'Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine 1936' [‎50r] (104/294)

44816-1
75
As a rule if a stranded vehicle could ho towed or quickly repaired the k
whole column would wait lor it, otherwise it was necessai'y to leave
a strong protective detachment to take up a defensive position near
the vehicle until recovery could he effected. With civilian convoys
the abandonment of a vehicle meant that it would at least he looted
and prooahly burnt, hut even so it was extraordinary how lightheartedly
the local driver v/ould sometimes set out with insufficient petrol or
glaring mechanical defects. Strongly worded public warnings, ruthless
elimination of doubtful vehicles at the start, and occasional abandon
ment in particularly bad cases helped to reduce but never entirely to
remove this nuisance.
Night Movement
Normally the leading vehicle in every column had to bum headlights
in order to detect road-blocks and mines, the remaining vehicles travell
ing with side-lights only. On special occasions the bright moonlight
or even starlight of the Palestine summer was sufficient to enable columns
to move slowly v/ithout any lights, but too often the noise dispelled
secrecy just as much as the lights. In this respect the Fords were
at a definite advantage.
ANIMAL TRANSPORT
The types available
The two original infantry battalions had horse transport, but owing
to the distances involved and the speed of movement this was never used
outside local barrack duties. The T.J.F.F. cavalry had pack horses for
their Hotchkiss gun troops and two per half squadron for officers' kits
and rations, but otherwise no horse transport was used during the
rebellion. Camels were readily available and were equal to 2vj mules
or donkeys each in carrying capacity: on the other hand they were slow
and conspicuous, and were little used for military purposes. Further
more in wet weather they are of little use, as experiences in Palestine
in the G-reat TZar amply proved. Mules were available in small quantities,
but had few advantages over the local donkey, which was in universal
civilian use and which could be more easily transported by h.T.
The donkey therefore became more or less supreme for pack transport
and proved to be a great asset. When carried in L.T., donkeys enabled
columns to move v 'apidly to the selected areas, leave the roads lor the
tracks, and operate for some 48 hours away from their vehicles. ino
Palestinian donkeys varied enormously in size but were up to a comfort
able load of 100-150 lbs and took readily to their lorries after a
little practice. They were available locally in large quantites, out
were mostly in Arab hands and a good deal of intimidation and^delibera e
obstruction had to be overcome to secure the better types. ^ ihe aveiage
rate of advance of small .columns with donkeys in difficult hill country
was about 2 kilometres per hour by day and half that oy night.
Scale of pack donkeys
Some figures regarding the numbers of donkeys employed are given
in Appendix VIII. The minimum requirements were sufficient to carry
Mortars, one refill per water-bottle, ammunition and the machine—guns,
though the introduction of the Bren gun may enable tho latter to be
eliminated in future. It was found to be quite essential or uu.mos
to hold this minimum number on their permanent estrblishnun s, anci is
was necessary not only for obvious purposes of training u a '■
avoid the inevitable loss of secrecy which always attende an N a -'-mp
to hire donkeys for some particular operation.