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Majesty’s Government took a prominent part in Saudi aviation it might encourage
the Italians to emhark upon an adventure in the Yemen, as the only place on the
Arabian coast of the Red Sea where His Majesty’s Government had not already a
footing, and asked whether a modest scheme run by “ neutrals ” might not s
the situation best, though he realised that neutrals would work on a cash basis,
whereas Ibn Saud evidently w T anted help in a form which would relieve him
wholly or partly of the expense. Finally he urged that we should show that we
were not being obstructive by doing our best to satisfy the Saudi request for arms
(see paragraph 110).
200. The Air Ministry went into the cost of the Saudi scheme very
carefully. It was found to be large. A military aeroplane, for instance, would
cost at least £5,000 or £6,000, besides spares, &c., wdiieh would add more
than £1,000 to the cost of each. An air mission, which they thought should
be undertaken not officially, but by a reputable air training company or aircraft
manufacturing company, would cost £6,000 a year or more. They feared that the
high cost of maintenance had perhaps been overlooked by the Saudi Government,
and that any efficiency in air matters attained during the presence of an air
mission would deteriorate rapidly when the mission left. They therefore
suggested further discussion between the Foreign Office and the Air Ministry, and
after an exhaustive examination in May by representatives of the two depart
ments
“ It was finally agreed that the Foreign Office should inform the Saudi
Ministers now in England that we reluctantly were unable to find any
practicable method of assisting them in their desire to establish an air force,
pointing out the difficulties which were inseparable from such an undertaking,
but offering to give further consideration to any constructive suggestions
which they might wish to put forward.”
The situation was explained to Sheikh Yusuf Yasin and the Saudi Minister,
who, although disappointed, appeared to accept the position and did not contest
the arguments. They asked, however, that some scheme, however modest, should
be worked out for an embryonic organisation for the training of mechanics and
the eventual establishment of a few mechanical workshops.
201. When Sir R. Bullard was in Riyadh in July Ibn Saud referred to the
establishment of a Saudi air force as very urgent, and explained that the purpose
for which the aeroplanes were wanted was the maintenance of internal order.
He added that he wanted to get rid of the Italians and could not think how to do
this except by replacing them by a British mission. To a question about “ White ”
Russians he replied that M. Naidyonoff was a good pilot but a poor instructor.
This may be true, but having been furnished with inferior human material he
has had a difficult task. It did not appear from the conversation that Ibn Saud
had any understanding of the conditions which the maintenance of an air force
and its personnel involves.
202. When passing through Egypt on his way to Saudi Arabia in
September, Sheikh Hafiz Wahba put up another scheme, in conversation with the
oriental secretary to His Majesty’s Embassy. He said he was going to ask for
three British pilots and one engineer who would have complete control of the
Saudi machines. After some discussion he urged that at least one British air
officer should be sent to Jedda to see what could be done. Nothing came of these
projects, but a scheme based on the suggestions which the Air Ministry had made
in January was eventually put before the Saudi Minister in London, and accepted
by his Government. The Air Ministry were prepared, as a first step, to receive
up to a dozen suitably selected young men to undergo a preliminary course of
twelve months’ training in motor and aircraft mechanical work in the Mechanical
1 ransport Repair Section of the Royal Air Force depot at Aboukir in Egypt.
They would forgo in the case of Saudi candidates the normal charge of' £1
a day required of foreign students, though the Saudis would have to provide
their own accommodation and living expenses. The provision of advanced
training for pupils who showed promise in this first stage would be considered
later. In addition it might be possible to arrange for a small number of suitable
candidates (not more than six at a time) to undergo a course of training as
pilots at the civil Hying school run by Misr-Airwork in Cairo, though in this