FAR EAST FOREIGN LEGION

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 December 1936, Page 12

FAR EAST FOREIGN LEGION

"TRIANGLE OF TERROR.” I have just visited the Jordan Valley and the western portion of transJordan. where, by the courtesy of Lt.Col. J. I. Chrystall, of the 13/iBth Royal Hussars, I have seen some of the work of. the Trans-Jordan Frontier Force, which is under his command (writes the. Jerusalem correspondent of the London “Daily Telegraph.’ ) The Force is a veritable Foreign Legion of the Near East, since, in addition to Britons, Austrians and Germans, it includes Armenians, Circassians, Chechans, Druses, Hedjazis, Jews, Kurds, Russians, Serbians, Sudanis and Syrians.

To illustrate the spirit which animates this force despite the diversity of nationality and religion it is only necessary to say that the men remained unaffected throughout the recent troubles. The Reservists, some from such affected areas as Nablus, responded without demur when the call came. Consisting of some 1,000 men under 25 British and 28 Arab officers,' the Force makes up for its smallness by its extraordinary efficiency and mobility. The Force is organised into three squadrons of cavalry and two companies of mechanised infantry, armed with Hotchkiss or Vickers gutis, and supported by the Air Force which can be on the spot within half an hour of a call.

Each unit is trained to turn out within 15 minutes of an alarm and'is equipped to remain for at least three days away from its station. Normally the duty of the Force is,to maintain order in the Jordan Valley and to prevent incursions from TransJordan to Palestine or from the neighbouring Arab countries to Trans- Jordan.

For this purpose strategic posts are occupied in the Jordan Valley between Metulla and the Dead Sea and in the Trans-Jordan interior, all points, be it noted, where the Romans had posts during their occupation of the country. . ’ Since the outbreak of the trouble, however, the Force has been called oij to concentrate to a greater extent in the Jordan Valley to control the eastern border of Palestine rather than the eastern frontiers of Trans-Jordan. The valley where it operates includes sevr eral wadis—dry rivers which run only during the rainy season —coming, from Syria and Trans-Jordan, linking the other side of the Jordan, which jn parts is easily swum, with other wadis leading directly to the eastern hills of the “Triangle of Terror.” ,

PEACE-TIME SMUGGLING. These wadis are regularly used for illegal immigration and smuggling in peace time and. have offered admirable channels for the passage of reinforcements and munitions from Syria and Trans-Jordan to Palestine. The special mission of the Frontier Force was to prevent this. It was a most exacting task, for only 500 men could be spared for the job. Yet by dint of incessant patrolling, in the course of which the patrols had many skirmishes with intruders, they provided a strong deterrent to attempts to cross over. Some managed to pass, but by its devotion to duty, untiring activity and close liaison with the French, who cooperated excellently on the Syrian border, and with the British troops south of the Dead Sea, the Trans-Jordan Frontier Force has admittedly been .the direct means of preventing the Palestine trouble acquiring a much more serious aspect. I accompanied a cavalry patrol toward the Syrian frontier, where foreign armed bands were reported. It was a revelation to see how skilfully the Arab troopers covered their flanks and how their sturdy ponies, laden with packs, guns and munitions, pick-

ed their way up and down the rockiest and steepest hills. We rode 25 miles in six hours over exceedingly rough ground. It was done with the minimum of fatigue for everyone and the maximum of precision, the whole force keping close touch all the way. Infantry would have taken treble the time and the operation would not have been so successful because there would have been casualties. There is no doubt whatever that in a country like North Palestine the utility of mechanical transport infantry is most limited and the use of mounted infantry with pack animals is the only practical method of covering the ground. I. next changed to a mechanised infantry patrol which travelled from Baisan down the Jordan Valley as fan as Jericho, through most forbidding country and in torrid heat. VALUE OF TRUCKS. The plans of the patrol were successfully carried out. The Jordan was forded in the cars and the patrol visited the pipe-line which passes Howkab Elhowa, the site of one of the Crusader forts, marking the Frontier force’s area. Incidentally the places where the pipeline is cut stand out for miles owing to the black patches caused by fires. At one place,, although the ,fire occurred a month ago, the earth was still smoking. The trucks covered the difficult ground admirably, helping one another when in trouble, and giving me a good impression of the utility of these mechanised patrols in the southern area. Next we went eastward, crossing the Jordan and the high mountains of Moab by the new road linking Es Salt with Nablus. This was the route taken by Fawzi Koukji, the Syrian leader of the Arab revolters, when with five cars laden with rifles and munitions he first went to Palestine. * One of the most remarkable features of the six months of strife was the quietness of Trans-Jordan despite its close links with Palestine.

While the Arab Legion, which is the Trans-Jordan police force, under the command of Peake Pasha, so well known in the Arab world as one of the late Col ? Lawrence’s most faithful companions, has maintained order within the country through this trying period, it has been undoubtedly due to the restraining influence of Emir Abdullah that the always restless tribes did not move.

The Emir, who from the beginning took an outstanding part in the peace negotiations, told me how delighted he was that the Arab strike had ended. . Both Palestine and Trans-Jordan, his country, he said, had suffered enormously owing to their close economic relations.

jhe Emir added that the Arabs still hal confidence in Britain, and looked to her through the Commission to redress their legitimate grievances regarding the interpretation of the mandate.

He himself was confident that a solution of the present difficulties would be found sooner on later.