Arab Legion
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The Arab Legion (al-Jaysh al-Arabī) was Transjordan's and later also Jordan's regular army. It was formed in 1921 by Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Gerard Peake as a police force to keep order among Transjordanian tribes and to guard the important Jerusalem-Amman road. Originally, the Legion consisted of only 150 men, most of them stationed along the roads.
In 1939, John Bagot Glubb, better known as Glubb Pasha, became the Legion's commander and transformed it into the best trained Arab army.
During World War II, the Legion took part in the British war effort against the Nazis' allies in the Middle East Theatre and contributed in the Syria-Lebanon campaign and in the Anglo-Iraqi War, two decisive Allies' victories.
The Legion was the most successful of the Arab armies during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The Legion was initially removed to Transjordanian territory, under instruction from the United Nations, prior to the end of the British Mandate. With the commencement of hostilities the Legion re-entered Palestine.
There was considerable embarrassment from the United Kingdom government that British officers were employed in the Legion and regular British officers, including a brigade commander, were instructed to return to Transjordan. This led to the bizarre spectacle of British officers leaving their units to return to Transjordan before sneaking back across the border to rejoin the Arab Legion. Without exception all of the affected officers returned to their units. One British MP called for Glubb Pasha to be imprisoned for serving in a foreign army without the King's permission.
At Latrun, the Legion blockaded the Jerusalem highway. Legion troops, aided by armoured cars, conquered the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem in May 28, 1948. The Legion also secured the West Bank for Transjordan.
Following the war, the Legion was reformed as the army of Jordan.
See also
Books
- P.J. Vatikiotis, (1967). Politics and the Military in Jordan: A Study of the Arab Legion, 1921-1957, New York, Praeger Publishers. ISBN
External links & references
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