With the Judæans in the Palestine CampaignPatterson, J. H. (John Henry)
History
With the Judæans in the Palestine Campaign
Patterson, J. H. (John Henry)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Palestine; World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, Jewish
No sooner had we come under his command than his anti-Semitic bias
became apparent. Certain areas were placed out of bounds to "Jewish
soldiers" but not to men in other battalions. Jewish soldiers were so
molested by the Military Police that the only way they could enjoy a
peaceful walk outside camp limits was by removing their Fusilier badges
and substituting others which they kept conveniently in their pockets
for the purpose. They found that by adopting this method they were never
interfered with by the Military Police.
Traditional British fair play seemed to have taken wings as soon as
General Z. appeared on the scene. I repeatedly made official complaints
about the way the men were persecuted, but nothing was done to mend
matters. As a British officer I felt ashamed to hold my head up in my
own camp owing to the unfair and un-English treatment to which the men
were subjected.
It may well be imagined that this attitude of the Staff made my command
anything but an easy one. In the first place, knowing how all ranks were
discriminated against, no officer or man wished to remain in the
battalion. It was exceedingly difficult under the circumstances to get
the best out of the men. While we were with the Anzacs, although we
suffered exceedingly from the deadly climate in the desolate Jordan
Valley, yet we were all thoroughly happy, because we were treated with
justice and sympathy by the Staff and by all other ranks in that famous
division. At Bir Salem, on the contrary, we were anything but a happy
unit.
It will be remembered that before we left Rafa the battalion had been
swamped by about 800 recruits. Physically they were a very fine lot,
but, being young and hailing from the United States, they were a bit
wild and difficult to handle. The moment they joined the battalion they
had to do real hard soldiering, and were put on outposts and detachments
up and down the country, guarding thousands of prisoners of war, long
stretches of railway line, millions of pounds worth of munitions, food,
ordnance supplies, etc. In fact, so arduous were these duties that the
men had scarcely more than every alternate night in bed, although it is
the rule in the army that whenever possible every man should be allowed
at least three consecutive nights' rest.
The great majority of my old trained men of the 38th had by this time
either been demobilised, invalided to England, or employed on special
duties between Cairo and Aleppo, so that a great part of the heavy
duties which had to be carried out fell on the American recruits. There
was absolutely no time to train these men, and I consider it was really
wonderful that they did so well under the circumstances.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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