"تقرير استخباراتي للجزيرة العربية" [ظ‎‎١‎٨] (٥٢/٣٦)

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(&) Telephone a t i ^
A telephone exchange serves Jedda and links it with MECCA and TAIK
(c) WjT
M/F and H/F transmitters are in use [see Section IV).
(12) Defences .
(«) There are no fixed guns or other defences of any desertion, ^e re^ garr^on
normally consists of 40 men, including the police, who are armed , but it is sometimes raised
to 200 during the presence of the King.
[h] -The narrow reef passages could be quickly and economically closed by mints or nets.
(c\ The town is extremely vulnerable to gunfire by reason of its dense concentration
and tt tLsy construction of the buildings. Owing to the large use ot wood, fires would
spread rapidly.,
(13) Reconnaissance. Chart No. 8c.
la) Owing to the maze of off-shore reefs in the Bay of JEDDA, the approach of a hostile
force would have' to be carried out in daylight and even if this could be accepted, the passage
of boats ashore would be a long one. and would of necessity follow the few surveyed channels
with a consequent complete loss of surprise.
(b) It therefore follows that any surprise landing must be carried out outside the confines
of the Bay, and for this purpose the coastline to the north possesses the following advantages .
(i) It is closer to the town, which lies towards the northern end of the Bay.
(ii) It is free from the navigational dangers which t o the southward stretch from t le
vicinity of IRK -EI,-GHORAB reef to the KATAH KIDAN reef.
(c) Northern Coastline.—-Frcim approximately I mile north of RAS G AHAZ, as far as
SHERM UBHUR la distance of 10 miles) the coastline consists ol low coral cliffs a g
with sandy beaches. At a distance of 150-200 yards there is a continuous coral leef, the
depth of water in-shore of it being not more than 3 ft.
The reef itself is covered and breaks, though it is possible that lightly loaded boats conld
pass over it Should this be impracticable, armed men could land on the reef and wad( ashou ,
provided that strong winds did not make the grounding of boats on the reef a hazardous
proceeding. Light stores could be similarly handled. Alternatively boats of heavy draught
can enter SHERM UBHUR (distant 15 miles from JEDDA), thus obtaining shelter, but it
would probably be difficult to land troops dr^ shod.
The rise and fall of the tide is about 2 ft.
(d) The outstanding disadvantage of the northern coastline for a landing lies in the great
d-pth of water off-shore, the few soundings available showing depths of /0 ^thGrns, no
bottom " Unless it were possible for troop-carrying vessels to remain under weigh whil it
disembarkation was in progress, they would therefore be obliged to anchor m the poorly
"d arel at the southern end of the EI.fZA Shoals-a distance of some 10 miles from the
coastline.
This disadvantage also applies to the coast to the south of the town, though here a
possible anchorage in shoal waters could be found somewhat closer in-shore.
The approach to either of these shoals areas would require to be made during daylight
except in the improbable event of considerable survey work and in the erection of navigational
aids being possible in advance.
(e) The Plain. The plain in-shore of the beaches rises within a hundred yards to a height
oi above 15 ft., and is generally gently undulating. The surface is iirm in most places except
at the head of RUBA T'ASHARA. where to a distance of a mile the infiltration of the sea
sometimes renders the ground sufficiently soft to prevent the passage of untracked motor
vehicles.
(/) The plain is covered with patches of low thorn bush and scrub, but only in rare places
are these sufficiently thick to impede marching or motor traffic
At these points good cover would be available for riflemen and machine guns.
(£) Water and Fuel Supplies.—There are no signs of water on the plain. The dry scrub
could be used for fuel.
[h) Landing grounds for aircraft could be quickly arranged, and in an emergency aircraft
would have no difficulty in landing anywhere in the area.
It) The plain and beaches to the southward of the town were not visited, but it is
understood that the characteristics are the same as those described above.