File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎126v] (250/450)

place half-way between Rabegh and Yambo, at about 10 kilometres from the coast. He
will have about 4,000 Arabs with Egyptian artillery—four mountain guns and four
Maxims. He also said that there were 3,000 Arabs at Tail* and along the Turkish
communications to Bir Darwish, and that they were to harry those communications as
much as possible. If the Turks should descend on the Sultaneh road, Faisal will allow-h
them to get well on their way and then attack them in the rear when they attack Ali^
at Rabegh ; to which place Aziz and Ali think the Turks mean to come eventually.
Colonel Wilson had gone over the whole question with Aziz al Masri ; the latter asked
for three quick-firing mountain batteries complete; if to be carried on mules, then the
mules must be provided as well.
Sir H. McMahon added that it appeared, from other information received, that
the Turks did not get further along the Sultaneh road than Bir Abbas which is
50 miles from Medina. They were still reported to be there on the 20th September.
It was further reported that they were short of provisions and had many deserters,
and that they had not sufficient transport for serious advance. The situation, therefore ,
appeared more favourable, especially as the fall of Taif frees the Arab force under
Abdullah, Aziz al Masri recently joined the Sherif from Egypt and has been
appointed Commander-in-Chief of his forces.
The Arab Bureau telegraphed on the 25th September [Baba 57] that Nuri Bey
Saacl had reported that the lurks had two [?] divisions with two aeroplanes in A.edina
and its vicinity. And (apparently on the same authority) that in Medina there was
one mixed regiment of three bat talions with three batteries of old pattern field guns ;
at Bii El Mashi 800 men, the^ headquarters of a regiment with strong advance
detachments at Ghayer and Sari, each of which consists of about a battalion each
having two field guns and four maxims; at Bir Abbas on the Sultani road one full
division with two batteries of quick-firing guns and three mountain batteries of the
man type, and with four machine guns per regiment. There are contradictory reports
as to the possibility of advance ; probably the transport is still defective.
The Bureau also reported that Hussein el Mabeiriq was in the hills, and that his
attitude was apparently doubtful.
Further that Colonel Parker had an unsuccessful meeting near Wejd with Suhiman
ibn Rufada, Shaykh of the Billi, whose attitude was uncompromising. He expressed
sympathy with the Sherif, but definitely declared that he and his Arabs were allied
with the lurks. Raids on the railway are therefore impossible at present through the
Bilh country.
.^ n following day it telegraphed again certain comments on the statement of
. un -It sard to at aeroplanes had not, up till then, been reported in the air ; and that
it was unlikely that the Germans would be allowed in Medina, so that it was to be
presume t rat on y Turkish pilots and mechanics were available who would greatly
reduce their value. Nun’s figures were then considered. The gist was, that there
were rom thirteen to eighteen battalions, which with artillery and supply would make
the two divisions he estimated the Turkish forces at; though from their heterogeneous
and inferior elements they should be of much less fighting value than line divisions.
io-day, the 17th beptember, a communication has been received from the Naval
cm man er-m- nef m the East Indies stating that Rabegh is garrisoned by 5,000 of
r lov® tr ° 0pS J Wel armed and wel1 under the cover of H.M. ships; and they
shouid be m a position to hold their own against a Turkish attack, and that it will
probably be possible to land the aeroplanes at Rabegh under cover of this force
Arab Prisoners for Sherif.
From telegrams sent from Simla to Cairo on the 16th and 19th September, it
appears that 2o officers and either 232 or 234 rank and file, being Arab prisoners of
war, were leaving Bombay for Jeddah to join the Sherif.
Of the 5 officers and 125 gunners who were sent from Egypt, most of them Arab
W V ^ TP? 0rt ’ IV ’ N - S -’ P- 2 J 102 returned to Suez on the
13th August Writing on the 1/th August, Colonel Wilson said [F.O. 182183] that
to wYbh AlT hat r i e k Were under the lm P ression that they were released in order
to live in the Hejaz until the war was over, and were never asked if they were willing
TowtA^of t 6 ^ady fought for the Turks, they could not
He dhfnot know iTtf 1 ’ and v at ‘A W , ould mean oertain death if they were captured,
oi know if the sounding of these men as to their willingness to fight for the