- Title: ARABIAN GULF: OMAN ARMY SCOUTS GIVE FAREWELL PARADE FOR RETIRING BRITISH CHIEF
- Date: 27th June 1966
- Summary: SIR WILLIAM ARRIVING IN A JEEP, INSPECTING THE SCOUTS (INCLUDING CAVALRY) BEFORE TAKING THE SALUTE AT THE MARCH-PAST, MEETING SOME OF THE LOCAL SHEIKHS, AND THE SCOUTS HAVING A MEAL OF RICE AND MUTTON AFTERWARDS. Initials JT/VS/CCT/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 12th July 1966 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SHARJAH, ARABIAN GULF
- Country: Sharjah
- Reuters ID: LVA3LXS79TQH8BLD6FD4KUW00ISW
- Story Text: A SCENE REMINISCENT OF THE OLD DAYS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE WAS ENACTED IN A TINY, REMOTE OUTPOST ON SATURDAY. IT WAS IN THE SWELTERING TRUCIAL STATE OF SHARJAH, ON THE ARABIAN GULF, WHERE THE TRUCIAL OMAN SCOUTS GAVE A FAREWELL PARADE IN HONOUR OF THE RETIRING BRITISH POLITICAL RESIDENT, SIR WILLIAM LUCE.
SIR WILLIAM IS RETIRING AFTER FIVE YEARS AS THE VIRTUAL GOVERNOR OF THE SEVEN TRUCIAL STATES WHICH ARE PROTECTED BY BRITAIN. DRESSED IN TROPICAL WHITES, HE TOOK THE SALUTE AS THE 1500 ARAB TRIBESMEN, SOME OF THEM MOUNTED, PARADED PAST TO WELL-KNOWN BRITISH MARTIAL MUSIC.
THE SCOUTS, WHO HAVE THEIR HEADQUARTERS AT SHARJAH, WERE FORMED 15 YEARS AGO AS A PEACE-KEEPING FORCE, AND ARE OFTEN KNOWN AS SIR WILLIAM'S 'PRIVATE ARMY'. THEY ARE LED BY BRITISH OFFICERS.
SEVERAL SHEIKHS WERE PRESENT, BUT THE LEADER OF THE BIGGEST AND RICHEST OF THE TRUCIAL STATES, SHEIKH SHEKBUTT OF ABU DHABI, STAYED AWAY.
(WITH THE EXPECTED CLOSING DOWN OF ADEN IN 1968 AS A BRITISH BASE, THE DESERT HEADQUARTERS AT SHARJAH IS DUE FOR LIMITED EXPANSION. A BRITISH BATTALION IS EXPECTED TO JOIN THE TRUCIAL OMAN SCOUTS IN HELPING MAINTAIN STABILITY IN THE ARABIAN GULF).
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