manowari
27-01-2010, 21:02
For nearly two hundred years the Royal Navy has played a part in patrolling the Persian Gulf then known as the East Indies and now generally referred to as the Arabian Gulf. In the early 1900's the main task of the ships of the Royal Navy and the Royal Indian Marine was to prevent gun running within the Gulf. A number of vessels were involved H.M.Ships ALERT, ESPIEGLE FOX, HYACINTH, ODIN, PHILOMEL and SPHINX together with seven armed launches and R.I.M.S MINTO . In addition, each ship had out at least two to five cutters patrolling the coast line.
In January 1911 the Times of India reported an incident that had occurred at Dubai the previous month. During the course of a routine patrol intelligence reports received aboard the cruiser, H.M.S Hyacinth indicated arms were being brought into Dubai from Muscat. On the morning of 24th December, 1910 a party of eighty Royal Marines and Blue Jackets landed at Dubai to begin a house to house search. Permission was granted by the ruling Sheikh and the parties commenced checking houses along the shore. Shortly afterwards a cache of rifles was located beneath a house and members of the party returned to the boats to collect tools to unearth the arms. The locals meanwhile, who had shown an ever increasing hostile attitude suddenly opened fire killing one Royal Marine Sergeant and four Able Seamen and wounding eight others. The parties took cover on the beach and returned fire.
H.M.S Hyacinth anchored about a mile offshore responded with 6" Lyddite shells into the houses off the beach. Dubai at the time was a town of narrow winding streets and flat roofed houses giving the attackers a distinct advantage. The Sheikh hearing the firing sent messengers throughout the town ordering a ceasefire. The Naval party re-embarked with their wounded and dead who were later buried at sea. The locals had suffered at least thirty-seven casualties and an unknown number of wounded.
On 28th December, the Political Resident and the Naval Commander in Chief, Rear-Admiral Edmond J.W.Slade, KCIE, MVO, arrived at Dubai and presented the Sheikh with an ultimatum on the subject of arms and forty-eight hours to comply. The following day a number of ships anchored off shore ready to take extreme action. Towards the end of the time limit the Sheikh conceded and order was restored once more. It was for incidents similar to this that the bar ‘Persian Gulf 1909-1914’ was instituted for the Naval General Service Medal on 10th August, 1915 and awarded to the officers and men of H.M.Ships employed in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea on arms suppression operations.
ROYAL MARINE CASUALTIES :
Killed: Henry John Capon. Sgt.RMLI Cha.9910
Wounded: William Henry Geater. Pte.RMLI Cha.14452
Arthur James Pye Pte.RMLI Cha.13083
Ernest George Reakes. Pte.RMLI Po.9666
Elijah Baggott. Pte.RMLI Cha.8567
In January 1911 the Times of India reported an incident that had occurred at Dubai the previous month. During the course of a routine patrol intelligence reports received aboard the cruiser, H.M.S Hyacinth indicated arms were being brought into Dubai from Muscat. On the morning of 24th December, 1910 a party of eighty Royal Marines and Blue Jackets landed at Dubai to begin a house to house search. Permission was granted by the ruling Sheikh and the parties commenced checking houses along the shore. Shortly afterwards a cache of rifles was located beneath a house and members of the party returned to the boats to collect tools to unearth the arms. The locals meanwhile, who had shown an ever increasing hostile attitude suddenly opened fire killing one Royal Marine Sergeant and four Able Seamen and wounding eight others. The parties took cover on the beach and returned fire.
H.M.S Hyacinth anchored about a mile offshore responded with 6" Lyddite shells into the houses off the beach. Dubai at the time was a town of narrow winding streets and flat roofed houses giving the attackers a distinct advantage. The Sheikh hearing the firing sent messengers throughout the town ordering a ceasefire. The Naval party re-embarked with their wounded and dead who were later buried at sea. The locals had suffered at least thirty-seven casualties and an unknown number of wounded.
On 28th December, the Political Resident and the Naval Commander in Chief, Rear-Admiral Edmond J.W.Slade, KCIE, MVO, arrived at Dubai and presented the Sheikh with an ultimatum on the subject of arms and forty-eight hours to comply. The following day a number of ships anchored off shore ready to take extreme action. Towards the end of the time limit the Sheikh conceded and order was restored once more. It was for incidents similar to this that the bar ‘Persian Gulf 1909-1914’ was instituted for the Naval General Service Medal on 10th August, 1915 and awarded to the officers and men of H.M.Ships employed in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea on arms suppression operations.
ROYAL MARINE CASUALTIES :
Killed: Henry John Capon. Sgt.RMLI Cha.9910
Wounded: William Henry Geater. Pte.RMLI Cha.14452
Arthur James Pye Pte.RMLI Cha.13083
Ernest George Reakes. Pte.RMLI Po.9666
Elijah Baggott. Pte.RMLI Cha.8567