As I sit here typing this, I have on one side my TV/VCR showing a copy of David Lean's masterpiece, "Lawrence of Arabia," and on the other side, a stack of books from the University of Illinois Graduate Library on this same person. I am struck by John Ford's famous line, "When the truth becomes legend, print the legend." A study of T.E. Lawrence's life and service with the Arab Revolt becomes a wonderful example of this in practice. I have often thought a T.E. Lawrence was in many ways a Harry Flashman type of character, who realized that it was far better to tell a very modest and true story, and let others embellish the facts. One's denials of those embellishments become proof of one's modesty, which in turn convinces everyone else to embellish one's adventures even more. The above title is a good example of that fact, as the Arab Army did not follow Lawrence's orders, and his control over the Arab Revolt was limited, at best. T.E. Lawrence was no stranger to the Middle East, having first travelled there in 1909, and having spent most of the years 1910 to 1914 working as an archaeologist at different sites. He was chosen to work on the Palestine Exploration Fund's semibiblical survey of the Sinai in 1914, a task that held him out of WWI at the very start. The British government, not wanting the Turkish government to think that the recent survey was of a military nature, insisted all who had worked on it stay out of service until they finished their map and report. WWI As a result, Lawrence did not enter military service until December of 1914 when he was assigned to British Military Intelligence in Cairo. He worked in that office from December of 1914 to October of 1916, during which time he became known for his work on the Turkish Order of Battle. In late 1916, he transferred from the Military Intelligence Office to the newly formed Arab Bureau, which was formed at that time to take advantage of a change in political climate of the Middle East. The Arab Revolt had started in March of 1916, when Sharif Hussayn of the Hijazi Emirate first raised the standard of revolt. The Turkish forces were driven out of Mecca, and the ports of Jidda and Rabegh along the Red Sea. The Turkish garrison held on to the railhead at Medina and drove back the Arabs that attacked there with heavy losses, and additional reinforcements were ordered by the Turkish government to move in the Hijazi and crush the revolt before it could spread. Lawrence's arrival on the Arabian scene was as an official observer from the Arab Bureau, but he soon became involved a liaison officer between the Sharif's forces, Cairo, and British forces in the area, especially the Royal Navy. At this time, Lawrence first encountered the Amir Faisal, who commanded his father's forces in the field, and worked with Fasil to help convince the tribes along the Red Sea coast that they should join the winning side. The strategy of the Arab Revolt as decided upon by Lawrence and others was simple. The Arab forces were to repeatedly attack the Turkish rail line south to Medina, never quite shutting it down, but forcing the Turks to increase the troops and resources they needed to keep it open into this area. Then the Sharif Army was to move north up the Red Sea coast with the help of the Royal Navy, allowing an ever increasing length of the railroad to be brought under attack. More and more Turkish soldiers would be pulled off and main lines in Palestine, and sent south in attempt to hold the rail line open. Throughout the first part of 1917, the Arab forces made its way up the coast, finishing their trek on July 6th, 1917, when Lawrence and an Arab force captured the port of Aqaba at the head of the Red Sea. This shift not only succeeded in bringing more of the Medina railroad under attack, but also brought the Arab forces into a position to move overland and aid the British drive to liberate Holy Land. Now the Arab forces were in a position to not only liberate the Hijazi, but also Palestine, Jordan, and Syria. Troop Types To liberate these areas, four different types of troops opera as part of what was to be known as the "Arab Army." To start with, there were the local tribesmen, belonging to separate and sometimes hostile groups, that were recruited on the scene as needed. The the image of the tribesman is that of a mounted warrior on camel or horseback, those were the exception rather than the rule. Only the local warriors were mounted, and the majority of those that came forward did so on foot. Depending on the circumstances, sometimes only the mounted elements were used, sometimes horse and foot. The tribesmen were called up as needed, and returned home after the war has passed them by. In game terms, I would rate them as follows: Local Tribesman: Trained/Regular: These should be organized in bands, with 1D6+1 bands per tribe, with up to one third of the bands being mounted. Each band has a command/infantry or cavalry stand, and 1D6 stands of infantry or cavalry. The leader of the band, or the overall tribal leader, is the only stand that can issue orders to a tribal band. The tribesman ROF is 1, with a range of 6"/12". Mounted bands will usually dismount and fight on foot. The next category needed by the revolt was that of Advisors/ Specialists. These were the Europeans officers, or members of European armies who were assigned to work with the Arabs and provide those services that the Arab Revolt needed. Due to the fact that the Arabs tended to be xenophobic in nature, the leaders of the Revolt, including Lawrence made every effort to keep these contingents as small as possible, and providing just those services that the Arabs needed and thus would accept. During the course of the campaign from June 1917 on, the following units served in the field with the Arab Revolt: BRITISH Hejaz Armored Car Battery, with Veteran; Morale: 10 1 command Rolls Royce armored car, 2nd model 1 Rolls Royce armored car, 2nd Model 1 Talbot armored car RFC Aircraft Flight, with: 1 Bristol fighter/bornber (1918 addition) Raiding Parties, with: 1 command engineer stand Detachment, Egyptian Camel Corps, with: Veteran; Morale: 8 1 command/camel stand 3 camel stands Notes 1. The Talbot armored car is equipped with the 10# mountain gun. The road speed is 60", the off-road speed is 15", vehicle is open topped, medium weight, and has a breakdown number of 1. 2. The Egyptian Camel Corps has a ROF of 1, and a range of 10"/20". (the existence of this unit in the Arab Army's ranks is most interesting, as officially Egypt was a neutral power during WWI.) 3. British command stands may never issue orders to non- British stands. 4. The raiding parties tended to consist of a British officer with a small escort whose task was to do as much damage to the railway line as possible. In addition to the above units, British and Indian personnel were assigned to the Arab forces to serve as instructors for such weapons as machineguns, mortars, etc. On occasion, small detachments served with Arab forces in the field, but these tended not to be very successful. Communications and supplies for most of the Arab Army was handled by a British staff operating out of the Red Sea ports. French Forces The French troops assigned to work with the Arabs were handpicked, consisting of officers who had experience serving in North Africa in the Colonial Army, and rank and file made up of Moslem soldiers. As with the British, French personnel served as instructors for the Arab forces. Lawrence liked many of the French officers, but disliked their presence in what he felt was a British area. For most of the war, the French elements operated with the Southern Arab Army. All elements, Veteran; Morale: 10 Artillery Battery, with: 1 command stand 1 gun crew stand (ds) 1 75mm field gun 1 light limber 1 supply wagon Mountain Battery, with: 1 command stand 1 gun crew stand 1 65mm mountain gun 4 pack mule stands (2 for the guns, 2 for ammunition) Engineer Company, with: 1 command engineer stand 3 engineer stands Machinegun Detachment, with: 1 command stand 2 machinegun stands (2 dice) 2 light machinegun stands (2 dice) Notes 1. French command stands may never issue orders to non French units. 2. The range of the light machinegun stands is 10"/20". 3. During the final advance north, the Mountain Battery, and one regular and two light machinegun sections operated with Lawrence under the command of Captain Pisani. Arab Army The third element of the Arab forces was the Regular Sharifian Army, also known as the Arab Army. There had long been an independence movement within the ranks of the Arab officers and enlisted men serving in the Ottoman Army. As a result, the Ottoman government had a prewar policy of stationing Arab units in nonArab sections of the Ottoman Empire to help prevent such a revolt. With the outbreak of the war, these units were shifted back into Arab areas, and also came into contact with British forces. Unwilling to fight for the Ottoman Empire, more than a few Arab officers and men allowed themselves to be taken prisoner. Even those who had fought for Turkey were often willing to change sides for the cause of Arab freedom, once that choice was offered to them. The best known case of this was that of Ja'far Phasa, a German educated Turkish Army officer. He had started WWI by being sent to the Western Desert by German submarine in 1915 to command the Senussi forces against the British. Now, a year later, he was to find himself travelling as a guest of the Royal Navy to Arabia, and once, there be given the command of the new Arab Army to lead against his former government. The British took advantage of this independence movement, and in the fall of 1916 started repatriating those Arab officers and enlisted men who were willing to fight for the Arab cause. They were sent to the Red Sea posts controlled by the Arab Revolt where they were formed into various units, and after being equipped and rearmed by the Bri tish, were assigned to one of three "Armies." The existence of these units was very important to the "Arab Revolt" in that they ensured the troops could be placed at key points and remain there. There is, after all, a limit to the number of times that one can call out the tribal elements for guerilla warfare, or ensure they will remain in service until no longer needed. The Regular Army units would, especially along the southern end of the railroad to Medina, keep the line under attack, and furnish rallying points for the tribal levies when they were needed. As the officers of the Arab Army were trained as regular soldiers who had seen active service, there existed some friction between themselves and the other leaders and elements of the Arab Revolt. They were after all, the "Professional" element, while the other groups, including the European advisors, were considered as "amateur" soldiers. While the officers and their units served with distinction in the field, they always had to be approached careful, and included in all planning. It should also be pointed out that the officers were legally "traitors" to the Turkish government, and if they should they be captured, both they and their families (many of whom lived behind the Turkish lines) would be subject to rather draconian punishments. The following list of units are the "regular" elements of the Arab Army and do not include the tribal elements that would be operating with them at any given time. Experienced; Morale: 9. Rate as Turkish troops for fir purposes. The Northern Army operated against the Turkish flank north along the railroad in cooperation with the British Army. 1 Infantry Brigade, with: Brigade Headquarters, with: 1 mounted command stand 4 Infantry Battalions, each with: 1 mounted command stand 2 command infantry stands 1 MMG stand (2 dice) 6 Infantry stands 1 Battalion Camel Corps, with: 1 mounted command stand 2 command/camel stands 2 recon camel stands 6 camel stands. 1 Battalion Mule Mounted Infantry, with: 1 mounted command stand 2 command infantry stands 1 MMG stand (2 dice) 6 infantry stands 2 Batteries Artillery, each with: 1 command stand 1 gun crew stand (ds) 1 gun 1 light limber The Southern Army operated against the Turkish forces trapped along the railroad south to Medina. 2 Infantry Battalions, as above. 1 Battalion Camel Corps as above. 1 Battalion Mule Mounted Infantry as above. 4 Batteries Artillery as above. The Eastern Army: operated against pro-Turkish tribes in central Arabia. 2 Battalion Camel Corps as above. 1 Battery Mountain Artillery 1 command stand 1 gun crew stand (ds) 1 75mm Krupp mountain gun (ex- Turkish) 4 pack mule stands (2 for the guns, 2 for ammunition) Notes 1. The artillery batteries of the Arab Army were equipped with an interesting mix of weapons. In addition the to ex-Turkish Krupp mountain guns captured during the 1916 uprising, the British government sent over an assortment of Egyptian mountain and field guns last used during the reconquest of the Sudan in 1898. For game purposes, allow the Arab Army a mixture of 10# and 2.95" mountain guns with which to equip their batteries. 2. The mule mounted infantry battalions rode to battle, and then dismounted and fought on foot. 3. Command stands of the Arab Army may only issue orders to stands of the Arab Army. The last element of the Arab forces were the personal bodyguards of the different tribal chieftains and other leaders. Unlike the local tribesman, these were often professional mercenaries who were paid in gold for a set period of time, and while loyal when under contract, nevertheless could switch sides or chieftains after their contract was up. They were by their very nature extremely professional at the task of fighting, and gave a leader a solid core of men loyal to him. As an alternative means of recruiting a bodyguard, the leader of a tribe usually would honor the best fighters by inviting them to ride with him as his bodyguard, thus also giving him a small but elite force. Either way, the principal leaders of the revolt were able to muster a force that would stand by them, and be the first into battle, and the last out, if that was what was needed. BODYGUARDS: Veteran/Elite: Each tribal leader should have a command/bodyguard stand, as well as an additional D6/2 additional bodyguard stands with him. All stands are mounted, and have a ROF is 1, with arrange of 8"/16". Bodyguard stands will either fight mounted or dismounted at the will of their leader. The tribal leader is the only command stand that can issue orders to the bodyguard. Notes 1. T. E. Lawrence was quick to see the advantages of this system and from 1917 on, recruited his own personal bodyguard, paying top wages, and recruiting none but the best mercenaries. To equip his command, he acquired as many light machineguns of the Lewis/Hotchkiss type as was possible, and reached a ratio of one such weapon per three men. (Lawrence's own personal weapon was an "Air Lewis" machinegun, i.e., a Lewis light machinegun with the cooling jacket removed.) In any game where Lawrence is present after mid 1917, his force should have: T. E. Lawrence's Command Elite; Morale: 11, ROF 2, Range 8"/6" 1 command engineer stand 1-3 bodyguard stands One last thought for the gamer, as you might see from the above, the problem with the Arab forces is that there is no one overall commander present in a game able to actually command all of his forces. Games fought with the Arab Army need to have several players on that side, who shall have to work together to come up with a plan that functions. It's not going to be easy, things can fall apart in a hurry if the wrong leader is hit and removed from play, but the entire process will give you an idea of the uphill struggle that the Arab Revolt was for its commanders. Bibliography Military Operations, Egypt and Palestine 1914-June 1917, Sir George MacMunn and Cyril Falls, London, 1928. Military Operations, Egypt and Palestine June 1917- November 1918, Part I and Part II, Cyril Falls, London, 1930. Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E, Lawrence, Doubleday, Doran and Company, Garden City, New York, 1935. "T.E. Lawrence," Liddell Hart, Jonathan Cape, London, 1943 "T.E. Lawrence," Desmond Stewart, Harper & Row, New York, 1977. A Prince of Our Disorder, John E. Mack, Little Brown and Company, Boston, 1976. Lawrence and the Arabian Adventure, Robert Graves, Doubleday, Doran and Company, Garden City, New York, 1928. Revolt in the Desert, T.E, Lawrence, Jonathan Cape, London, 1927. Back to Table of Contents -- Command Post Quarterly #1 To Command Post Quarterly List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1993 by Greg Novak. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com