File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎94r] (185/450)

Most of the Anazeh Shaykhs remained waiting a long time near the railway, and
Faisal continued to send them messages that arms would surely come next week, &c.,
until at last the tribes and others began telling him : ‘‘You promise arms and food and
none come ” ; the result being that they have now all dispersed.
■'> He hoped Great Britain would help quickly and to the utmost limit, and he blamed
ohe Sherif for not realising the seriousness of the situation, even at the beginning of
the revolt.
Early in July he was only a few miles from Medina, and saw the Turkish
reinforcements arriving. He and Ali consulted together as to whether they would
remain where they were or retire, since the Turks were beginning to come out of
Medina; they decided to remain, hoping that arms and guns would be sent before the
Turks really attacked.
At this time they had three camps of 10,000 Arabs each, but not one camp had
2,000 good rifles.
About the middle of July the Turks began to attack, and heavy fighting occurred
for most of the day until the Arabs had no ammunition left.
Ali then ordered a retirement to Ghadir Rageh (about 14 miles south of Medina).
Soon afterwards 500 Japanese rifles arrived, which they could not use, as the
ammunition sometimes did not fit, and many were broken.
Faisal thinks Shaykh Hussein, of Babegh, did this.
Ali ordered Faisal to go northwards, as otherwise the Arabs might leave him; he
went to the Sultani Boad and the Beni Salim joined him there ; Ali remained in the
Beni Maoruh country.
Their retreat was solely due to want of arms, and they began to think that the
British Government and the Sherif had forgotten all about the Medina operations.
Early in August Faisal received 2,500 English rifles, which they like very much.
He was hoping for more but none have come, and his Arabs have begun to lose heart.
About this time the Turks proclaimed Haidar Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. as Emir and Grand Sherif of
Mecca, and during the last month gold has been lavished right and left among the
tribes. Up to the 21st August there has been continual fighting since the end of July,
Faisal gradually retiring every now and then, by which means he increases the length
of the Turkish line of communication with Medina.
The force opposite him consists, he is certain, of three allai (about 9,000 men), with
an independent Tabour, an allai of camelry (about 700 men), and cavalry (500);
roughly about 1,200. About 6,000 against Ali Bey and 6,000 in Medina and in lines
of communication. (By careful cross-examination, these figures may be checked fairly
accurately by questioning the Turkish Yusbashi who left in H.M.S. “ Scotia” yesterday
for Suez with seven privates.)
Faisal has been gradually recreating along the Sultani Boad, and his main head
quarters are now at Khaif, which commands the road at Bir Abbas, the nearest gorge
in the mountains, after which the road opens out down to the sea coast.
It is now impossible for him to push the Turks back, and if the latter make a
really strong and sustained attack he states they will succeed in breaking through, in
which case he fears most of his Arabs will disperse, but in this event he himself,
with all who remain with him will keep harrying the Turkish rear and lines of
communication.
As Ali found that the force opposite him at Hafer was acting on the defensive, he
decided to make a bold sweeping movement, to try and get between Medina and the
Turks who are against Faisal.
Ali left Hafer on the 26th August, and it will take him at least ten days to get
round.
Faisal lays great stress upon having some trained troops with him, or even at
Yambo or Babegh, which would enable him to try and take the offensive and enor
mously encourage the Arabs, many of whom do not yet believe that Great Britain is
really backing the Sherif. These Arabs say that Great Britain is stronger than
Germany, and ask why she does not help. Faisal asked that Great Britain should do
for the Arabs one-tenth of what the Germans are doing for the Turks. I asked Faisal
if he would like the Arab capital, army, and country to be under the British
Government, as the Turkish Empire is now under Germany. To this, of course, he
replied “ No.” i i ii a u
I asked him if he knew of all the British Government had done to help the Arabs.
He replied expressing his ignorance. _
I then proceeded to tell him that trained men for blowing up the railway had been
sent to Port Sudan, but were stopped from coming across by the Sherif: that dynamite