1st & 2nd January, 1948 - At work on the 1st January!? A thief, a road accident, and a bit of spring cleaning.

Thursday, 1^st January, 1948

After the welcoming party given for the New Year in the club last night I retired at about half after one.

The next thing I knew was that the sergeant was waking me and trying to impress on me that everyone was wanted downstairs on the veranda for a rifle inspection.  This does not sound a very impressive opening to the year and was caused as two rifles were stolen during the festivities of last night.  The inspection was of no avail the rifles not having come to light.  Unfortunately we have a B/C in the “Humara” who is a known thief and although he is under open arrest on a charge of selling his own pistol and a force rifle he is suspected of having something to do with last night’s thefts.

At the office this morning I closed all the registers & files for 1947.  Why, I don’t know, but I hated this work as there was such an air of finality with it.  The Assistant Superintendent went through my court Exhibits and destroyed about thirty.  After all this work I found that today was supposed to be a holiday.

Friday, 2^nd January, 1948

Modern Jiftlich;
an impoverished Palestinian village

I was rather annoyed at not being told that I was on holiday yesterday.  I did not bother to rush to work this morning.  I was only about half an hour later than usual but enough to put me right for the day.

A road accident was reported last evening so I had to pass the information on it to Divisional H.Q.   A boy was knocked down and seriously injured in Jiftlich Area when a lorry tried to turn after unloading oranges at a Bedouin Camp near the Jordan.

I handed 10 of my arms and ammunition court exhibits into the stores today and later put the court exhibit room in order.  I can now find exactly what I want at once, a definite asset in court exhibits which are always on the move to and from the court.

This evening Bicknell, Mountford, Moore & I went to the Club where we played table tennis and snooker.

The B/C suspected of the theft has been subjected to a grilling today and has admitted many minor things to some other B/Cs who are taking the law into their own hands with the aid of “Fil-fil.”[1]



[1] Not knowing the meaning of "fil-fil" I asked Graham Jenkins of the Palestine Police Old Comrades Association if he had any ideas as to its meaning.  His reply:  

"I seem to recall that the phrase fil fil  literally means  “hot pepper” but was used as  a sort of slang. In the context in which it was used it would appear to refer to “pressure” of some sort."

Hmm! The strong arm of the law!

25th - 28th August, 1947 - The impressive Welsh Guards, some real crime and a taste of the Jordan...

Monday, 25^th August, 1947

An eventful day at the station.  The Palestinian Corporal came back off leave and is probably remaining here as the Inspectors relief when he goes on leave shortly.

The Army arrived at the station this morning in the persons of 40 Welsh Guards.

Inside half and hour they had pitched 4 big tents inside our perimeter wire and had the kitchen going.  By night fall they had the messes and many small tents put up.

The Sargent Major came in to have a shower and stayed for a bottle party with the Sarg. and some of the boys.  A major is i.c. with a Captain.

Tuesday, 26^th August, 1947

The P/Cpl [Palestinian Corporal] reinstated today.  Mohd Kanan a bit sorry to lose his control over the T.A.C.s since the Cpl has been on leave.

Went for a walk down the Waddi this evening with Peter.

Wednesday, 27th August, 1947

I went to court this morning with the Inspector.

There we learned of a robbery which had occurred in our station area but which had been reported to Nablus Rural.  We went to the Rural and took over what turned out to be a series of three armed robberies on the main road.

We went to the scene of the crimes and found Sgt Blanks and the Divisional Tracker had finished their investigations.  At the point where the hold-ups took place the road is on the bend on the side of a mountain and it was down into the deep valley the tracker traced the robbers.  They followed tracks for 3 kilos then lost them owing to the nature of the ground.  When we got back to the station we found a wireless message from Jiftlich reporting another armed robbery by the Jordan…  P.T.O.

River Jordan
source: http://www.palestine1947.co.uk/gallery/photo/river-jordan.htm
Again thanks to Harry C Farmer

Thursday, 28^th July, 

… The robbers had stolen 85 sheep from 5 shepherds travelling from Beisan with 1000.

We rushed our lunch and raced off on this new case.  We contacted Jiftlich Police and the tracker scouted around until he found some tracks.  I drank my first drink at the Jordan this day.  The water is deep but appears to be muddy.

We followed the tracks in the truck for 5 kilos on the main road then they left the road and we walked three kilos into the mountains in the sweltering heat of the Ghore.  Then those too faded owing to the rocks replacing the sandy earth.

We returned to Jiftlich where the Inspector took very many statements and we dined before leaving at half-past midnight.

Today, Thursday, has therefore been a very busy day in the “I” Branch Office.

Two boys were killed by mortar bomb left by Army in the mountains near here.

26th - 28th April, 1947 - Ron receives good news about a potential job and a good shake up along the Jiftlich track....

Saturday, 26th April, 1947

I was “I.C” Convoy today.

The weather was fine & we had a quite pleasant trip.

I got my application for an “I” Branch job back today.  I have been promised the first vacancy.

Sunday, 27^th April 1947

Today the weather was rather warm with light breezes blowing.  I was off duty & spent my time in the billet which is about all there is to do in a place of such lack of social life.

Monday, 28th April 1947

Starting from the Police Station at 8 O’clock this morning, B/Cs Bicknell, McGill, Blondy (Driver) & myself took the Jiftlich track ‘En Route’ for Bey San[1].

Pioneers of Kibbutz Ein Hanatziv settle in Bet She'an, 1946
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beit_She'an

  This was not as it some [soon?] became evident, a very pleasant journey as although the road to Jiftlich is very rough in places, which was emphasised by the empty troop carrier truck , it was preferred to the smooth dusty sand of the road running parallel to the Jordan to Bey San.  The clouds of dust choked & blinded those of us on the back of the truck so that we had to tie our handkerchiefs around our faces bandit style.  The dust track gave way to the roughest road I have as yet travelled and which we feared would tear the new truck to pieces.  On arriving at our destination & fulfilling our business there we obtained permission to return to Nablus by the main road which lay through some Jewish Colonies.

I received my pay today and hopes for ‘I’ Branch.

[1]Bey San or Bisan is now known as Bet She'an and was allocated to the Jews under the Partition arrangements at the end of the British Mandate.

29th - 31st March - More cinema, escort duty and planning an April Fool...

Saturday, 29^th March, 1947

I was not called on for duty today so I spent the time reading in a shaded place.

In the evening we, i.e. five of my pals & myself went to the cinema in Nablus to see an old Shirley Temple film called “Fantasy”.  It just shows how old the films here are as she is

source: http://www.biography.com/
people/shirley-temple-9503798

now married, but she was only a little girl then.  Three of us sat through the Arab film which followed.  This film was typical of the Arab made, mechanical acting around a poor story.

Sunday, 30^th March

This morning Mountford & I went on escort to a truck going to Jiftlich with a T.A.C.[Temporary Additional Constable] on transfer.  The 68 kilos of road is not made up so the dust curled up into the rear of the truck covering us all with a coat of dust.  The post is about 1000’ below sea level & is therefore hot.  There are no British personnel there & the Palestinians can only stand the temperature two months.

Monday, 31st March, 1947

Today I went with Graham as escort to the P.W.D. [Police Works Department(?)] pay truck.

We paid labourers in the Jenin Sub District.

While we were there we noticed a considerable darkening of the sky.

We were later told that the Jews had blown up an oil refinery in Haifa.  The burning oil caused this cloud of smoke travelling 10 to 15 miles inland.

Tonight the rest of my room mates & I decided to play an April Fools trick on Mountford tomorrow.  Before dinner we battoned him.

After dinner we told him he had to report for duty at 5.30 in the morning.  He believed us and booked an early call with the Prowler.

27th & 28th March, 1947 - Ron goes out bothering the locals....

Thursday, 27^th March, 1947

A lovely day but rather sultry.

In the morning Montford and I were called out as escort for the D.C. but when we reached his office we found he had gone to the Urban Station & took an escort from there, so we went to the club & played snooker there.  The afternoon & evening we spent in the barrack room.

The last couple of nights a hot wind has been blowing making everyone feel muggy & making sleep difficult.

Friday, 28^th March, 1947

From midnight to 5am I was on a road patrol outside the station.  With Graham.  I did not see anybody until about 4 o’clock when a few shepherds & cowherds passed us.  We stopped and searched each one but they were not carrying any offensive weapons or any contraband.  I went to bed after breakfast and slept until lunch time.

In the evening I was called out on an escort to a truck going down the Jiftlich track to pick up a government truck with two punctures.

It was nearly dark & the deep gorge draped in shadows was an even more majestic thing than in daytime when the excessive heat and brightness show up the barrenness.