Transcript of diary entries by WE Crewe, recorded post WW2, on 29 Jul 1959.
This is really a continuation of the Auxiliary Division Royal Irish Constabulary who departed from Ireland when the Treaty was signed of which force seven hundred joined the British Gendarmerie in Palestine. A goodly number found themselves in the Royal Ulster Constabulary, while others but not so many wandered off to the Canadian Mounted Police, others to overseas Police forces. There was a rumour that several had joined the French Foreign Legion, whether correct or not I cannot say.
Having received a letter from the Adjutant asking me if I would like to join the British Gendarmerie of Palestine as Orderly Room Sergeant. I accepted the post and immediately reported to Adastral House, Kingsway, where upstairs on the second floor there were temporary offices of this force. There was plenty of clerical work for me. Lists had to be prepared from the records of the ex-Cadets of their service. Good, bad, indifferent, only the good ones being selected and communicated with asking them if they would like to enlist in the new force on a temporary attestation of a year, to be renewed on agreement by both sides. If service was terminated on the expiration of the year, the passage fare home would be ..
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.. nice to be able to pop out for a "cup of" in nearby Lyons without wondering if you would be able to get back to the office safe and sound. The Gendarmerie gradually took shape and there came a time when my clerical duties shrank to almost naught. A definite date was fixed for the Gendarmerie to mobilise at Fort Tregantle , an old granite barracks just over the Cornish border . So leaving the Adjutant in solitary possession, I journeyed via Paddington to Plymouth, crossed th Tamar by the famous ferry, climbed the steep hill on the Cornish side and arrived at the fort, finding that a goodly number of the new force had already arrived. It was quite nice there , the ?? looked out over the sea below. The countryside even at that short distance was typically Cornish
There was plenty for me to do, the Adjutant was still in London . Bunf poured in. "out" and "in" files were in full use, and nominal rolls of newly formed Companies and Platoons had to be prepared. The Quartermaster Stores enjoyed themselves in issuing uniforms. Accessories and the hundred and one things that emerge from the "service woolworths"
The dress consisted of Stetson hat, khaki service uniform, green puttees, rather a striking contrast. The green puttees stressed the continuity of the Gendarmerie and the ex-Royal Irish Constabulary. The PG cap badge, oval in shape, and the shoulder titles PG were the emblems of this service. When not parading at the Quartermaster's stores for clothing and kit, the force went on route marches which were quite pleasant, not too much gear to carry and pretty countryside to explore. Squad drill was another diversion, which was not quite so pleasant.
Then came the day. The whole of the Gendarmerie in full dress, paraded in the Barrack Square, to be inspected by the commandant and have ?? of the whole force at first, and then companies and platoons separately. The next day the whole force marched down the steep hill sloping down to the Tamar. They boarded the SS Oxford, where after a night on board, they commenced their journey to Palestine. Once out of Plymouth Sound and into the Bay of Biscay, the weather changed for the worst. It blew and it blew until it seemed that we would all be blown away. Quite a number of the men suffered and were not anxious to visit the dining departments, or anywhere where there was a smell. Staying in bed became fashionable..... backwards and forwards on the floor. I did not care whether I reached Palestine or not, in fact I was rather in favour of retuning to England, or anywhere where I could remain steady
Once feeling brave I staggered up to the top deck, but seeing the masts sometimes on my right and sometimes on my left, with huge green waves pouring down the decks, I made my uneven way beck down the steps, determined to remain there until things became more normal. In the course of time the weather improved, sea sickness was overcome, and the top deck began to be in the fashion with men sunning themselves and enjoying the ?. We have heard from the ? that it had been a very heavy storm indeed, and worse than even the reputations of the bay enjoyed, so that we did not have anything to be ashamed about in being "out of sorts". It was very nice going down the coast of Portugal, the land could be seen quite plainly. The sea behaved itself and the sun shone brilliantly so that tunics were discarded and shirt sleeves rolled up.
Then Gibraltar loomed ahead, the vast rock glittering in the sunshine. We went ashore and visited all the sights, but were not lucky enough to see any monkeys, greatly to our disappointment. Then away through the straits en route for Malta where we visited well known spots , was inspected by the Commander in Chief of Malta, watched boys dive for coppers thrown overboard, and generally had a good time. Off once more, this time on the last lap. Very soon we sighted the coast of Palestine, and our destination was nearly reached. Haifa the gateway to the Holy Land, from there we went by train inland to Jaffa, where we boarded lorries for Sanafeud near Ramelah on the road to Jerusalem. Sanafeud was a big camp of Nissan huts, and had been a very busy place in the first days of the world war. ...and nearly all of the same type, we felt at home . It was normal to see incinerations from huts, canteens and the stale air from these service areas. After a few days rest the force was dispersed all over Palestine, Companies in Jerusalem, Beersheba, Nazareth and Hebron. I sampled every one of the companies, but of them all I liked Nazareth the best. not because of the force quartered in the old Turkish Barracks which were gloomy enough, but the lovely country around specially in Spring when the ground was covered in flowers. And the views from the hill on which the camp is built. West to Mount Carmel and the Sea. East to the Sea of Galilee, North to Syria and the mountains of Hebron covered in snow all year round and glittering in the sunshine. South to the barren hills of Judea, green and forbidding. I used to like to hear the tinkle of the Greek Orthodox Church overlooking Mary's Well. The view of the girls to the well, with upright pitchers, alas sometime petrol tins on their heads. Its memories stirred me strangely. and for centuries had the cold and refreshing spring water give refreshed comfort to the women. This well ????? too genuine to be treated as "Made in Birmingham", as anyone who has had to endure the dry heat of the Holy Land in summer realises
The city with its narrow winding streets, historic churches, convents and general historic atmosphere of the east. was the never ending source of exploration for me. In my spare time I would wander along gazing with wonder and delight into the open bazaar looking shops. I asked a shoemaker to make me a pair of leather shoes, he did. I still use them after over thirty years. A tribute to the craftsmanship. But alas Nazareth became of sad memories to me. My chum Teddie who had been in the Coldstreams all during the war and without copping it was together with two others shot in the back by Bedouins in a Ford car while escorting Sir Herbert Samuel to Damascus from Tiberius. They had swooped down on them from the hills overlooking a wadi, a narrow deep depression, and killed them before they could draw their revolvers. The remainder of the escort escaped. The bodies were brought back to Nazareth the same night and buried in the cemetery.My chum was married, but had joined the Gendarmerie as a single man, married men not being eligible. Consequently at first the authorities could not grant his widow a pension. But strings were pulled especially by the MP for his division and eventually she received one. Somehow or other I began to feel restive and discontented. I had a strong inclination to resign , eventually doing so and returning to England in SS Jarvis Bay from Port Said.