RARE TRUCIAL OMAN SCOUTS SCARCE BRITISH GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL ARABIAN PENINSULA & CYPRUS

Description

Offered is a scarce General Service Medal 1918 to a member of the Trucial Oman Scouts, with 2 clasps CYPRUS & ARABIAN PENINSULA, being impressed named 805 PTE. SALIM SAID T.O.S. In exceptionally fine condition, with little if any wear.

The clasp Cyprus is rarely seen on a G.S.M belonging to a member of the Trucial Oman Scouts.

Medals to the Trucial Oman Scouts are sought after, especially given their role as a unit depolyed in emercency situations to clean up some of the British Empires ‘Middle Eastern’ tribal and communist issues that arose during the later 1950’s and 1960’s in Aden, Yemen and Oman.

Keeping the peace in this far-flung land was the responsibility of the Trucial Oman Scouts, a paramilitary force raised by the British in 1951, initially making use of recruits from the Jordanian Arab Legion — from which the Scouts adopted its trademark red and white shemaghs. The unit, headquartered at a Royal Air Force camp in Sharjah was initially staffed by 30 people, mostly British officers but also local recruits. The Trucial Oman Scouts was armed much like any British infantry battalion of the time was, with .303 SMLE rifles, .38 Webley revolvers, Bren LMGs and small, three-inch mortars, as well as Land Rovers, Dodge Power Wagons and Ferret armored cars. Just as important, the British core of the Scouts was armed with an adventurous spirit and a desire to be a part of one of the British Army’s last opportunities for Lawrence of Arabia-type soldiering.

Clasp: Arabian Peninsula

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.

Clasp: Cyprus

In 1956 the Cypriot movement for union with Greece (called “Enosis”) started under the leadership of Archbishop Makarios and General George Grivas. The General led the guerrilla organisation EOKA against the British troops stationed on the island. The conflict was often a bloody affair, involving 40,000 British troops over 4 years. The clasp was originally awarded for 120 days service between 1 April 1955 to 18 April 1959. As a result of the 2012 Independent Medal Review conducted by Sir John Holmes, from 1 October 2014 the qualifying period was reduced to 90 days service, to bring it into line with the Africa General Service Medal awarded for the Kenya campaign.