The first Arab pilots in the British Royal Air Force

Abstract

On 1 April 1918 the British Royal Flying Corps and the British Royal Naval Air Service were amalgamated to constitute the Royal Air Force (RAF). Two days later, on the initiative of Mark Sykes, an adviser on Eastern affairs to the British government and a former signatory of the Sykes-Picot agreement, and with the approval of the Director of Military Intelligence, two Arab officers graduates of the Arab Legion, Lieutenant 'Abidin Hushaymi and Lieutenant Ibrahim 'Abduh, entered a basic aviation course in the framework of the RAF. The Arab Legion, also an initiative of Sykes, was a one-off attempt by the British to set up an Arab military force which would be made up of former prisoners of war and operate independently of the command of Sharif Husayn of Mecca. The basic concept was that instead of shipping war prisoners to the Hijaz to participate in the Arab revolt army, they should be assembled in one training camp under Anglo-French supervision, where they would become a consolidated force, trained and disciplined, from which real military benefit could be derived. This force would be employed according to military necessities and in accordance with its ability. It would be possible to use it as an auxiliary force for the Sharifian forces, but also as reinforcement for British forces on the eastern front. The Legion idea was officially approved of in July 1917 although the first officers and men started training only in midSeptember. A couple of months later it was all over. Unsuitable selection of recruits, incompetent and unwilling officers, inappropriate explanations given to the recruits about the real purpose of their mobilization, and a promise given to them that they would keep the ranks held by them in the Ottoman army, were just a few among the reasons mentioned for the Legion's failure. Already by early November it was suggested that the Legion's recruits should better be sent to Aqaba to merge with Amir Faysal's forces. This was carried out in practice for the most part towards the end of that month, and by midDecember the Arab Legion was closed down.' When Lieutenant 'Abidin Hushaymi joined the British RAF he was not new to Sykes. Since late 1917 Sykes was trying to reach an Arab-Armenian-