Desert Force
Encyclopedia
The Desert Force AKA Desert Patrol, was a paramilitary
force of Transjordan. Its main task was to guard Jordanian borders with neighboring Iraq
, Saudi Arabia
and Syria
as well as to provide protection for oil
pipe lines of Iraqi Petroleum Company (IPC).
It also participated in campaigns of Syria and Iraq
during World War II
.
and Vickers machine gun
s. Additional men were located in small forts throughout the region and relied on camels for mobility. Glubb recruited mainly Bedouins for the Patrol and helped establish strong links between the Bedouin and the monarchy that survive today. The remaining four-fifths of the Arab Legion at this time were police and gendarmerie serving in the cultivated area. Over the next five to ten years, Glubb successfully pacified the tribes.
Between 1936 and 1939, forces were expanded in response to threats posed by the Arab Revolt
in Palestine and civil disturbances in Syria. The Patrol now consisted of 350 Bedouins organised into two truck mounted companies
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
force of Transjordan. Its main task was to guard Jordanian borders with neighboring Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
as well as to provide protection for oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
pipe lines of Iraqi Petroleum Company (IPC).
It also participated in campaigns of Syria and Iraq
Iraqforce
Iraqforce was a British and Commonwealth formation that came together in the Kingdom of Iraq. The formation fought in the Middle East during World War II.-Background:...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
The Desert Patrol was formed as a semi-independent part of the Arab Legion in February 1931 by Glubb Pasha to secure Transjordan's desert region of the country, effectively everything east of the cultivated area that formed Trans-Jordan’s western border with Palestine. The patrol replaced the Trans-Jordan Frontier Force in the desert. Initially it had 20 men in four trucks with LewisLewis Gun
The Lewis Gun is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War...
and Vickers machine gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
s. Additional men were located in small forts throughout the region and relied on camels for mobility. Glubb recruited mainly Bedouins for the Patrol and helped establish strong links between the Bedouin and the monarchy that survive today. The remaining four-fifths of the Arab Legion at this time were police and gendarmerie serving in the cultivated area. Over the next five to ten years, Glubb successfully pacified the tribes.
Between 1936 and 1939, forces were expanded in response to threats posed by the Arab Revolt
Arab Revolt
The Arab Revolt was initiated by the Sherif Hussein bin Ali with the aim of securing independence from the ruling Ottoman Turks and creating a single unified Arab state spanning from Aleppo in Syria to Aden in Yemen.- Background :...
in Palestine and civil disturbances in Syria. The Patrol now consisted of 350 Bedouins organised into two truck mounted companies
