1st and 2nd March, 1948 - Cold nights, missing trucks and a welcome cup of tea...

Monday, 1^st March, 1948

The first night on our new duty passed reasonably quickly.  During the whole of the night there were about six vehicles in all which passed through the zone gate.

We had no fire last night and we shivered in the freezing cold night air.  I had come prepared for the cold wearing four pullovers and two pairs of sock extra to my normal accoutrement, but this was not enough even then.  My friend and I took a blanket each and this kept our shoulders warm but our feet froze.

This afternoon we were informed that two Police 15cwt trucks had been stolen during the night from H.Q. in our zone, and it was suspected that they had left the zone via the gate we were guarding.  We recorded statements to the effect that we had seen no 15cwts pass through all night.

Tuesday, 2^nd March, 1948

Last night we procured some wood from odd places nearby and built a fire which warmed us all night.

A street tea vendor in Gaza, 1946
courtesy of the acid history blog

My partner purchased a thermos flask yesterday and we were very pleased with the hot tea thus obtained and with the packet of biscuits I took to work.  At about 2.30am we heard a shout from a nearby road and looking out from the Sanger we saw an Arab coming out of the darkness with a tray and a primus in a tin bucket.  He was selling “Tea with milk” at 1½  piastres a cup.

We each had a cup full and the man told us he had no employment so was earning about 10/- a night by selling tea to the night guards.

9th & 10th January, 1948 - A case of petty revenge but Ron is enjoying his surroundings

Friday, 9^th January, 1948

There was veritably no work at the office this morning so when a crime was reported at about 9am I seized the opportunity and decided to visit the scene of the crime.  Bribery & corruption, though very rarely heard of in public is very rife here among Government Officials.  One of the few magistrates who are not open to this interference is one who has his home in a village near Nablus and his vocation in another city.  An accused person in a case some time ago approached the Mag. with a substantial bribe, but as usual he refused it.  This annoyed the accused who came from the same village as the Mag.  To get his revenge he cut off Olive trees belonging to the Mag. and transplanted them in his own lands.  Myself & a Police Party first visited the Mag’s. Land where we saw two freshly planted trees of the same age & type as those stolen.  Two others were found in the Accused’s yard, and another planted in his land some distance away with a further patch of

ground where a tree had obviously been replanted and dug up again.  Thus two trees of the seven were missing.  Usually in a case of revenge or “Fassad” the accused is content with damaging a number of trees, leaving them on the complainants lands.  Petty “Fassad” of this nature is one of the commonest crimes I encounter and one of the most difficult to prove.  We often do not know the accused in such an offence for if the complainant has many potential enemies any one of them is capable of committing the act.  The punishment is of course light(?) but fails to deter further crimes of this nature.

Saturday, 10^th January, 1948

It was a lovely morning this morning as I made my way over to the station.  After the recent rains the atmosphere tastes clear & clean and free from the summer dusts.  All the fields and mountain sides are now covered in a mantle of fresh young green.  The journeys by truck are much more pleasant through such country under a clear blue sky and today’s bright, but not hot sun, than in summer under a scorching sun and in clouds of dust.

The animals are beginning to cover their skeleton like summer selves with a more meaty body and no longer rush when they near water.  With plenty of food in them the cows

are more content and have time to see to the sleeking of their coats so that they look quite respectable animals now.  One never sees Arab cows with heavy udders for they are not bred for milk as the Arabs drink only goat milk.  Cows are bread to draw ploughs and for their meat which owing to their hard lives is never very tasty.  Sheep are more or less treated as one with goats here the milk of both being drunk in large quantities.  They are driven in flock by boys to graze on the mountain sides or off growing crops when the farmer is not near, for there are no hedges built, the land of one man carrying on into the next man’s land.  This often is the cause of Fassads between men.

Supplementary Post- Beirut snaps

Dad took a few shots of Beirut that I haven't used in the diary posts... here they are:

"Beirut 1947.

The mountains in

the background are

the home of the 

Winter Sports."

Baalbek

I have now been able to identify this building.  The wonders of Google!  It is the great Umayyad Mosque in Damascus

...but where is this Square?  Damascus or Beirut?

Harmonising horns on high speed American cars...

Ron is on the far left

The lovely Erica... the one with the 18' yacht!

Beach party with the Ladies from the British Council,...

...and now from the other side.

24th - 26th October, 1947 - Ron is troubled by the locals and his best laid plans go awry...

Friday, 24^th October, 1947

The trades people (if one can call them that) are a damned nuisance.  A long line of taxis we have to pass and each one in turn asks us if we need one.  Walking along with cameras in our hand does not make us immune to the professional camera man who can’t resist pestering us.  Beggars are very numerous but not too persistent in their requests for “Bucksheesh.” 

The boy driving his flock of turkeys...

After snapping a boy driving a flock of turkeys through the street the other day he was quite put out when we would not pay him.  The traffic laws if any seem never to be complied with here and it is hell at times in a busy street, nearly mad from hearing harmonising horns on the high speed American cars.

To day we went out in the yacht but as there was veritably no wind had to give it up.  The Arab skipper was to have today off so I rather think he was a bit cunning.

Went to see “The Batman” - “More full of action than the American comic.” – We found at the end it was a serial.

Saturday, 25^th October, 1947

Joe and I wandered around town this morning looking for suitable subjects to photograph.  We went to the docks where we were told that photographing was not allowed.

After lunch Erica came to the Pension and John returned bearing a note for me from Dorothy in which she said she had developed flue & would be unable to come to the dinner & dance as we had planned.

I'm guessing Erica took this one...

...and here she is - Erica...

Erica, Joe, Rich, Stan & I went out in her 18’ foot yacht and enjoyed a pleasant sail.  Joe was unfortunately sick just before we entered harbour.

I went alone to the cinema tonight and who should sit in the next seats but one, Joe & Erica.

Sunday, 26^th October, 1947

I went up to see Dorothy this morning & found her still ill, no arrangements could be made for tomorrow evening.  She liked the photograph & wrote on my copy. 

"To Ron -
Here's wishing you
good luck, and many
more Happy Holidays!
Dotty."

This evening Joe & I went to see “Cloak & Dagger.”

3rd - 6th October, 1947 - International politics lead to a sense of uncertainty, while local politics lead to a sleepless night...

Friday, 3^rd October, 1947

The “I.G.”[1] came to the station today and men from all over the District came to hear him say he knew nothing of the future for us but advised us to carry on with our long term plans and not jump to conclusions read from the newspapers.

The cinema in the club tonight showed “ The Hidden Eye” which I have seen on two occasions before.

 [1]At this time the Inspector General was a former Royal Marine Commander, Colonel William Nicol Gray

Saturday, 4^th October, 1947

Sunday, 5^th October, 1947

No entries 

Monday, 6^th October, 1947

Modern day Balata-al-Balad - literally "Balata the Village"

At half past one in the middle of the night myself and all the station were awakened by the sounds of rifle & automatic fire from very nearby.

We thought the prisoners were giving more trouble so went back to sleep only to be wakened by the Sarg. who was very inebriated, and told to get dressed.  The shooting had been in Balata Village [2] about a mile away.  After four hours in the village in which time the A.S.P. who had been in the prison wine-ing and the Palestinian Inspector and others arrived on the scene.  Questioning revealed that the Mukhtar (on his way to Mecca) and an Elder had been recently deprived of their black marketing control of the village rations by a majority vote led by another elder.  It was the house of this latter on which the shots had been fired.

[2]Balata became the site of a large refugee camp housing up to 30,000 Palestinian refugees displaced from the Jaffa region during the troubles that followed the British withdrawal in early 1948.

18th - 20th August, 1947 - A couple of quiet days then a trip out to Ghore...

Monday, 18^th August, 1947

The Palestinians are still bedecked in best civvies today.

Tuesday, 19^th August, 1947

Nothing of importance happened today.

                                                                                                                                          

Wednesday, 20^th August, 1947

An excellent day today.

Went to Ghore via “No Road” past MALEH hot springs with its green valley.  In the Ghore the P/I commandeered 3 horses & we rode down to the Jordan.  I expect to be stiff tomorrow.

Many cups of coffee from the Bedouins.

Excellent lunch from Tubas Muchtar living in a tent in the Ghore.  A big “preserving pan” held the meal enough for 36 men.  The guests eat from it first and then in order of importance down to the boys and then into the next room for the women.

The meal consisted of bread (Arabic) on the bottom then stacks of rice then a roast lamb on top.

On the way back Paddy shot a Gazelle.  What revelry there will be.  First shot at 400yrds up in the mountain.  Everyone was very happy about this.

15th - 17th August, 1947 - After the Cinema, Ron abstains from the drinking but does allow himself a little gamble!... and then experiences Eid!

Friday, 15^th August, 1947

As usual very little work.  I did the weekly returns and I returned to my law studying.

This evening in the company of Sgt Blanks, B/C’s Randal & Duck, I went to Nablus to the Club Cinema.  The film was “Waterloo Bridge”

A very good story.  As they had two projectors in action instead of just one there were very few breaks for a change.  Therefore the show ended much earlier than usual in fact at 9.30.  This left time for drinks for the drinking fraternity.  The Sarg noted with concern that the S.P & his three chums got through a whole bottle of whisky.  Randal in a semi state seemed very concerned at my abstinence possibly because he had no real claim on a pint from me.  We did not have to walk back this time but had to endure Randal cursing the ?Ashi discooking? Etc etc

Sometimes Dad's handwriting defeats me... it looks
like maybe he had had a drink or two after all!

Saturday, 16^th August, 1947

Plenty of Law again today.

The tennis court was made today before the Sarg got to hear of our activity.

This evening I played chess and after a game of cribbage – not for money but for two orangeades, a meat pie & two pieces of cake.

Sunday, 17^th August, 1947

The Wogs end their month of Ramadan to-day.

Several times this morning I was greeted with “Merry Christmas” as the feast they have today is equivalent to our Christmas.

25th - 27th July, 1947 - Ron is fascinated by the locals and their religion.

Friday, 25^th July, 1947

An old woman came to the station today and said a boy had hit her.   A boy or child of this age is criminally not responsible so she was sent away unsatisfied.

She was interesting only in that her hair was red* which for such an aged one rather suggested to me she had dyed it.  I questioned a Palestinian about this & he said it was so.  A powder made from a special tree is put into the water & the hair washed.  In the morning it is again washed in clean water and is now red.  He further told me that as a sine (sic) of pending wedlock the bridegroom dyes his right hand and wrist red.

I have re[a]d somewhere that a Moslem is not allowed to show signs of age so white hair on head & face should be dyed.  This is not adhered to I think.

*Henna presumably...

Saturday, 26^th July, 1947

There was no work today so spent what I the time reading.

This evening Roughton & I went for a short walk down Wadi El Faria.  I here tasted my first pomegranate no great experience & rather laborious.

Sunday, 27^th July, 1947

I spent this morning sitting in a shaded place before the station talking to some of the Palestinians here.  I always find such a time well spent both in Arabic I learn & the ways of living of the Arabs.

Insert: Poem “Call to Prayer”

                                                        Call to Prayer

                                  Valley bare below bare mountain,

                                                        Scorched all day by Sun’s high arc,

                                  Searching, on the winds it cometh,

                                                        Calling to the faithful heart.

___________

                                  From a high tower over dome top,

                                                        Looking on the roofs below,

                                  Calling, searching, for the faithful,

                                                        “To the East bow thyselves low.”

___________

                                  In the valleys; on the mountains,

                                                        All do stop in fear and awe,

                                  Listening to the voice that tells them,

                                                        “Time is here; a prayer for all.”

___________

                                  Rich men from the shops go forward,

                                                        From the houses they come out,

                                  To the city of their Prophet

                                                        Go hearts with no trace of doubt.

___________

                                  Mosques they cannot stay to enter;

                                                        No time workers spare for that,

                                  Nor time off from their labours

                                                        So the earth their prayer-mat.

___________

                                  Thus for centuries have they heard it.

                                                        And for centuries to come;

                                  Till upon this earth they finish

                                                        When their Armageddon comes

___________

26.7.47

                                  REB

21st - 24th July, 1947 - Ron's suffering from the wind... ('twas ever thus!) and more trouble with knives.

Monday, 21^st July, 1947

The Kamseen [1] which has been blowing dropped a little today but the heat is still pretty bad.

I have not met the heat I was expecting to encounter from the tales I had been told before I came here.

This may be because I have become more or less acclimatized.

Tuesday, 22^nd July, 1947

Nothing of interest occurred on this day.

Wednesday, 23^rd July, 1947

All the five foot went out again this evening on a volunteer ambush patrol.  Nothing occurred I rather think because the moonlight was too bright for flights.

Thursday, 24^th July, 1947

A rather petty but complicated assault was reported this morning.  A man, the complainant, complained to his partner that the latters cattle had been allowed to stray on ground they mutually owned.  The argument was not heated but the partner reported the incident to two of his friends who thought retribution should be made.  These then went to the Comp. & assaulted him with sticks & a dagger.  The case no matter how slight the injuries are has to be accepted as a dagger was involved.

---

[1] The Kamseen or Khamsin  is an oppressively hot, southerly wind from the Sahara that blows across Egypt in the spring.  I am indebted to Jim Wright for the use of his striking photograph above.  Visit his blog The LeftWright Brain for more pictures of this amazing meteorological phenomenon.

25th - 27th June, 1947 - Ron has dealings with daggers...

Wednesday,25^th June, 1947

Nothing outstanding today just one or two cases to be written off.

The A.S.P. “destroyed” two valueless court exhibits today.  One for P/Sgt & one for Sgt Blanks.  Daggers used in a murder case. [1]

Thursday, 26^th June, 1947

This morning I spent in the office in the afternoon I went for a walk with Ryan.  We went down the Waddi Ein Faria and found it to be some of the most fruitful country I have met.  Pomegranates, bananas, apples, plums etc are all coming into season now.

Friday, 27^th June, 1947

From midnight to 6am this morning Ryan, McShannon & I went for a semi Patrol- Walk.  We only stopped one truck which was carrying cattle.  No pedestrians were met until 5am we searched one or two & found one with a dagger.  A paltry offence but we took it in to please Sargeant.  We later searched a bus and took another dagger misdemeanour.

We went to bed and I got up at lunchtime after which meal I went to the office and started preparing the case files for the two offences of this morning.

[1] These were two shibriya daggers.  Ron's inverted commas around the word "destroyed" indicate that Ron actually kept them and brought them home.  They lived wrapped in cloths in his treasure box and he would occasionally take them out and show us the "blood stains".  I think now that these stains were probably oxidation of the blade rather than blood but as children we were horrified and fascinated in equal measure!

Click here or here for more details on ornamental shibriya daggers.

21st - 24th June, 1947 - Ron gets a chill and then samples local hospitality

Saturday, 21^st June, 1947

I woke early this morning & felt very ill.  For the following two hours I was continuously running to the bath room and being violently sick.  Diarrhoea

 also came on me.  I spent the day in bed on the Sargeant’s instruction.  I ate nothing all day & I felt much better in the evening & slept soundly in the night.

I put it down to reading for half an hour after return from patrol last night and lying on my bed with very little clothing on.

Sunday, 22^nd June, 1947

I felt much better today so resumed my duties which as usual are very few.

Monday, 23^rd June, 1947

I went to the office this morning but as there was very little to do I swotted a bit of badly needed Arabic.

I have learnt quite a deal of new Arabic but I am rather afraid it will not be enough for the exam next week. 

Tuesday, 24^th June, 1947

Ryan and I went out for a walk this afternoon – we visited to Arab homes upon their invitation of “Fodul” as we passed.

They are very hospitable people these Arabs.  One family temporarily living in tents on land away from their village saw us coming a long way off & by the time we reached them they had brought mattresses to a shaded spot under a tree & had begun to brew coffee.  They consider it very bad if you refuse their invitation.  I think it would start a blood feud if we refused one & accepted his neighbour.

16th - 18th June, 1947 - Rough terrain training and Ron is surprised at local mores.

Monday 16^th June, 1947

Nothing exciting happened this morning.

Our temperatures were however excited this afternoon by a cross country walk under that Jebal Basher Sargeant Blanks.

He kept us at a steady pace over valley and hill.  We had no water bottles so felt rather the worse for the heat when on the move.

We thought we were going to enjoy a lemon given to us by a villager but after taking off the peel we found the inside dried out.

Tuesday, 17^th June, 1947

I went to court today with Masoud Shehadeh.

All the proceedings are given in Arabic and as the accused & witnesses were “fellahs” their Arabic was not as I had learned it.

What contrasting views on decency are held by the English and the Arabs.

A young woman appears in court, carrying her baby, to support her accused husband.  Her face of course is partially covered but apparently she is allowed to feed her child in public without any attempt at concealing her breast.

Wednesday, 18^th June, 1947

The wireless was fixed up today by the wireless operator & I must admit most of us spent most of the day in the rather empty recreation room enjoying the music which we have not been able to have until now.