In the Service of the Sultan

A First Hand Account of the Dhofar Insurgency

Ian Gardiner

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
• Year: 2007
• ISBN:
  9781848849907
• Topic: Historia
• Subtopic: Historia militar y marítima

A memoir of how a small number of British officers led Muslim soldiers in the hard-fought anti-insurgency war that has shaped today's Gulf. While the Americans were fighting in Vietnam, a struggle of even greater strategic significance was taking place in the Middle East: The Sultanate of Oman stood guard at the entrance to the Arabian Gulf, and thus controlled the movement of oil from that region. In the 1960s and 70s, the Communists tried to seize this artery and, had they succeeded, the consequences for the West and for the Middle East would have been disastrous—and yet, few people have ever heard of this geo-political drama at the height of the Cold War. In the Service of the Sultan "is an enthralling book.In a mere 180 pages, Ian Gardiner, an army officer who fought with the Sultan of Oman's forces, succeeds in three major objectives. He describes what it is like to be a young officer leading men of different nationalities into combat against wily and courageous guerrillas. He captures the landscape and the spirit of Oman, 'that entrancing, fascinating, hauntingly beautiful country.' Finally, he puts the battles he fought in their geopolitical context... It should be read with enduring pleasure by anyone who wishes to reaffirm his pride in his country and in its fighting forces" ( The Telegraph ). "For anyone interested in understanding the ingredients behind a successful counterinsurgency campaign, In the Service of the Sultan is a must read."— Imperial Armour Blogspot "Politics, history, irregular warfare, religion, and international affairs: all are ingredients in this absorbing, informative read."—Oxford & Cambridge Club Military History Group

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Maps
• Foreword by Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 The Trailer
• Chapter 2 The Stage
• Chapter 3 Learning the Words
• Chapter 4 The Set
• Chapter 5 The Cast
• Chapter 6 The Play
• Chapter 7 The Action: East of the Line
• Chapter 8 The Action: West of the Line
• Chapter 9 The Action: South of the Line and at Sea
• Chapter 10 The Action: The Iranians and the Firqat
• Chapter 11 The Curtain
• Conclusion
• Glossary
• Plate section