2
7. It should be appreciated that the question of rations is not so much
one for the medical as for the Muscat authorities to solve. It is doubtful
if any complaints would have been made if the Oil Company personnel were
being given the same scale of rations and the same rate of pay as the field
Force. It is more a question of comparison than scale,
8. As far as the other grievances are concerned, the men have been
informed that:
(a) Arrangements are in hand for closing down NAFUN.
(b) Better arrangements for leave are being made.
(c) Everything is being done to improve the standard of
accommodation.
9. Cheeseman has already relieved the majority of the personnel who have
been serving at NAFUN for over a year; thirty of them have been granted leave.
It is interesting to note that the majority of the dissatisfied personnel
are townsmen from MUSCAT who, when the Oil Company moved to the North, had not
reached a satisfactory standard of training. In general they are indifferent
soldiers who dislike serving in the desert and who could well be discharged as
soon as replacements become available. It is easy to be wise after the event,
but nevertheless it shoula have been apparent that, if all personnel were to be
granted the annual leave to which they are entitled, leave parties should have
consisted of some sixty men. A considerable proportion of the Force is overdue
for leave.
10. As far as accommodation at IBRI is concerned, little or no progress has
been made since my last visit. The men are still overcrowded, no additions
have been made to the officers' mess or quarters. The matter is an urgent
one and more energetic steps should be taken to provide at least minimum needs.
11. The men's clothing is in a shocking state. Few or them have more than
one shirt; in nearly every case shirts were worn and tattered. The majority
of the sandals are worn out; many men have no sandals. A quantity of shirts
was received yesterday, but no other clothing or footwear.
12. There is no doctor with The Fiela Force.
Personnel at IBRI are being cared for by an Indian medical orderly who
informed me that he has insufficient medicines and medical supplies.
The sick at NAFUN are evacuated to the Oil Company's camp at RAS DUQJA,
twenty five miles away.
13. It is my opinion that, provided urgent steps are taken to meet the men's
justifiable complaints in the immediate future, the Force will continue to
carry out its role, but that delay and hesitancy may well result in disintegration.
14. The Sultan's conception of a mobile Force is a body that lives in the open
or under such shade as nature may provide. He finds it hard to understand that any
Force, however mobile, must have a base to which it can return after operations
for maintenance and rest. The Sultan is not blameless for the present state of
affairs, but there is little doubt that a very much higher standard of maintenance,
man-management and administration generally should have been achieved by his
officials and officers, and that this is now essential.
3/..
