Post by Diarist on Sept 26, 2016 11:31:04 GMT 1
At RAF Ramleh I telephoned General Wauchope to cancel our lunch together. Instead I shall be flying from Tel Aviv directly to Amman and that we can meet when I return in a few days.
We landed at RAF Zerqa just after 14:00. It is 15 miles NE of Amman and the Headquarters of the Arab Legion is located there. Nearby is Raghadan Palace, the official residence of Emir Abdullah. We were met by Frederik Peake, a major-general in army of the Emirate of Transjordan. As a captain he used to serve under Thomas Lawrence and he immediately recognized him despite their last meeting being almost 20 years ago.
"General, when will it be possible for me to meet Emir Abdullah?" I asked in Arabic.
"Whenever you are ready, Sir Robert. He looks forward to meeting you, and Lawrence being here is a surprise. To be honest I was expecting someone elder than you."
"I started young."
"One of the young MP's I have heard of?"
"No. I am a major in the British Army. I was promoted to Minister in order to give me more authority within the Ministry of Defence. I have a letter for Emir Abdullah from Winston Churchill." We were driven to Raghadan Palace and shortly afterwards we met the Emir in a spacious Throne Room. It soon became obvious that he and Thomas aren't the best of friends. Maybe it was a mistake to bring him here.
"Secretary Winston Churchill sends his greetings, Your Highness. He asked me to give you this letter." I handed it to him.
"I trust he is in good health, Sir Robert?"
"Indeed he is, Sir." A servant had opened the letter and he gave it to the Emir.
"He writes that you are hoping to help ease the tensions in Palestine. Have you made any progress so far?"
"I am primarily here on a fact-finding mission, Your Highness. However I am hoping to organize a six-month moratorium and I am somewhat optimistic. If we could stop the fighting, if only for a short period, tempers may cool."
"How can I be of help?"
"We are hoping for your stabilizing influence in the region. We would also support a sizeable increase in the strength of the Arab Legion. Two brigades with approximately 7,000 men. Could you recruit that many volunteers?"
"Funding them would be a greater problem."
"I can argue that two Arab Legion brigades would cost less than transferring two British infantry brigades here. We also have enough equipment for you including machineguns and light mortars."
"Are you expecting a conflict in Palestine, Sir Robert?"
"I'm hoping to avoid one, General but if there is a conflict a wave of refugees would head in your direction and it would be a wise precaution to have enough security forces to contain them and disarm them if necessary."
"So more troops as a precautionary measure?"
"Yes, Your Highness, but more than that. There is also unrest to the north of you and in Iraq. The region is very volatile and neither the al-Husseinis nor the Nashashibis can be relied upon. The former is even working with Nazi Germany and supporting anti-Jewish groups. Hitler's anti-Jewish policies are becoming increasing popular amongst anti-British Arab nationalists."
"I would support a British initiative to end the tension in Palestine, Sir Robert."
"Especially if parts of Arab Palestine were placed under Transjordanian control."
"Well, we are the stabilizing factor in the region, are we not?"
"Yes, indeed. Emir Abdullah, my wife and I shall be flying to Iraq this evening but MAJ Wingate and WOI Shaw (Lawrence) are available to discuss further details."
"I wish you a safe journey. Please convey my warmest greetings to Winston."
"I shall do that, Your Highness."
The next stop is RAF Hinaidi in Iraq. Home of the 70th RAF Squadron, our FTX air transport colleagues.
We landed at RAF Zerqa just after 14:00. It is 15 miles NE of Amman and the Headquarters of the Arab Legion is located there. Nearby is Raghadan Palace, the official residence of Emir Abdullah. We were met by Frederik Peake, a major-general in army of the Emirate of Transjordan. As a captain he used to serve under Thomas Lawrence and he immediately recognized him despite their last meeting being almost 20 years ago.
"General, when will it be possible for me to meet Emir Abdullah?" I asked in Arabic.
"Whenever you are ready, Sir Robert. He looks forward to meeting you, and Lawrence being here is a surprise. To be honest I was expecting someone elder than you."
"I started young."
"One of the young MP's I have heard of?"
"No. I am a major in the British Army. I was promoted to Minister in order to give me more authority within the Ministry of Defence. I have a letter for Emir Abdullah from Winston Churchill." We were driven to Raghadan Palace and shortly afterwards we met the Emir in a spacious Throne Room. It soon became obvious that he and Thomas aren't the best of friends. Maybe it was a mistake to bring him here.
"Secretary Winston Churchill sends his greetings, Your Highness. He asked me to give you this letter." I handed it to him.
"I trust he is in good health, Sir Robert?"
"Indeed he is, Sir." A servant had opened the letter and he gave it to the Emir.
"He writes that you are hoping to help ease the tensions in Palestine. Have you made any progress so far?"
"I am primarily here on a fact-finding mission, Your Highness. However I am hoping to organize a six-month moratorium and I am somewhat optimistic. If we could stop the fighting, if only for a short period, tempers may cool."
"How can I be of help?"
"We are hoping for your stabilizing influence in the region. We would also support a sizeable increase in the strength of the Arab Legion. Two brigades with approximately 7,000 men. Could you recruit that many volunteers?"
"Funding them would be a greater problem."
"I can argue that two Arab Legion brigades would cost less than transferring two British infantry brigades here. We also have enough equipment for you including machineguns and light mortars."
"Are you expecting a conflict in Palestine, Sir Robert?"
"I'm hoping to avoid one, General but if there is a conflict a wave of refugees would head in your direction and it would be a wise precaution to have enough security forces to contain them and disarm them if necessary."
"So more troops as a precautionary measure?"
"Yes, Your Highness, but more than that. There is also unrest to the north of you and in Iraq. The region is very volatile and neither the al-Husseinis nor the Nashashibis can be relied upon. The former is even working with Nazi Germany and supporting anti-Jewish groups. Hitler's anti-Jewish policies are becoming increasing popular amongst anti-British Arab nationalists."
"I would support a British initiative to end the tension in Palestine, Sir Robert."
"Especially if parts of Arab Palestine were placed under Transjordanian control."
"Well, we are the stabilizing factor in the region, are we not?"
"Yes, indeed. Emir Abdullah, my wife and I shall be flying to Iraq this evening but MAJ Wingate and WOI Shaw (Lawrence) are available to discuss further details."
"I wish you a safe journey. Please convey my warmest greetings to Winston."
"I shall do that, Your Highness."
The next stop is RAF Hinaidi in Iraq. Home of the 70th RAF Squadron, our FTX air transport colleagues.