'Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine 1936' [‎78v] (161/294)

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areas prior to a ground reconnaissance found it the greatest he]p
in subsequent operations*
The best results were obtained from reconnaissance when the pilot
had been given details by the military commander as to the exact area
to be searched, what he was required to look for, and me location and
strength of co-operating troops.
Air escorts
Aircraft were widely used to escort M*T. convoys and, less frequently^
trains. So effective did they prove in this duty that convoying on
one road, that from Jerusalem to Jericho, was protected by single air
craft alone. Here traffic consisted chiefly of Jewish lorries from the
Potash Works at the North end of the Dead Sea, accompanied only by a
small infantry guard. The use of an air escort on this route not only
effected an important economy in troops but also enabled casualties to be
inflicted on several occasions, one of which has already been described.
On the v/hole however the use of aircraft for escorting purposes
could only be justified in special cases. It was not usually
economical, and moreover had the disadvantage of discouraging the
enemy from showing himself and thereby of losing opportunities of
bringing him to action. He soon learnt that an ambush which might enable
him to attack a convoy in comparative safety was vulnerable to attack
from the air as soon as his position was disclosed. As a result a
convoy escorted by alow- or medium-height aircraft was seldom attacked,
and in fact in the later stages the provision of an air escort
practically guaranteed immunity from any small scale attack. A high
flying escort on the other hand offered more chance of surprise and
enabled one aircraft to watch a number of roads simultaneously. This
was the form of protection adopted with success during the one hour each
day when the three biggest civilian convoys and their escorts all met
at a cross-roads north of Nablus, and where there sorted out and
marshalled for the second stage of the journey.
The general deductions therefore regarding air escorts are that
they are only justified in cases where it is specifically desired to
avoid any attack, and that escorting troops with a Rodex are a more
suitable form of protection if a secondary object is to strike at the
enemy in addition to ensuring safe conduct of the convoy. Where air
craft are used solely to economise in troops, and the intention is
still to oring the enemy to action, then a high-flying aircraft is
the better form of escort.
The use of aircraf t for intercommunication and supply of troops
One Communication Flight was stationed at Ramleh throughout the
rebellion and was employed extensively in transporting military com
manders and staff officers and in carrying urgent orders, air photographs
e 7 ; yin S detachments. Since movement by both road and rail
wao ia 6 0 frequent interruption and in any case was only possible
T+ de L^? G ^ rt and certain h °urs, air transport was used a great deal.
. L. ^ rea Goi P nia ^ders to be assembled suddenly for a conference
^\* UXGk l J t0 their 0wn hGa dquarters: it enabled staff
to nlnr- fin reinfor cements as they crossed the frontier in order
preparations for J ass ? ssion of ’ the latest information and make suitable
trSspor^dL mono ff J0U;me;> lu tnr0Ush hostilG areas; and in fact air
and staff offioor f ^ an ^^ lri S else to make it possible for commanders
scattered M With widely