File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎12r] (21/450)

of ^noivtn 8 ' This I ’ 11 hara - SS th , e Hnes of comml,n ication to Medina, and open lines
the X P "ern tXs" W Pr r 1 Y 0 n l fr0m Weih Ple ! ,uff ’ and hasten th « co-opendion of
r?, * ri, I es - Wad .y Yenbo appears to be still clear of the Turks.
. , , Ara b Bureau telegraphed again on the 9th January [A.B. 5661 that there
A Brigade for Rabegh.
ft ‘ U \ ir ! l%yptelegraphed to C.I.G.S. that the King had agreed to
convnopd h* f ?t be § h ’ Sa ^ m ^ that ’ as the Hi g h Commissioner had
.onymced him ot the utility of landing a force by saying that be saw that there were
unless +h h'T 6 k ! ng tha * the Tu,ka mi S ht be successful in their advance
...Hess the Arab force operating in the interior had a base from which they could
operate to cut the lurkish communications, and to which they might retire in case of
need. Consequently he begged that the High Commissioner might be immediately
mloimed that he approved the landing of a force for the purpose stated, not only at
Kabegh but also at \ ambo. . ^
Sir It. W ingate telegraphed on the 6 th January [No. 15] that :—
(a.) He had received a formal application from the King for a British brigade to
be landed at Rabegh.
( 6 .) He had accordingly arranged with the G.O.C.-in-C. that a brigade should be
’ despatched from Suez as soon as possible.
(c.) The brigade would be commanded by Brigadier-General Mudge, who would he
given the status of a divisional general, and be in command of all foreiom
units operating in Hejaz.
(d.) Colonel Wilson retained his position, and with his staff would act as political
advisers and intelligence officers.
(e.) The King had been made to understand that he was responsible for the
security of the British contingent from local interference ; and he had been
asked to notify the general line he would take in explaining the nresence of
Christian troops in Hejaz.
(/•) The King had been asked to notify his sons that a vigorous offensive against
Turkish communications with Medina would now be looked for.
(g.) He was in communication with Colonel Bremond in regard to the transport of
French contingents.
( '
\
In reply to this the Foreign Office telegraphed on the 8 th January [No. 19] that
the Cabinet had decided that the brigade should not be sent unless and until the King
of Hejuz had ( 1 ) in writing made a request for its despatch, and accepted full responsibility
lor the presence of] Christian troops in Hejaz; and ( 2 ) had prepared for issue to the
Moslem world a suitable proclamation explaining why Christian troops had been landed,
which proclamation must, before issue, be submitted to His Majesty’s Government.
This crossed a telegram [No. 22 ] from Sir B. Wingate, saying that Colonel Wilson
had already been instructed that before the landing of Christian troops in Hejaz could
be sanctioned the King must, in writing : (T) confirm the application he had made in a
cipher telegram, and ( 2 ) give assurances in regard to the reception, by the Arab
commanders and tribesmen, of Christian troops. Also that in the course of the
negotiations, the following points had been made clear to the King :—
1 . The despatch of a British brigade had been recommended as the only thing
which could obstruct a Turkish advance on Mecca ; but it would only be
sent with his formal sanction.
2 . It would be withdrawn if local Arabs showed any sign of hostility or
interference ; and in any case if the menace of a Turkish advance was
removed.
3. The brigade would be immobile.
Sir R. Wingate said that he considered the assurances he had required from the
King to be sufficient; he fully appreciated the political objections to the despatch of
Christian troops, but he considered those objections, in comparison with the risks
involved in a collapse of the Arab revolt, to be of secondary importance.
[898—26]
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