Offered is an original General Service Medal (Queen Elizabeth II), with the clasp ARABIAN PENINSULA, being impressed named 10179 PTE. FADHL HUSSEIN LAHJEE, A.P.L. Edge bruising to rim, generally very fine.
Not often do you come across General Service Medals, with this clap to the Aden Protectorate Levies.
The Arabian Peninsula clasp was awarded Due to a disagreement about land and associated oil rights, the Iman of Oman rebelled against the Sultan of Muscat. After initial setbacks, in 1955 the Sultan called for assistance from UK forces. It was not until British special forces were deployed that the rebels were dislodged from their territory in the Jebel Akhbar Mountains. The qualifying period for this clasp is 30 days' service between 1 January 1957 and 30 June 1960, in the Aden Colony or protectorate and the Sultanates of Muscat and Oman, or any of the adjacent Gulf states.
The Aden Protectorate Levies (APL) were a military force raised for the local defence of the Aden Protectorate. The Levies were drawn from all parts of the Protectorate and were armed and officered by the British military. The APL were formed on 1 April 1928 primarily to protect Royal Air Force stations following the change of status of Aden to an Air Command in April 1927. Their secondary role was to be that of assisting the civil police. The APL also formed a Camel Troop.
During the December 1947 anti-Jewish riots, some Arab personnel of the Levies proved ineffective in controlling inter-communal violence and fired indiscriminately into Jewish houses, killing several of the inhabitants. The Levies reverted to War Office control in 1957 with British Army officers and NCOs replacing RAF secondees. The AFL headquarters was at Seedaseer Lines in Khormaksar. "Up country" bases and out-stations were maintained at Dhala, Mukeiras, Beihan, Zinjibar, Ataq and Lodar.
In 1958 the APL, supported by British troops and the RAF, repulsed border intrusions by Yemeni forces in the Jebel Jihaf region. Border clashes with Yemeni tribal groups continued through the late 1950s.By 1960 the APL consisted of four rifle battalions each of which had 3" mortars, medium machine guns and signallers, and a Mechanical Transport Platoon. The APL was a brigade-equivalent force with its own air supply and air liaison officers and the Senior Arab Officer. Additional units included the APL Armoured Car Squadron, the APL Signal Squadron, the APL Band and the APL Camel Troop. The APL Camel Troop was a ceremonial unit which conducted many public appearances. On 30 November 1961, following the creation of the South Arabian Federation, the APL changed its name to the Federal Regular Army. After 1967 those British trained personnel considered politically unreliable were purged from the reorganised armed forces of the newly established People's Republic of Yemen.
