A Soldier in Arabia A British Military Memoir

Why does an officer in an elite regiment - the Grenadier Guards - exchange a prestigious and privileged career in the British Army for service among desert tribes in harsh and unforgiving territory, and in the seemingly insoluble conflict of the turbulent Arab world? The answer lies in the long tradition of British military officers attracted by the romance and adventure engendered by a perceived British imperial notion of bringing peace and security to this troubled region. In this process, Arab society and culture have woven a unique spell among many a young Westerner, leading to warm, lasting and reciprocated friendships. Nigel Bromage's adventurous career, which spanned over 30 years, much of it in the Middle East, characterized all aspects of this relationship. It includes dramatic military action, much of it with the legendary Arab Legion in the first Arab-Israeli war and the struggle for Jerusalem, as well as service throughout much of Britain's remaining 'informal empire'. Soldier in Arabia is a revealing personal memoir of the Middle East, but much more - it sheds light, through dramatic and authentic personal experience, on how Britain pursued its interests in the enduring struggles of the Middle East first via highly trained and committed military officers

Nigel Bromage was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards in 1945 at the age of 18. In 1947, he was seconded to the Arab Legion and fought with them at the Battle of Latroun in 1948. He stayed with the Arab Legion until 1955 and then became Assistant Military Attaché in the British Embassy in Amman until 1961. In 1963, Bromage was sent to Saudi Arabia to set up the British Military Mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG), under the newly appointed commander, Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. He received an OBE for his work with SANG and stayed in the Arabian Peninsula for most of the rest of his service, first as an adviser to the Kuwait Liaison Team and finally as Military Adviser to the British Embassy in the UAE. He retired in 1979. Over the years, he has played an integral role in Saudi-British relations.

Sir Alan Munro was British Ambassador in Saudi Arabia 1989-1993 and Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East and Africa.

List of Illustrations	p. vii
Map	p. viii-ix
Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgements	p. xiii
Introduction	p. xv
My Early Life	p. 1
The Beginning, from 1945	p. 4
The End of the Mandate, 1948	p. 13
Jerusalem and After, 1948	p. 17
Lydda and Ramie, 1948	p. 21
Aqaba and the Wadi Araba, 1948	p. 39
Operations in the Wadi Araba, 1948	p. 45
Fauzi al Mulki's War, 1949	p. 49
The Departure of Norman Lash from the Division, 1949	p. 53
Back to the 2nd Regiment and the Shooting Truce, 1949	p. 56
Staff College and Marriage, 1954-56	p. 61
Cyprus, 1956	p. 67
Public Duties, 1957-58	p. 73
Amman, 1958	p. 77
Excursions, 1958	p. 90
Sam Spiegel's Film: Lawrence of Arabia, 1959	p. 101
Saudi Arabia, 1961-63	p. 107
Tin: a Eulogy for an English Springer Spaniel	p. 136
Service Attachés' and Advisers' Section (SAAS), Ministry of Defence, 1966	p. 142
Kuwait, 1968	p. 144
The Emirates, 1976-78	p. 149
Consultancies, 1978	p. 153
Appendix: Personalities	p. 159
Index	p. 165
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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A Soldier in Arabia A British Military Memoir from Jordan to Saudi Arabia

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