'Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine 1936' [‎45r] (94/294)

pn.qtal Service
44816-1
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The civil postal system continued to work throughout the rebellion, though
with considerable delay. Military correspondence was distributed by means of
a courier service with the daily convoys and by Despatch Riders, and the Army
seldom used the civil system. In September postal units, staffed by the G.P.O. ,
London, with Supplementary Reservists, arrived with the Emergency Force and
opened an Army Post Office. This accelerated deliveries and gave the troops
■die benefit of cheap rates for private correspondence.
Printi ng and Stationery Service
There was no local army organization for this purpose. Printing was
carried out by the Government Press in Jerusalem, while stationery was supplied
from England or Egypt and supplemented by local purchase.
R emount and Veterinary Services
The operations in Palestine in 1936 must have been the first to be under
taken by a force of the British Army in which neither of these services were
represented, since - apart from the T.J.F.F. - there was not a single horse in
the field.
Supplies and Transport Service
Supplies have already been referred to earlier in this Chapter, and .a
separate chapter — No. 9 - is devoted to transport.
Canteen Service
By calling upon resources in Egypt, with some reinforcement from England,
the N.A.A.F.I. in Palestine was able to expand from 13 branches in April to 120
in October. No mobile canteens were used and, as units were seldom out oi
camps for more than 24 hours at a time, they were probably unnecessary,
need of books, papers, etc., in camps and posts away from the main towns was^
much felt, and was supplied later through the generosity of local residents m
Palestine and Egypt who sent literature to central collecting stations, whence
it was distributed through the normal supply system. _ The Jewish Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. a s°
did much to help, both in supplying recreational facilities and reading matter
and in running special canteens.
Transportation Service
The Transportation Service was concerned with the working of the Palestine
Railways and its connection with the Egyptian S^ate Railways sys em, an oo
with the working of the docks at Haifa. There was no inland water transport,
and no light railways other than those forming part of the Palestine Gov m-
ment railway system.
In view of the special administrative responsibilities of Egypt, the
Transportation Service was initiated and maintained from -^SyP • ' the
ensure close liaison between the two commands ana o a ov Palestine
employment of staffs, one officer performed the dual role of A.D
and Egypt. He was permanently represented in Palestine by a D.A.D. In ^ Hail a,
who was" an expert railwayman with previous experience in Pa 1 ”' e A P M G (M)
his office in'the headquarters of the Railways, while there was a Da.Q.M.G.W
at Ibrce HQ in Jerusalem. The °!! f:L0 ®° f p ^f a A ^ e n ' "Xen this was transferred
as Egypt retained responsibility xor the Kaif b . t salem The
to Palestine, the office of the A.D.Tn. moved to Martial
system worked satisfactorily, and should have con inue p Tn' at Haifa
Law, for which it was originally designed and under which D.A.D.Tn. at ..
would have become Director of Railways.