Abstract: A map included to illustrate proposals for an alighting area at Manama to facilitate the introduction of flying boat services by Imperial Airways via Bahrain. It illustrates the seaborne approaches to Bahrain Harbour and Khor Kaliya [Khawr al Qulay‘ah]. The map shows Bahrain island and the surrounding sea. It includes soundings in fathoms with supplementary depth contours, and highlights features to aid the navigator. The map also outlines Manama and Muharraq and details buildings (prominent buildings being labelled).Manuscript additions to the map have been included. Red additions outline the proposed alighting area, the proposed location of moorings, and a proposed location for a passenger shelter. It also includes the location of the pre-existing Royal Air Force (RAF) pier. Navigation beacons have been highlighted in orange. The Imperial Airways Landing Ground has been highlighted using pencil.A conversion table for converting between British fathoms and feet into meters has been included with the map.Two inset maps have also been included showing portions of the main map in greater detail. These maps illustrate Bahrain Harbour and Khor Kaliya respectively; the scale of the inset maps is 1:21,000. In contrast, the scale of the main map is 1:50,000.London. Published at the Admiralty, 14 August 1936, under the superintendence of Rear Admiral John Augustine Edgell, CB, OBE, Hydrographer. Sold by J D Potter, Agent for the sale of Admiralty charts. The map was first engraved in 1936, and corrected in 1937.Physical description: Material: Printed on paper, with manuscript additions in ink and pencil.Dimensions: 635 x 987mm, on sheet 698 x 1007mm
Abstract: The map accompanies
Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine, 1936, and shows the northern portion of Palestine, indicating aircraft zones, roads, railways, cities, towns and boundaries.Physical description: Materials: Printed on paperDimensions: 470 x 360mm, on sheet 558 x 430mm
Abstract: The file’s contents concern the use of radio communications at Bahrain to communicate with aircraft in flight. The first half of the file, covering the period November 1940 to January 1941, relates to a request to the Bahrain Political Agent, from British Overseas Airways Corporation’s (BOAC) Station Superintendent in Bahrain (f 2), to use shortwave radio communication to communicate with aircraft. The second half of the file, covering the period December 1943 to January 1944, relates to a request to the Bahrain Political Agent from BOAC’s Station Superintendent in Bahrain (M J C Auster, f 13), to use low power radio signals at Bahrain to communicate with flying boats flying at night. Both requests required official sanction from the Political Agency, in liaison with naval representatives, air liaison officers, and Bahrain-based representatives of Cable and Wireless Limited. Two final items in the file (ff 23 and 24) concern the tour of a Signals Mission to the Gulf and wider region, to examine and assess radio equipment on the RAF Transport Command and Empire Air Routes.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-3; these numbers are also written in pencil, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence, but they are not circled.
Abstract: The file contains correspondence and papers related to negotiations between the British Government and the Government of Saudi Arabia for the establishment of emergency landing grounds along the Hasa Coast, and proposed arrangements for their maintenance. The intention was that these facilities would be used by aircraft of the Royal Air Force (RAF) or Imperial Airways in the event of an emergency. It further covers measures to be taken to prevent the intrusion of British aircraft into Saudi territory during the progress of negotiations.Also briefly covered in the file is a visit by Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] to the Netherlands in 1935 (see folios 26-71) and the attitude of the Saudis to foreign aircraft flying over their territory (see folios 3-21).The main correspondents are as follows: HM Minister at Jeddah (Sir Andrew Ryan), officials of the Foreign Office (mainly George William Rendel), and officials of the Air Ministry (mainly James Stirling Ross). The negotiations are primarily undertaken through Fuad Bey Hamza and Shaikh Yusuf Yasin.Prior to 1932, Saudi Arabia was known as the Kingdoms of Hejaz and Nejd, and this is reflected in the file.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.Physical description: Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 282; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. Bookmarks are present on the verso side of f 41 and f 272; these have been labelled with an ‘a’.
Abstract: The file is made up of correspondence generated as a result of complaints submitted by the Government of Afghanistan to the Government of India, via the British Legation at Kabul. These complaints concern allegations of violations of Afghan territory by aircraft of the Royal Air Force (RAF) based along the North West Frontier. These complaints are then either upheld or rejected by the Government of India – as a result of internal investigation – and a response issued via the British Legation. In some cases copies of the reports compiled at Peshawar, Headquarters of No 1 RAF (Indian) Group, can be found alongside the correspondence. In addition, the file also contains a relatively small number of counter complaints made by the Government of India, concerning violations of British Indian territory by Afghan aircraft, which are mainly found towards the front of the file.It also contains material related to an allegation that an RAF aircraft dropped a bomb on the Afghan village of Lwarah (also spelt Lawarah) on 31 March 1939; see folios 68-94. A detailed breakdown of the compensation claim made by the Government of Afghanistan can be found on folios 68-69.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.Physical description: Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 450; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Abstract: The file is made up of correspondence generated as a result of complaints submitted by the Government of Afghanistan to the Government of India, via the British Legation at Kabul. These complaints concern allegations of violations of Afghan territory by aircraft of the Royal Air Force (RAF), and occasionally the United States Air Force, based along the North West Frontier. These complaints are then either upheld or rejected by the Government of India – as a result of internal investigation – and a response issued via the British Legation. In a few cases copies of statements taken as a result of the investigation can be found alongside the correspondence. Officials of the Air Ministry, the Foreign Office, and the India Office, are often referred to for advice on matters of policy.Two particular incidents covered in greater detail are the accidental bombing of Narezai by RAF aircraft on 30 July 1942, and a crash landing of an RAF plane in Afghanistan on 1 July 1943. Despite the title of the file, it contains no material related to violations of British Indian territory by Afghan aircraft.The French content consists of a single letter on folios 84-87, dated 28 March 1943, from the Government of Switzerland to the British Government outlining Swiss policy towards military aircraft – from Allied or Axis forces – that land or crash land in its territory. Extracts from this letter are quoted in related items of correspondence.A Second World War propaganda poster regarding the Allied bombing of Germany has been reused due to wartime paper shortages; see folios 185v and 191v. A sketch map of Waziristan may be found on folio 258.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.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 280; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
Abstract: The file is concerned broadly with three topics. The first, found predominantly between folios 102-224, is about complaints made by the Government of Afghanistan over violations of its territory by aircraft of the Royal Air Force, and complaints made by HM Minister at Kabul that the Government of India does not take the complaints seriously enough. The file therefore contains details of these violations, investigations undertaken into complaints, and any action taken by the Government of India in response: for example see folios 208-12. It also contains a number of memoranda outlining examples of territorial violations by aircraft from the rest of the world for comparison: see folios 165-68, 159-60, and 149-51.The second topic, also found predominantly between folios 102-224, is about periodic amendments to the Government of India's rules for pilots flying in the North West Frontier. The most significant change is a reduction of the extent of prohibited zone — an area around the Afghan-Indian border within which aircraft are not supposed to fly — from six to three miles. The file includes related discussion as to what impact this could have respecting the number of accidental incursions into Afghanistan.The third topic, predominantly found between folios 4-101, concerns aerial photographic survey work to be undertaken along the Afghan frontier in Baluchistan and the North West Frontier Province. The file includes proposals for survey work from the Surveyor General of India, correspondence respecting the suspension of the prohibited zone, and notifications of proposed survey work provided to HM Minister at Kabul. A map showing the areas in India prohibited to civil aircraft can be found on folio 95.The main correspondents are as follows: HM Minister at Kabul; the Foreign Secretary to the Government of India; the Foreign and Political Department of the Government of India (from 1937 the Department of External Affairs); the Government of India Department of Education, Health and Lands; the Surveyor General of India; officials of the Foreign Office; and officials of the India Office.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.Physical description: Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 224; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located at the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 2-222; these numbers are also written in pencil and circled, but are crossed through.