File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎121v] (240/450)

Service in the Army .—
During peace : Nil.
During war: Damascus first. Transport Officer with Egyptian expedition.
Then A.D.C. to Place Commandant, Damascus, Junior Captain of a
company at Constantinople and Saros. Was sent from there te^-
Mesopotamia and to Kasr Sherin, Persia, with 4th Battalion. \\ as at*'
Kut-el-Amara for one week after fall as Provisioning Officer ; then went
to Kermanshah, Persia, with the whole of 13th Army Corps.
Joined the Eussians at Kermanshah on the 2nd August.
Name. —Ahmed.
Family name. —Shaykha.
Age. —24.
Father s name. —Mahmoud Shaykha.
Mothers family. —Bagdash, from Damascus.
Father’s business. —Mudir of Customs at Accu.
Where educated. —Accu.
Bank. —2nd Lieutenant.
Regiment. —4th Battalion, 1st Regiment, 2nd Division, 13th Corps.
Service in the Army .—
During peace : Two years in military college, two years in regular army.
During war: First in 25th Division, 75th Regiment, at Gaza. Then sent
to Dardanelles (Saros), where he was transferred to 2nd Division,
1st Regiment, 16th Brigade, 4th Battalion, Was two months at Saros;
then went to Mesopotamia and to Kasr Sherin, Persia. Was at Kut-
el-Amara for one week; then went to Kermanshah, Persia, with
13;h Army Corps.
Joined the Russians at Kermanshah on the 2nd August.
Junior-Captain Shukri Shurbaji’s Account of his Adventures from
February 1915 to September of the same year.
On the outbreak or the war I was at the Mditary College in Damascus, and was
called up as a cadet. In February 1915 I was made 2nd Lieutenant, and afterwards
promoted to Lieutenant. I remained about a year in Damascus as Instructor first, and
then was made A.D.C. to Place Commandant and Military Police Officer. On the
opening of hostilities the Turkish authorities ordered that great demonstrations should
be held. I he majority of the population, however, did not want war, it was still feeling
the disastrous effect from the Tripoli and Balkan wars. The authorities tried to raise the
spirits of the people by the promise of swift victories and the conquest of Egypt. Besides
they spread news of great German victories over the Allies. Apart from some ignorant
people and those who were under the influence of the Unionists, the population was not
deceived oy bombastic promises. The Arab Committee, to which 1 belong, increased its
activities, foreseeing the downfall of Turkey, and the emancipation of the Arabs from
Imkish misiule, with the assistance of England and franco. While at Damascus 1 was
sent to Iben in the Sinai Desert, to accompany 500 soldiers recruited to do railway and
load woik. One halt oi this company deserted on the road to Iben, and I was informed
afterwards that the other half deserted after the failure of the expedition to the Canal.
Iiom Iben I returned to Damascus. At that tune Jemal Pasiia showed great con-
si dei a Mon foi the Arabs, anti never betrayed his antagonism. He sought the friendship
of Arab notables, and extended hospitality to them. Jemal’s outward benevolence
towards tne Arabs lasted uncil the failure of the Dardanelles Expedition, then he
unmasked, and began his rule of terror with wholesale hangings and deportations.
About tne middle of June 1.915 I received the order to go to Constantinople with
mneteen other young Arab officers, all like myself belonging to the Arab Committee.
Ihe l aikish authorities^ began to get alarmed at the spreading of the Arab movement,
md to undermine it by dispersing the Arab officers. Being in no hurry to arrive
at Constantinople we travelled leisurely, and spent about a month on the way. We
vveiw by train from Damascus to Aleppo and Rajun. From Rajun to Osmanieh by
carriage, train to Tarsus, carriage to Bozanti, and train to Haidar Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . At that