'Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine 1936' [‎38v] (81/294)

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CHAPTER 7
INTERCOMIURIGATI ON
THE SYSTEM PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL Off TIiS EJ.’ERGENCY FOP Hh^
At the outbreak of the rebellion the only military system of
intercommunication was by Yl/T over a network of stations which had
been organised by the Royal Air Force. These were of three kinds--
( a ) Permanent R.A.F. Stations for point-to-poi nt work in paW.
and Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan ' JS
They were sited at Jerusalem, Ramleh, Haifa and Gaza, and were
equipped with T.19B Transmitters. In addition to internal
communication they worked also to Cairo and neighbouring countries
The set at Haifa could be made mobile, and was able to work to '
local aircraft when required. Gaza was operated by Imperial
Airways, although it was a R.A.F. station, but the other three
were manned by R.A.F. personnel.
( b ) Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan Frontier Force Stations
Fhere were Wo of these in Palestine - at Jisr Majami and Rosh
Pinna. The sets were type T.21C and the operators local other
ranks of the T.J.F.F. Both sets could be made mobile and could wo’
to local aircraft.
( c ) Palestine Police Stations
The RaiestinePoUce operated eight stations equipped with C.W. fe
matters. They were manned by local personnel and provided a
service ox communication between fixed points.
station were in direct communication with each
and mobil/»»-.’ h 101 \ held at Ramleh a reserve of operators
that of the Po? K c , 4 - SetS ^^ ype T * 21 )* A further minor Y//T system was
touch beW--n^th 0 • lne p , 0 ' tash Com P a ny, which was used solely to keeo
and was 'l° r ^ at the N ° rth and South ends of the Dead
direct wireless communication with the other systems.
steps 1 were t tLen b S 1 n° n ^ artGd ° n the . l9th ^ 1 , certain pre-arrangei
facilities rap 0nCe 1 ° :Lncrea -^^ military intercommunication
detachments which'we^rnot^jea^ 0perat °f were sen ^ to a11
Direct telp-nhnn^ i • . -ready near established W/T stations.
civil and police a ^ es . w ® re installe d to link military commanders with
Egypt, washed the G - 0 *C-. British Troops in
eight despatch riders." with a detachment of
divided between Jerusalem a. n ii ■ / on tne 21st April and was
Of a long line of P q-i r /n -1 o they thus beGaine the vanguard
later amounted to the All tiARf 01 ' 061110 ^ 3 some five months
developments in communirn-Hn Anal ° resources of a Corps. Subsequent
R/T lorries capable of oneratinTo^ ±ltt;Lr / s out the of
called "RODEX" and were 4 . g tne move ( the ce were afterwards
scene of an action') the* i ? sumrn0n a ircraft and reserves to the
from Egypt to supervisp o Purbber R. Signals detachments
exchanges and line mairvf-P^ Stifj - en the civilian staff in the telephone
Brigade Signal Sections na ™: e san S s > and tb e improvisation of skeleton
a continual flow of pack seK SarAe tijIie the R *A.F., by keeping up
ever-increasing garrison vii + h d aperators ^ succeeded in providing^
important points. ^ 1 WirePess communication between all