving a wounded soldier. Sergeant Mohammed Nakhaira and Lance Corporal Said Salem also received medals for their courage. Lance Corporal Salem was wounded but kept driving to deliver ammunition.
Because of the Buraimi Dispute, the plan to make the TOL smaller was changed. Instead, the force was made bigger. This meant more money was needed. In 1956, the British Foreign Office and War Office shared the cost. To encourage more people to join, the force's name was changed to the Trucial Oman Scouts.
The Trucial Oman Scouts Grow
By 1957, the Scouts had 160 British officers and soldiers. By 1960, they had 1,000 military personnel. Two companies of the Trucial Oman Scouts fought in the Jebel Akhdar War in Oman. This was a rebellion against the Sultan of Muscat from 1955 to 1959. Sergeant Major Khamis Hareb was given a medal for his "fine leadership and courage" in 1956. The British War Minister visited the Scouts in 1962. The rebellion ended in January 1959. The British SAS led the final action, supported by the Trucial Oman Scouts.
Using the Scouts, who were meant for internal peace, in a neighboring conflict caused some criticism. Some local rulers and people were unhappy. Many potential new soldiers decided not to join.
Later, during the Dhofar Rebellion (1962-1976), it was thought that many rebels were former soldiers. Some had been in the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces or the Trucial Oman Scouts.
Building Roads
In 1960, the Scouts started building roads. They built roads from Masafi to Fujairah and from Masafi to Dibba. They used dynamite to blast routes through the mountains. These roads are still important links in the UAE today.
Structure and Leadership
By 1964, the Scouts had 1,500 Arab officers and soldiers. They also had 100 British officers. The force was organized into five rifle squadrons. Each squadron had British and Arab officers and many Arab soldiers. There were also special groups for machine guns, mortars, and a reserve squadron. They had a signals squadron, a transport squadron, a medical center, and a workshop. There was also a school for cadets (young trainees). Freddie de Butts became the Commanding Officer in 1964.
By 1965, the British government was spending about £2 million each year to keep the Scouts going. The Scouts reported to the British Political Resident. This relationship led Sheikh Shakhbut to form the Abu Dhabi Defence Force in 1965. Other rulers then formed their own forces too.
In 1969, British General Roland Gibbs reorganized the Trucial Oman Scouts. He helped set up what is now the Sultan of Oman's Land Forces. The Scouts grew from 1,600 people in 1970 to 2,500 in 1971.
Sharjah Military Base
The main headquarters of the TOS was in Sharjah. Their base moved to Mirgab, a specially built base in Al Heera. The Scouts also had smaller bases in most coastal towns and other important places. This included a base in Dubai from 1952 and a permanent base in the Buraimi Oasis.
The Mirgab Military base had a Medical Centre, a transport squadron, and a signals squadron. It also had shops and a coffee shop. A Scouts Club was built at the base. This base is still used today by the Sharjah Police.
The TOS Training School for new Arab recruits was in Manama, Ajman. Other squadrons had bases in places like Jahili Fort in Al Ain, Masafi, Mirfa, and Khatt in Ras Al Khaimah.
The Scouts' School
The TOS wanted to recruit local people from the early 1950s. A team traveled to villages to find new recruits. They decided to open a school to help with recruitment and improve their image. The TOS opened its school in May 1961 in Manama, a village in Ajman. In its first year, 50 students enrolled. The school offered basic education. After three years, students had a better chance of joining the TOS. By 1954, the school was training 65 students aged 10 to 17. The best students were sent to the UK for officer training.
Becoming the Union Defence Force
When the United Arab Emirates was formed in 1971, the Scouts became part of the new country's army. This new army was called the Union Defence Force (UDF). At that time, the UDF had 2,500 regular soldiers. By 1975, the UDF had 3,250 soldiers. They were organized into six mobile squadrons and an air unit with seven helicopters. They had Scorpion light tanks, Ferret armoured cars, and other vehicles.
The change from Trucial Oman Scouts to Union Defence Force happened on December 22, 1971. The UAE Minister of Defence, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, visited all the Scout bases with the Commanding Officer.
Challenges for the New Force
In January 1972, there was an attempt to take over the government in Sharjah. The former ruler, Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi, and his supporters attacked the palace. They killed the current ruler, Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, and one of his bodyguards. Sharjah soldiers and UDF troops surrounded the palace. After some fighting, the rebels surrendered. Sheikh Saqr was then sent away from the country.
In February 1972, there was a short border conflict between tribes from Kalba and Fujairah. It was over a small piece of land with water wells and date palm trees. Twenty-two people were killed before UDF troops stopped the fighting.
In May 1976, the Union Defence Force brought together all the different military forces of the UAE emirates. The separate units then became one unified force.
The UDF was designed to be a fast-moving armored cavalry force. About 40% of its soldiers were local Arabs. It also included soldiers from Jordan, Oman, Iran, India, and Pakistan. It remained under the command of British officers until the mid-1980s.
See also
- John Gouriet – served as an adjutant in the Trucial Oman Scouts from 1961 to 1963
