The Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf, was a Royal Navy command appointment who was responsible for administering the Persian Gulf Stationmilitary formation including its establishments and naval forces known as the Persian Gulf Squadron later called the Persian Gulf Division. Initially located at Basidu, Qishm Island, in Persia (c. 1823–1850–1935), then Henjam Island in Persia (1911–1935), and finally Ras Al-Jufair, Bahrain (1935–1972).
British naval presence in the Persian Gulf began in the early nineteenth century with temporary naval forces assembled for specific operations until the establishment of a more constant naval force presence called the Persian Gulf Squadron [1] later the Persian Gulf Division.[2] The Senior Naval Office Persian Gulf gradually became an important position throughout the twentieth century by supporting Britain's strategic interests in the region, he reported to the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station.[3] The Persian Gulf was one of the areas of naval operations during First World War in which it assumed a level of importance during the Mesopotamian campaign, its operations consisted of patrolling, keeping the peace and ensuring the continued supply of oil from the region. In May 1942 it then became part of the Eastern Fleet command until May 1944 when it became part of the East Indies Fleet command until July 1945 when it was abolished. The station was re-established in April 1949 reporting to the C-in-C, East Indies Station until 1958. In 1959 the station was merged with the Red Sea Station under the new appointment of Commodore, Arabian Seas and Persian Gulf. In 1962 the station was re-established under the Flag Officer, Middle East, until it was abolished in 1972.
In 2003 the Royal Navy reestablished a post in the Persian Gulf, with a new title, the UK Maritime Component Command. On 1 November 2015, it was announced that HMS Jufair would be re-established as a permanent Royal Navy base. On 5 April 2018, the UK Naval Support Facility was officially opened.[4]
Map of the Persian Gulf and location of the Straits of Hormuz
Headquarters
The British established a Persian Gulf Squadron in the mid-nineteenth century to support the Political Resident Persian Gulf (PRPG), who was responsible for all of Britains relationships in the region. The SNOPG was originally headquartered at Basidu on-board his ship from 1823 onward.[5] A permanent depot and headquarters was first established at Basidu, Qishm Island, in Persia, around 1850. In 1911 his headquarters moved to Henjam Island in the Straits of Hormuz until 12 April 1935.[6] On 13 April 1935 a naval base and shore establishment called HMSJuffair was established at Ras Al-Jufair, Bahrain, which served as headquarters for the SNO Persian Gulf until 1972.[7]
SNOPG, Ships
From 1885 to 1946 the SNO Persian Gulf was usually aboard an operational ship beginning with HMSOsprey, (1885–1890).[8] Followed by HMSTriad from 1909 to 21 April 1933 [9] and by HMSShoreham(L32) from 21 April 1933 to 1946.[10][11]
In 1959 this appointment was merged with that of the Red Sea to form the Arabian Seas and Persian Gulf Station. In 1962 the station re-established under the Flag Officer, Middle East until it was abolished in 1972.
↑ Onley, James (2007). "PART II AGENTS OF EMPIRE". The Arabian Frontier of the British Raj: Merchants, Rulers, and the British in the Nineteenth-Century Gulf. Oxford, England: OUP Oxford. ISBN9780191607769.
↑ "Flag Officers in Commission". The Navy List. London England: HM Stationery Office. October 1915. p.8.
↑ Residency, Persian Gulf Political; Agency, Muscat Political; (Kuwait), British Political Agency; Agency, Qatar Political; Agency, Trucial States Political; Agency, Bahrain Political; Residency, Bushire Political (1990). Political Diaries of the Persian Gulf: 1935–35. London, England: Archive Editions. pp.321–679. ISBN9781852072506.
↑ Residency, Persian Gulf Political; Agency, Muscat Political; (Kuwait), British Political Agency; Agency, Qatar Political; Agency, Trucial States Political; Agency, Bahrain Political; Residency, Bushire Political (1990). Political Diaries of the Persian Gulf: 1935–35. London, England: Archive Editions. pp.321–679. ISBN9781852072506.
↑ Residency, Persian Gulf Political; Agency, Muscat Political; (Kuwait), British Political Agency; Agency, Qatar Political; Agency, Trucial States Political; Agency, Bahrain Political; Residency, Bushire Political (1990). Political Diaries of the Persian Gulf: 1935–35. London, England: Archive Editions. pp.321–679. ISBN9781852072506.
↑ The Navy List. London, England: H. M. Stationery Office. October 1944. p.2263.
Bankoff, Greg; Christensen, Joseph (2016). Natural Hazards and Peoples in the Indian Ocean World: Bordering on Danger. Berlin, Germany: Springer. ISBN9781349948574.
Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. (2017) "Persian Gulf – The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell.
Kindell, Don. (2012) "North Atlantic Command, Force H, South Atlantic Command, America & West Indies Command, Eastern Fleet, January 1942". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.
Macris, Jeffrey R. (2010). The Politics and Security of the Gulf: Anglo-American Hegemony and the Shaping of a Region. Cambridge, England: Routledge. ISBN9781135189440.
Naval Review. (1959) "OP SHIPS" Volume 47: 105.
Onley, James. "Britain's Native Agents in Arabia and Persia in the Nineteenth Century1" (PDF). socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk. University of Exeter, England.
Pollock, Arthur William Alsager (1861). "List of the Indian Navy in Commission". The United Service Magazine. London. H. Colburn.
Residency, Persian Gulf Political; Agency, Muscat Political; (Kuwait), British Political Agency; Agency, Qatar Political; Agency, Trucial States Political; Agency, Bahrain Political; Residency, Bushire Political (1990). Political Diaries of the Persian Gulf: 1935–35. London, England: Archive Editions. ISBN9781852072506.
The Navy List. (1915) "Flag Officers in Commission". London England: HM Stationery Office.
The Navy List. (1944) "Flag Officers in Commission". London, England: H. M. Stationery Office.
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