ABU DHABI // Lt Col Tim Courtenay finished his three years of service in the Trucial States in 1970 and took home a prized possession: a print of Al Jahili Fort.
This week, he has returned with his print of the painting by the renowned British artist David Shepherd.
Lt Col Courtenay is one of 60 former Trucial Oman Scouts (TOS) visiting as guests of the Armed Forces for a tour of the country they helped to build.
It is a belated 60th anniversary for the British men who served here until the TOS became the Union Defence Force in 1971.
For some, it is the first time they have been back since being posted here in the early 1960s.
While preparing for the visit, Lt Col Courtenay knew he had to present his hosts with a gift to match the hospitality he received as a 27-year-old seconded officer.
"The most important part of the return was the gifts," he says.
The perfect present was hanging on a wall at his home: the print autographed 42 years earlier by the founding President Sheikh Zayed, the current President Sheikh Khalifa, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, then head of the Al Ain Municipality, and Sheikh Faisal bin Sultan Al Qasimi, who was also a scout.
Lt Col Courtenay contacted the artist, who added his signature and gave his blessing for 10 copies to be made.
The painting depicts Jahili Fort in all its splendour, with a Land Rover parked below its famous white tower and scouts atop lanky camels in the foreground.
The fort, a former summer residence of Sheikh Zayed, was given to the scouts after the 1955 Buraimi Incident that led to the Saudis ending their occupation and recognising Oman and UAE jurisdiction in the oasis.
The fort became the scouts' home in Al Ain.
"The great white fort was ours," says Lt Col Courtenay. "It says everything about soldiering in this part of the world."
As an officer, he had the privilege of staying in the fort's round tower. Soldiers lived in its walls. Before this, they lived in barasti huts.
"It was our home," says Lt Col Courtenay. "I lived in the room at the top. If you've ever tried to furnish a round room, it's quite difficult."
From this base, the scouts made desert patrols by camel and Land Rover into the far west to secure the borders, unite the tribes through coffee-pot diplomacy, and stop bandits, slave traders and the spread of polio.
It was a time Lt Col Courtenay refers to as "Biblical days".
Like the nameless men in the print, he made camel patrols, one atop a beast called Sulayman.
"He was rather smelly and had very bad breath, but nonetheless camel patrolling was an important aspect of our continuation of the TOS," Lt Col Courtenay says.
The original painting was hung in the officers' mess and prints were available for scouts who lived there. His print disappeared into the desert for six months when he asked a friend to have Sheikh Zayed sign it.
It was returned just days before Lt Col Courtenay's redeployment to the UK. The print was "a bit creased and slightly stained but alhumdullilah, it is signed by His Highness Sheikh Zayed".
The other signatures were a pleasant surprise.
Now the prints have returned with the scouts. One copy will go to the British Ambassador and two of the signatories, Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Tahnoon, will each receive one.
Another gift includes 25 years of personal photographs by TOS members in a leather-bound book compiled by the former scout Hugh Nicklin.
"I like to think that perhaps living the way we did and controlling all sorts of problems that existed not only between the various sheikhs - like smuggling, arguments over gardens, arguments over water wells - that we brought peace and serenity into the area," says Michael Curtis, a TOS captain.
Sergeant Major Atiq Murad Al Baloushi was an adolescent when he joined the TOS. His facial hair had yet to grow but he still remembers the date he became a solider: 27 Feb 1957.
"I eat from work, how could I forget this date?" said Sgt Major Al Baloushi. "The rulers of the emirates wanted to create an army, they wanted nationals. The British came and served and protected the country in coordination with the rulers. They trained the people of the emirates."
The scouts and prints have toured the country since their arrival this week.
On Monday they paid their respects at British war graves in Sharjah; on Tuesday they visited their old camp in Ras Al Khaimah and had the honour of a camel patrol by Emirati soldiers; and on Thursday they visited Jahili Fort.
For the British scouts, success rested on the friendships forged by working, living and eating side by side with soldiers from all backgrounds.
While many scouts arrived in their teens, most are now in their 70s and 80s. Lt Col Courtenay calls the reunion "the last hurrah".
"Of course, it won't be the final farewell," he says.
azacharias@thenational.ae
For a video interview of Lt Col Tim Courtenay, visit thenational.ae/multimedia
Michael Curtis, who was second in command of A Squadron and a Jahili Fort resident in his time with the TOS, will speak at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature at 4.30pm tomorrow at the InterContinental hotel, Dubai about his book, Arabian Days (co-authored with Col Antony Cawston).
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
RESULTS
Time; race; prize; distance
4pm: Maiden; (D) Dh150,000; 1,200m
Winner: General Line, Xavier Ziani (jockey), Omar Daraj (trainer)
4.35pm: Maiden (T); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Travis County, Adrie de Vries, Ismail Mohammed
5.10pm: Handicap (D); Dh175,000; 1,200m
Winner: Scrutineer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
5.45pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
6.20pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Ejaaby, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
6.55pm: Handicap (D); Dh160,000; 1,600m
Winner: Storyboard, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (D); Dh150,000; 2,200m
Winner: Grand Dauphin, Gerald Mosse, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8.05pm: Handicap (T); Dh190,000; 1,800m
Winner: Good Trip, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Red Sparrow
Dir: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Egerton, Charlotte Rampling, Jeremy Irons
Three stars
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
Stage 3 results
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 4:42:33
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:03
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:30
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:56
General Classification after Stage 3:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 12:30:02
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:35
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Wilco Kelderman (NED) Team Sunweb) 0:02:06
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court (4pm UAE/12pm GMT)
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) v Heather Watson (GBR)
Rafael Nadal (ESP x4) v Karen Khachanov (RUS x30)
Andy Murray (GBR x1) v Fabio Fognini (ITA x28)
Court 1 (4pm UAE)
Steve Johnson (USA x26) v Marin Cilic (CRO x7)
Johanna Konta (GBR x6) v Maria Sakkari (GRE)
Naomi Osaka (JPN) v Venus Williams (USA x10)
Court 2 (2.30pm UAE)
Aljaz Bedene (GBR) v Gilles Muller (LUX x16)
Peng Shuai (CHN) v Simona Halep (ROM x2)
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x13) v Camila Giorgi (ITA)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x12) v Sam Querrey (USA x24)
Court 3 (2.30pm UAE)
Kei Nishikori (JPN x9) v Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x18)
Carina Witthoeft (GER) v Elina Svitolina (UKR x4)
Court 12 (2.30pm UAE)
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x8) v Ana Konjuh (CRO x27)
Kevin Anderson (RSA) v Ruben Bemelmans (BEL)
Court 18 (2.30pm UAE)
Caroline Garcia (FRA x21) v Madison Brengle (USA)
Benoit Paire (FRA) v Jerzy Janowicz (POL)
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Abu Dhabi race card
5pm Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
5.30pm Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
6pm Abu Dhabi Championship Listed | Dh180,000 | 1,600m
6.30pm Maiden | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap | Dh80,000 | 1,400m
7.30pm Handicap (TB) |Dh100,000 | 2,400m
Opening Rugby Championship fixtures: Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Afghanistan squad
Gulbadin Naib (captain), Mohammad Shahzad (wicketkeeper), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Banthology: Stories from Unwanted Nations
Edited by Sarah Cleave, Comma Press
Manchester United's summer dealings
In
Victor Lindelof (Benfica) £30.7 million
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) £75 million
Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) £40 million
Out
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Released
Wayne Rooney (Everton) Free transfer
Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad) £9.8 million
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
