File 3665/1924 Pt 3 ‘Arabia:- Situation 1924. Wahabi attack on Trans-Jordania; Hedjaz - Trans-Jordanian Boundary.’ [‎205r] (287/340)

-w.
17th the Chief Minister told me it was said that a party of 7
standards of Wahabis had attacked the Jebel Druz. I asked
Capitaine Huguenet if this were true and was informed by him
that "il n’avait pas des renseignements M . During the afternoon
of the 17th Group Captain MacEwen informed me fcirat he had been
requested by the French to reconno itre northwards from Azrak
to the Jebel Druz. He replied that a reconnaissance that morning
northwards had reported all clear and informed the French that
the officer with the cars near Amari had heard a large camel
party moving rapidly south.
An attack of the magnitude of that which has just
been repulsed could not have been carried out without the
knowledge of Ibn Saud and I trust that such measures as may be
possible may be taken by His Majesty’s Government for his punish
ment •
In my absence Mr. A.L. Kirkbride had the responsibility
of calling out the R.A.F. and of deciding whether they should
attack the mass of camel men. I consider that he rose to the
occasion most admirably. Group Captain MacEwen has failed to
mention in his report that Mr. Kirkbride was in Squadron Leader
D 1 Albiac *6 machine when that of Flight Lieut. Wallage’s was
forced to land near Amari Wells and voluntarily remained with
Flight Lieutenant Wallage till the following morning, when the
armoured cars had arrived, in the belief that his knowledge of
Arabic would be of use.
I am of opinion that this raid proves that a good deal
is lacking in the present system of obtaining information of
such raiding parties and have commended the consideration ol this
problem to the serious attention of the O.C., Arab Legion in
consultation with Group Captain MacEwen. It appears to me that
a number of Bedouin scouts should be enlisted and controlled,
either at the expense of the tribes themselves or at that of the
(Sgd) C .H.F.COX,
Chief British Representative .
Government.