File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎109r] (215/450)

from the Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. . In this he said that he inclined even more strongly to his expressed
views on hearing of the despatch of French troops from Algiers [see below] ; it would
surely, he said^ be advantageous for British troops to be installed at Ttabegh. He did
not s are t le mew; that the landing of British troops at JRabegh would be resented by any
ut a jew paid 1 urhish agents, whose opposition would disappear when they saw we
imeant business.
n 0ctober ^' ir McMahon transmitted [No. 889] a telegram from
Colonel Wilson saying that he had received a telegram from the Sherif saying that the
Arabs wished to advance on Medina, and that therefore he [the Sherif] requested that
troops should be sent to Rabegh at once. Colonel YV ilson then had a long telephone
conversation with the Sherif and Abdulla. They asked :
1. That Moslem troops should be sent to Rabegh at once by us.
2. That sufficient British troops should be ready to reach Rabegh four days after
being asked for by the Sherif or Ali.
3. That if the expected French Moslem troops were sufficient for protecting Rabegh*
they should be sent in preference to British troops.
Colonel Wilson suggested that if troops mentioned were available they should be
sent to hold Rabegh now : if not, that a British brigade should be held in readiness.
Sir H. McMahon telegraphed on the 13th October [No. 890] that the Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. had
informed him that this telegram of Colonel Wilson’s had strengthened his previously-
expressed opinions.
. Finally, on the I4th October, Sir H. McMahon No. 886] telegraphed that he had
communicated his views to the Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. :—
1. That it was vitally important not to land European troops in Hejaz until
absolute necessity demanded it. It was for this reason, he said, that they
had not already sent the sanctioned flight of aeroplanes.
2. Recent reports showing safe completion of pilgrimage, the check of the Turkish
advance on Medina, and the damage of the Hejez railway all indicated a
great diminution rather than an increase of necessity for immediate despatch
of troops.
3. Notwithstanding the willingness of the Sherif and his sons to see European
troops at Rabegh., the recent attitude of local Arabs towards the landing of
British officers to examine the camping grounds of our force had not been
cordial.
Sir H. McMahon was therefore of opinion that the despatch even of aeroplanes and
their escort was not advisable until some more pressing need arose. The aeroplanes and
a brigade should be kept in readiness for embarkation. The immediate need was the
provision of Q.-F. batteries; if the French Government could be made to supply
these without any European, and with a minimum of Moslem personnel, developments
could be awaited before taking further action.
The Sherif s Operations.
On the 11th October the Resident at Aden telegraphed [216 A.P.] that the
“Minto” had reported that Comfida had been reoccupied on the 10th October by
120 of Nasir’s troops; that 400 Turks were 5 miles away; and that strong reinforce
ments and provisions were urgently required.
On the 12th October Sir IT. McMahon [No. 883] forwarded a report of Colonel
Parker’s dated the 9th October (received through Colonel Wilson), to the effect that
Faisal [in text Zysal] had retaken Bir Abbas and the Safr deffie after twelve hours’
fiohting, the Turks retiring on Bir-el-Rabba, near Bir-Masai. Faisal took some
prisoners ; his loss was twenty killed.
On the same date Sir H. McMahon also telegraphed [No. 882] that H.M.S.
“ Dufferin ” had informed him that Shaykh Assaf had reported that he had destroyed
the rail near Buweit for about 2 miles, and for a distance of forty-eight telegraph posts
near Qhazail; also that he had blown up twenty-four of the standards of the Malal
bridge and damaged the remaining eight. Assaf asked for more gelinite and red
fuses.
French Troops for the Sherif.
Sir H. McMahon telegraphed on the 13th October [No. 887] that Colonel Wilson
had telegraphed on the previous day that Abdullah Bey had that morning informed
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