Trucial Oman Scouts - Trucial Oman Scouts

Trucial Oman Scouts

The Trucial Oman Levies were renamed the Trucial Oman Scouts in 1956. By 1957 the Scouts included 160 British officers & soldiers and by 1960 had 1,000 paramilitary personnel.

The Trucial Oman Scouts fought at the Jebel Akhdar War in the Sultanate of Oman in 1956. Sergeant Major Khamis Hareb was awarded the Military Medal for his "fine leadership and courage" on August 21, 1956. Sir George Middleton, the British Political Resident in the Trucial Coast, pinned the medal on Sergeant Major Hareb.

During the 1962-1976 Dhofar Rebellion it was believed that many members of the Dhofar Liberation Front were former soldiers of the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces (SAF), or of the Trucial Oman Scouts.

In 1964 the scouts had 1,324 men which including 38 British officers and 85 British other ranks. It was organized into five Rifle Squadrons, each with three British and three Arab officers and 145 Arab other ranks, and one Group equipped with machine guns and 3-inch mortars. There were also a Signals Squadron, a Motor Transport Squadron, a Medical Centre, a Workshop, a Cadet Squadron, a Cadet School, and a Training Depot.

In 1967 a Captain Jon Cousens in the Trucial Oman Scouts (previously a Commando Gunner in 29 Cdo Regt RA) flew a Percival Prentice (G-AOPL) from Shackleton Aviation at Sywell in the UK to Sharjah. Later it was flown on to South Africa where it remained until it ceased flying.

In 1969 British General Roland Gibbs became Commander of British Land Forces in the Persian Gulf, where he re-organised the Trucial Oman Scouts and laid the foundations for what is now the Sultan of Oman's Land Forces. The Scouts then expanded from 1,600 to 1,700 personnel in 1970 and to 2,500 in 1971.

Headquartered in Sharjah, the Scouts maintained small garrisons in most of the coastal towns and other key posts. The Scouts had a base in Dubai from 1952 and maintained a permanent garrison - 1 Field Squadron - at Buraimi Oasis. The Trucial Oman Scouts were a highly respected impartial paramilitary armed regular internal security and rural police force and were regarded as a well trained, well paid, and efficient military unit. It cost the United Kingdom two million pounds a year to maintain the Scouts in 1971.