Book Review of
The Military & Police Forces of the Gulf States
Vol. 3: The Aden Protectorate 1839-1967
Authors: Cliff Lord & David Birtles
Helion & Co., Ltd.
Middle East @ War Series no. 40
ISBN: 978-1-912866-42-7
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $29.95
Middle East @ War Series no. 40
ISBN: 978-1-912866-42-7
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $29.95
HISTORY:
In January 1839, Captain S.B. Haines of the Indian Marines, the East India Company’s navy, occupied Aden. It was a magnificent natural harbor located at the junction of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Britain recognized its strategic importance, and this began a period of rule which lasted until the 29th of November 1967. When Britain left South Africa in 1967 it marked the end of an era-it finalized the period of frontier –style soldiering.
Over the 140 years of British control over Aden, and especially during the times this area was the British Protectorate of Aden, several local military services were established. As a consequence, all had a strong British flavor, as demonstrated by their doctrine, organization, ranks, uniforms, drill, equipment and other arrangements.
Drawing upon interviews with veterans of the services involved, archival and museum research in Great Britain and support from several veterans' associations, The Military & Police Forces of the Gulf States, Vol. 3, provides an organizational history of each service in pre-independence Aden, along with exclusive photographs, color profiles and diagrams, detailing the uniforms, badges, insignias and equipment of the various forces over the time period until Aden achieved independence in 1967.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Co., Ltd. is based in England.
The cover art shows a color photo of Rangers on an airfield with a C-47 transport aircraft.
Below that is a color side profile of a Hunter FR Mk. 10.
This book is in soft-cover of 88 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format. Two pages are blank.
The book begins with a GLOSSARY OF TERMS & ABBREVIATIONS and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
It contains 105 black and white photos and 26 color ones.
There are 7 maps and 15 data lists included.
The black and white photos are mostly of the different police and military groups, some aircraft, vehicles, a couple ships, and weapons etc. Some men are shown riding camels and horses.
Included are black and white photos of 75 badges, and medals.
The color photos show the same things.
This is a nice book about this period in history.
In January 1839, Captain S.B. Haines of the Indian Marines, the East India Company’s navy, occupied Aden. It was a magnificent natural harbor located at the junction of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Britain recognized its strategic importance, and this began a period of rule which lasted until the 29th of November 1967. When Britain left South Africa in 1967 it marked the end of an era-it finalized the period of frontier –style soldiering.
Over the 140 years of British control over Aden, and especially during the times this area was the British Protectorate of Aden, several local military services were established. As a consequence, all had a strong British flavor, as demonstrated by their doctrine, organization, ranks, uniforms, drill, equipment and other arrangements.
Drawing upon interviews with veterans of the services involved, archival and museum research in Great Britain and support from several veterans' associations, The Military & Police Forces of the Gulf States, Vol. 3, provides an organizational history of each service in pre-independence Aden, along with exclusive photographs, color profiles and diagrams, detailing the uniforms, badges, insignias and equipment of the various forces over the time period until Aden achieved independence in 1967.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Co., Ltd. is based in England.
The cover art shows a color photo of Rangers on an airfield with a C-47 transport aircraft.
Below that is a color side profile of a Hunter FR Mk. 10.
This book is in soft-cover of 88 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format. Two pages are blank.
The book begins with a GLOSSARY OF TERMS & ABBREVIATIONS and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
It contains 105 black and white photos and 26 color ones.
There are 7 maps and 15 data lists included.
The black and white photos are mostly of the different police and military groups, some aircraft, vehicles, a couple ships, and weapons etc. Some men are shown riding camels and horses.
Included are black and white photos of 75 badges, and medals.
The color photos show the same things.
This is a nice book about this period in history.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Helion & Co. Books and all Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Recommended.