'Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine 1936' [‎20v] (45/294)

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of the Emergency Force started to move into Palestine, and a base v/as
prepared at Haifa under the direction of the b-.ChG., British iroops in
Egypt. Between the 9 th and 15th the 17th Field Coy. R.-S. vin relief of
the 2nd Coy.), the 9th Field Coy., and the 7th Field Hygiene Section
arrived in Palestine, followed a few days later by a company and a half
of the 2nd Bn. the Royal Berkshire Regiment, which vrere c-o act as Base
troops, the No. 5 and 49 Ccys. R.A.S.C. and the 4th Field Ambulance.
16th - 22nd September
% the 18th September General Dill had become thoroughly convinced
that the earliest possible declaration of martial lav/ throughout the
whole of Palestine was unquestionably demanded. To ensure that its
full effect should be felt from the start, it was hov/ever decided to post
pone the declaration until all civil and military preparations had been
completed. The latter included the deployment of the bulk of the
Emergency Force, and set the earliest date at the 4th October.
The week following General Dill’s arrival was on the whole a quiet
one. On the 16 th there was a clash near Safad between troops and an Aral
band, and on the 22 nd there was a heavier attack on a detachment of the
York and Lancaster Regiment in the same area: on both occasions casual
ties were inflicted on the rebels, v/hile in the latter action a Lance-
Corporal was killed.
On the 22 nd two 4 . 5 -in. howitzer batteries of the 20th Field Brigade
R.A. arrived from Egypt. One battery went to Nablus while the other
remained in HQ reserve in Jerusalem: a third battery had already been
sent up in July to relieve R.H.A. crews on the railv/ay trolleys. The
45th Field Battery at Nablus was in action very soon after arrival,
actually firing from its gun-park in the town. On the 22 nd also the
3 rd Cruiser Squadron, which had rendered such excellent assistance ashore
in the past two months, left Haifa where its duties were taken over by
the battleship ’’ Valiant ”.
23rd September - 4th October
Before the end of the month the Royal Air Force was reinforced by
No. 208 (A.C. ) Squadron from Egypt; while the 2/3 Cavalry Field Ambulanc:
and the 3rd Motor Ambulance Convoy also moved up into Palestine. Mean
while the greater part of the Emergency Force from England landed at the
port of Haifa and moved safely to its allotted stations. Its composition
is given in detail in Appendix I: briefly it comprised a Corps HQ and
certain Corps Troops, the 1 st Division less its artillery, and the HQ
and divisional troops - less artillery - of the 5th Division. Two
Brigade Headquarters and five battalions of the 5th Division were already
in Palestine, while the third Brigade - 14th Inf. Bde, - remained in
England.
The Cunard-White Star liner ’’ Laurenti c” was the first to berth on
the 23rd with 1400 officers and men of the Corps and two Divisional
Headquarters. She was followed next day by the troopship ’’ Dorsetshire
with part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade and R.E. units, and on the 25th ty
the "Naldera" and ’’ Nevasa” with the Headquarters of the 1 st Guards Briga*
and Battalions of the 2 nd and 3rd Brigades. The ’’ Neuralia ” on the 28th
brought the remainder of the 2 nd Brigade, and the ’’ Van Dy ck” and
” California ” the vanguard of the 1st Brigade on the 30th September and
1 st October. There was then an interval until the 12th October, when
the ’’Laurentic'' on her return voyage arrived with the Coldstream Guards
and the Buffs, together with units of the R.A.S.C. and R.A.M.C., which
completed the Force. With the exception of this last ship-load the whol ;
Force had deployed to action stations in Palestine by the 2nd October -
just inside one month from the recall from manoeuvres in Sussex.