Air Commodore Adrian McGuire MBE

"Air Commodore Adrian McGuire, who has died aged 85, was an expert on the British-protected states of the Arabian Peninsula and eventually became the Director of the RAF Regiment.


Adrian Brian McGuire was born on May 16 1928 in Glasgow, where he attended St Aloysius College before being called up for National Service. In 1946 he gained a cadetship to the RAF College Cranwell and was commissioned into the RAF’s Secretarial Branch in 1950.


He studied Arabic and graduated in 1952 as an interpreter. He was immediately appointed as the intelligence officer to the mainly British-officered Trucial Oman Levies (TOL), local infantry raised in the sheikhdoms of today’s United Arab Emirates. At the time, Saudi Arabia was contesting the sovereignty of the Buraimi Oasis, risking armed conflict with Britain in her role as “protecting power”. McGuire had to face hostile Saudis, and parley on behalf of Sheikh Zaid, Governor of Buraimi (later the first President of the United Arab Emirates). At this juncture, two TOL soldiers murdered their own (British) CO and an RAF medical officer; an armed party successfully pursued and caught the killers. McGuire interpreted for the inquiry."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10636507/Air-Commodore-Adrian-McGuire-obituary.html