Thank you everyone for your time and the amazing responses.
I didn't know whether the fort at Rutbah even still existed , so even better info. than I could have hoped for.
On another note , I flew over the old fort at Sharjah this very evening, and managed to visit it last week. It has recently been restored , is in good repair and there are some interesting exhibits inside from the Imperial Days.
My Uncle told me a good story recently concerning one of the staff who worked at Sharjah: He was none too popular- whereupon when he retired the staff there all chipped in to buy him a retirement present. The present was duly presented which was a pocket watch on chain.
- Inside the case though there was no watch but instead a folded note of paper with the words written on it: "we have no time for you"!
I don't know for the record who the gentleman was , but it makes for an amusing story.
As a further aside- back to Rutbah wells- aparently a Tornado crashed there during Gulf War 1- anyone know the location relative to the town? Over to you again.....