John (Johnnie) Dearden, died on 9 May 2026 aged 93. His career in the British Army had taken him through 15th/19th Kings Hussars as a Trooper, then to the Malay Scouts (Mentioned in Despatches, 1957) and finally to 22 and 21 SAS from 1951 to 1967 in Malaya and Borneo before becoming one of the most respected Firqat Liaison Officers in Dhofar. From 1972 to 1985 he worked almost continuously in Dhofar with the Firqat through its various transitions, rarely visible but always in

Many will remember Tony Quinlan who worked in the Palace Office in Oman from 1975 to the mid 1980s. Tony and his wife, Nicky, were well known to many in SAF in Northern Oman. Although we never really knew what Tony actually did, Nicky worked for many years in ORD for people such as John McKeown and Richard Lee and latterly in the office of General Tim Creasey. Following Tony's move to Palestine in the 1980s Nicky remained in Oman where she still mainly resides. Memorial S

We have received a notification that Captain John de Winton passed away on 11th June 2026, aged 95. A memorial service was held on 10th July. Unfortunately we did not receive prior notification. John was Chief of Staff, SON from 1982-88 at a time when the new naval base at Wudam was being created. He had a distinguished career in the Fleet Air Arm and served the Royal Navy in many parts of the world. An obituary was published in the Daily Telegraph on the 17th July 2026, a

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Patrick Brook on Wednesday 1st July 2026. Patrick sadly passed away following a road traffic accident whilst he was cycling near his home in Devon. Patrick contributed enormously to SAF and the Sultanate of Oman both through his military service and subsequently through his involvement in the SAF Association. His first tour in Oman was from 1968 to 1970 when he was seconded to the Muscat Regiment. He then returned in 197

Christopher Beese is attending the Curry Lunch in London on 18 June and will be bringing copies of his book on the Firqat Forces ‘Divided No More’. Guests will have the opportunity to examine the book and then purchase if they wish at £35 per copy (thereby saving the usual £12 post and packing costs), with or without signature. Payment can be by cash on the day or by subsequent bank transfer. It will assist Christopher in transporting sufficient numbers of this substantial bo

It is with great sadness that we announced the death of Colin McLean on Thursday 9th April 2026. Colin had been ill for some months having been diagnosed with Leukaemia in late 2025. He spent his final days in care in North London and staff at the care home reported that he had a steady stream of visitors and that he was a much loved patient. Several members of the SAF Association committee were able to visit him during his last few weeks and reported quite lively and coher

We are very sorry to pass on the sad news of the death of Philip Brooke-Popham, late Commander Royal Navy of Oman, on Saturday 4th April 2026 aged 97. Philip commanded the navy, then the Sultan of Oman's Navy (SON), from 1973 - 76 in the very early stages of its existence and during the challenging last 2 years of the Dhofar war. He supervised the introduction of modern warships into the navy. A full obituary will be published in due course. Funeral details are as follows: 2

Major Colin Garland died on 19th January 2026 in Cyprus, aged 93. Colin was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Transport and served on loan service in Oman from 1963 until 1965 as the Force Transport Officer at Bayt al Falaj. He returned to Oman a little over ten years later in 1976, this time on contract, taking on the same role. He finally retired from SAF in 1980 and began a long and fulfilling second career with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), workin

Christopher Beese has written a comprehensive and erudite history of Firqat Forces in Oman from 1970 to 1990. This is a work of considerable scholarship with a long list of contributors (“some 60”) who he consulted and who helped him compile the work. Christopher served with 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards before serving with Firqat Forces from 1982 to 1987. He joined a team that contributed to the advancement of Firqa through the mentoring of the regular element, its transit

We offer warmest congratulations on behalf of the Association’s membership to two of our members whose commitment to SAF and Oman has been recognised very recently by the following awards. LIWA RUKN GERALD STRICKLAND CB DSO MBE WO As part of the 2025 National Day Celebrations, Major General Gez Strickland, the Senior British Loan Service Officer, was awarded the Order of Oman Military (Second Class). The award was presented by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said on 1

Eyre in Saladin at Old Defa, Oct '75 Many will have heard of the sad passing of Eyre Maunsell on 18th/19th December 2025. Eyre had been suffering from ill health for quite some time but remained remarkably cheerful and optimistic right up to the end. A family funeral was held following his death but bis sons, Oli and Giles have arranged a celebration of his life as detailed in the flyer reproduced below. Please follow the details in the flyer if you intend to join the famil

Commissioned into the 14th/20th King’s Hussars, John initially served in Germany but, seeking greater adventure, soon volunteered for loan service in Oman. Following attendance on the Beaconsfield Arabic course he arrived in SAF in August 1978, taking over as Squadron Leader of the Armoured Car Squadron in Thumrait. Then still equipped with Saladins, they supported Southern Oman Brigade, taking part in exercises and annual firing camps: but a period of great change was immine