Northern Frontier Regiment, Oman
The Northern Frontier Regiment (NFR) is the second senior infantry regiment of the Royal Army of Oman. It traces it's origans to the Batinah Force which was raised in Suhar in 1953 under the command of Major Colin Maxwell - a legendary figure in the military history of the Sultanate. At that time it was the third senior unit.
In 1956 war broke out between the Sultanate and supporters of the Iman who controlled the interior of Oman. The following year BF was renamed NFR. At the same time the second infantry regiment, the Muscat and Oman Field Force, was renamed the Oman Regiment (OR).
In the summer of 1957 OR was caught in a well executed ambush in the foothills of the Jebel Akhdar near Tanuf and cut to pieces. Some 100 survivors were absorbed by NFR. OR was never reformed.
1960s veterans of NFR say that no special cap badge was worn. However two regimental badges are know. The first, probably an officer's badge, is made of unmarked silver. The second is an all ranks badge from the late 70s and early 80s. It shows some minor design changes from what is assumed to be the first pattern. The scroll on both reads Kateeba Hudood a'Shemalia or Northern Frontier Regiment.
|