113 to accept such an American intrusion. 7 The instructions given to the R.A.F in theMiddle East on 11 January 1944 indicated that it was necessary to keep all works in Sharjah and Bahrain in the hands of the British in order that no embarrassment was caused in relation to the British position towards the Sheikh of Bahrain or the Sheikh of Sharjah.8 The Air Ministry, London, wrote to the British Air Command in the Middle East on 11 January 1944 saying: “ Bahrein and Sharjah. As result of further conversations with India Office and Foreign Office, we feel it is essential for work at these sites to be retained in British hands. High importance attaches to maintenance, as essential part of imperial policy, of present exclusive British position in regard to PersianGulf Sheikhdoms. Bahrein and Sharjah have, moreover, considerable strategic significance and as staging points on main trunk route to India and Australia are vital to us fromaspect of postwar civil aviation. Utmost effort must therefore bemade to retain developments at these two sites under British control by carrying out the work ourselves.” 9 The Americans were informed that work at the sites of Habbaniyyah, Lydda, Sharjah and Bahrain was to be carried out by the British. General Royce, commander of the United States Army Air Forces in the east between 1943-1944, was stationed in Cairo and insisted that all construction work be conducted by him. A number of meetings between the British R.A.F Commander in the Middle East and General Royce, took place in Cairo. On 5 February 1944, the agreed to the 10 following points: “1. Questions of construction have been discussed with general Royce and it is now agreed that British undertake constructionwork required by Americans at Lydda,Habbaniya, Bahrein and Sharjah. 2. Construction to meet American needs will be completed by March 15. At Bahrein 7 Ibid. 8 I.O.R./L.P.&S/12/2043, EXT.122/1944. 9 Ibid., L.P.&S/12/2043, EXT.160/1944. 10 Ibid., L.P.&S/12/2043, EXT.540/1944. AMERICANS IN SHARJAH
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTg0NzAy