SHARJAH
208 deployed regularly to Sharjah. Here is a picture of the ATC Tower [27], just as it was then, and since the airfield had been built in 1932. But although it has not been moved it is now in the middle of the city; the tiny village long since gobbled up,
surrounded by sky scrapers. Sharjah International is some distance away in the desert outside City limits.
At least twice a year the squadron spent two to three weeks there for APCs, using an academic range at Rashid and the much larger range at Jebal Ali – both now busy built up areas of the sprawling Dubai. At one such detachment the whole squadron was put into quarantine for small pox – 7 Pakistanis had disembarked from a dhow up the coast at Rhas al Khaima, passed through Sharjah to Dubai where it was discovered that they had smallpox. As the Squadron MO with them put it 'they were all now world outcasts'. After compulsory re-vaccination it was sorted out in 10 days.
There 
the squadron also 
mounted long range sorties into Southern Iran, through the wadis and mountains of Oman and into the empty quarter, Leewa Hollows in the Rhub al Khali. Army co-op and forward air control exercises also took place there. Here are a couple of pictures: [28] Targets spotted – then [29] “Guns” attack – cine cameras only!
Sharjah detachments were mainly “business” but if the RAF Marine Craft were in support there we would visit them at the weekends, for fishing and a wander round Dubai. About 20 ocean going dhows tied up in the Creek, about 50 houses and perhaps 20 cars – all told. The Souk – Arab for market – was always fascinating, busy, crowded, noisy, with Arabs out of the Dessert complete with rifles, bandaliers and hunting hawks.
