"تقارير إدارة أقسام ومناطق الأراضي المحتلة في بلاد الرافدين لسنة ١٩١٨. المجلد I" [ظ‎‎١‎٩‎٦] (٤٧٠/٣٩٧)

n
374
Serial Number.
Name of Post.
Strength.
Tribal Territory.
Hammar.
11
Al Isma‘il
5
Al Ismahl.
12
Military Camp
10
Al Ismahl.
13
Albu Shamah
10
Albu Shamah.
14
Albu ‘Ayish -
10
Albu ‘Ayish.
15
Dredgers
10
Between Mazliq and Bani Sa‘id.
16
Albu Salih
10
Albu Salih.
The distribution of the company at Headquarters is as follows :—
At each of the five gates 5 men - - - - = 25
Headquarters (Sarai) - - - - - = 100
125
It has been found necessary to help Shaikhs of tribes in collecting revenue by
the aid of Shabanahs. These are sent out from the force available at headquarters.
The headquarters contingent is one of the Assistant Political Officer’s most valuable
assets. It is a striking force, ready to deal with any emergency.
Shabanahs are enlisted for a period of six months.
Number of Shabanahs discharged since May - - - 40
Number of deaths (influenza cases) - - - - 7
Number of desertions since May - - - - 10
(Date of last desertion, 15th September 1918).
Sergeant A. Attwell was appointed as instructor to the Suq Shabanah force,
and took up his duties on the 20th April 1918. I cannot speak too highly of this
instructor’s work. It is due to his perseverance that the force has attained its
present standard of efficiency. The task of training a wild marshman to become
a good Shabanah is one that would wear out the patience of many a drill instructor.
In 1918 considerable difficulty was experienced in obtaining clothing from
Ordnance. The 1919 clothing and stores has now been received, and the men have
taken quite readily to breeches and puttees. All the force has now been fitted
out with clothing. The arrival of these stores has done more than anything else
to popularise the force. Apart from the natural benefits to the men in the way of
warm underclothing, the force is smartened up out of all recognition, as it was
never possible to obtain any semblance of smartness as long as the long khaki
“ dugla ” and sandals were worn.
Another British other rank, Private. Jones, has been sent to act as instructor,
as Sergeant Attwell will, it is expected, shortly be demobilised.
The Arab officers are recruited from the tribes, with the exception of the last-
named shown hereunder :—
“ A ” Company Commander - Muzaihl ibn Jabr of A1 Rahamah tribe.
Mulazim - - - Mizhir ibn Qasid son of Shaikh Qasid al
Nahi, Shaikh of Hachcham.
“ B ” Company Commander - Dulaiyif ibn Khaz‘al (Al Hasan).
Mulazim - - - Hamid ibn ‘Ali, Suq.
The officers’ dress consists of tunic, breeches, field boots, and Sam Browne
belt.
Up to recently the Suq Shabanah force was armed with the Mauser rifle. Lee-
Enfield rifles have now been provided, and 40 rounds per man are carried.
Finally, all efforts to get the men to sign on for a longer period have failed.
The result is, therefore, that the force is constantly full of newly-joined men. This
system has one good point: it puts a stop to desertions. As regards the leave
question, the system adopted from the start—of granting four days’ leave in each
month—-is still in vogue.
Suc[ Sowars. Thamir Beg al >Sa‘dun continues to maintain 30 horsemen on
a monthly subsidy of Rs. 500/-.
Their heauquarters is at lmm al Battush, and their duty consists in policing
the Shamiyah district.