CONFIDENTIALHEWAR OFFICE an Füdo Whitehall, LONDON S.W.I WHI: 9400 Ext. 548 RECENED 8 January, 1964 MES No 5 9 JAN 1964 112/MISC/6307/AG (SP) From: Colonel H.G.W. Hamilton, MBE Adviser on Secondment Policy هوا Thank you for your letter BC 1193/26 of 1st January, 1964 addressed to Major C.M.F. Webb, regarding the appointment of Major H.V. Sanders as the Officer Commanding the Northern Frontier Regiment. I was surprised to learn that Major Sanders appointment had not been approved by the Sultan, as Major Sanders is a very high grade officer. I feel I had better explain the War Office policy of promotion to Command. A major is selected for the Command of a regiment in his early forties and on assuming command is promoted Lieutenant Colonel. An officer is only given command of a regiment once in his career and this isnormally for a period of 23 years. You can see that it is not therefore possible to appoint a Lieutenant Colonel who has had previous command experience to the Northern Frontier Regiment. The outstanding Lieutenant Colonels are usually promoted after command and others are given a staff appointment before retiring. The selection for command of a regiment is carried out by a selection board and only above average officers names are put before the board. There is a great deal of competition for a command appointment and Major Sanders was highly graded by the Selection Board for Command. I would be most grateful if you could explain to our Consul General in Muscat the War Office policy for selection of command appointments and for him to again place Major Sanders name before the Sultan. C.D. Powell, Esq., Foreign Office, Whitehall, CONFIDENTIAL
