الملف E/8 I ابن سعود [و‎‎٢‎٨‎٧] (٦٠٦/٥٩٨)

5(4?"
, Statement of Khalid "bin Bilal of Zubair, cook of the late
Captain Shakespear G.I.E., recorded on the 20th May 1915 in
the Political Agency, Bahrain. •
I went with my late maater Captain Shakespear from Kuwait.
There were about 30 men with him. We met Bin Saud at ,, Khuf8a tt
near Riadh. Two days after our arrival Sayed Talib of* Basra^
® ■
who had been for some time with Bin Saud^left for Kuwait. Next
day Bin Saud marched with his forces towards Jarab in order to
fight with Bin Rashid. After marching for several days we
reached Jarab. On our way f at each stage ^parties of Bedew-ams
joined us. Bin Saud was riding a horse but Captain Shakespear
was on a camel. One day before the fighting Bin Saud and his son,
Turki^ told the Sahib that he should not accompany them to the
battle but had better either go to Qasim or to Zilfi where they
would meet him after finishing the fighting. "Sahib" did not
agree and said it was dishonourable for him- to sweturn back and
that he would accompany them in the battle. I heard the talk my
self, as my tent was quite close to ^Sahib's'tent^ and his butler,who
was present at the interview^also told me so. Next morning at 6
A.M. bin Rashid's troops were sighted and in less that two hours
the enemy came fairly close to us. Bin Saud's forces dug ditches
at a distance of about 500 yards* behind the fighting line and all
the kit, tent and all sorts of luggage was loaded on camels which
were made to sit in the ditches. Sahib left all of his servants
but one, Hadi of Kuwait, in the ditches^and himself took a camera
and mounted on a camel with Hadi. They went towards the place
of fighting. He had instructed Hadi to keep the camel when
he dismounted and wait for him at that place while he went on
foot. I was about 500 yards from where Sahib dismounted
and saw him wall. He went on to a mound and took photo-
-grapha. Bin Saud ordered a general attack at 8 A.M.
cavalry being on the right and left flanks and infantry in the
centre. On the right one gun was working between the infantry
and cavalry. The enemy however had superior cavalry and more
• men and soon dispersed Bin Saud f s army, causing^ complete rout.
As