'Papers relating to transfer of Middle Eastern Affairs to the Colonial Office and creation of a new Department there, 1920-1921, with Cabinet notes of Milner, Montague, Churchill, self, and others' [‎14r] (27/136)

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This document is the property of His Britannic Majesty s Government.
SECKET.
THE CABINET.
OLICY REGARDING GARRISONS OF EGYPT AND
PALESTINE, AND MESOPOTAMIA AND PERSIA.
NOTE BY THE GENERAL STAFF.
1. The General Staff desire to bring forward for consideration the situation in .
which the Army is placed at the present time owing to the conflicting claims of policy
and economy. There is a real danger that our policy will outrun our military resources,
and this applies more particularly to the two areas Egypt and Palestine, and
Mesopotamia and Persia
2. As regards Egypt and Palestine, Lord Milner, in consultation with Lord
Allenby, made certain proposals for a reduction in the garrison, based on the essential
condition that the frontiers of Palestine were not extended. By the terms of the
mandate, however, we have been made responsible for Banias and Kuneitra, which are
considerably beyond the areas hitherto policed by our troops. In addition, the recent
pro-Zionist declaration is likely to increase our difficulties with the Arabs, and there are
already indications that military action may be necessary, both to maintain the frontier
and concurrentlv to preserve peace internally. On the 22nd April, 1920, in response to
instructions to reduce to the “Milner’’ garrison, the responsible military officer gave
his considered opinion (Appendix A) that the present garrison was the minimum which
can cope with the task in hand. As will be seen from Appendix B, this garrison
exceeds the “ Milner” garrison by approximately two cavalry brigades and one infantry
brigade. The General Staff are of opinion that the General Officer Commanding s
estimate is justifiable, and that any premature reduction in the interests of economy
will not only defeat its object, but may involve us in local disasters sucn as have
occurred to the French in Cilicia.
3. As regards Mesopotamia and Persia, the terms of the mandate have increased
rather than reduced our responsibilities, whilst the obligations to Persia, which have
been entered into by the Foreign Office, place a great strain on the weakest link in the
military chain, namely, the signals, transport and supply services. In order to complete
these services it has been necessary to draw on the combatant arms to an extent wffiich
has deprived British units of most of their fighting efficiency. In a recent telegram
(Appendix C) the local authorities have stated that the force, which on paper amounts
to two infantry divisions and one cavalry .brigade, has a fighting value not exceeding
that of one division and one brigade. Apart from the difficulties of recruiting technical
personnel an embargo, which was placed on the despatch of drafts on 23rd March, 1920,
deprived us of the opportunity for rectifying this deficiency before the trooping season
closed, and little if anything, can now be done until the autumn. A further telegram,
dated 4th May, from General Haldane (Appendix D) foreshadows the possibility of
reductions being made in the autumn which would bring the total garrison down to
one division, one cavalry brigade and some lines of communication units, but only on
condition that no serious disturbances take place during the summer and that the
requirements specified in Royal Air Force armoured cars and wireless personnel are
fully met. , , i x-i. x j
4. Under normal conditions we might have hoped that the newly constituted
Regular Army would have acquired increased efficiency during the last 6 months.
Unfortunately the abnormal strain which has been placed upon it in every theatre
outside Great Britain has not unnaturally produced an exactly opposite effect.
Combatant units have been depleted to make up for shortage in ancillary services;
troops have been ill-housed and constantly on the move ; guards have been excessive,
with the result that training and musketry in the true sense of the word have been
Minute by Secretary of State.