Information AboutArab Legion |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT ARAB LEGION | |
| british colonial regiments | |
| 1948 arab-israeli war | |
| history of jordan | |
| military of jordan | |
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CREATION In 1921 , the Hashemite Emir Abdullah I Of Transjordan raised an armed force of 1,000 men and called it the "Transjordan Frontier Force." The name changed to the "Arab Legion" in 1923 . The force was formed by Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Gerard Peake as a police force to keep order among the tribes of Transjordan and to guard the important Jerusalem - Amman road. Originally, the Transjordan Frontier Force consisted of only 150 men and most of them were stationed along Transjordan's roads. , commander of the Arab Legion (1939-1956)]] In 1939, John Bagot Glubb , better known as Glubb Pasha , became the Legion's commander and transformed it into the best trained Arab army. WORLD WAR II During World War II , the Arab Legion took part in the British war effort against pro- Axis forces in the Middle East Theatre . By then the force had grown to 1,600 men. The Legion, part of Iraqforce , contributed significantly in the Anglo-Iraqi War and in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign . These were two decisive early victories for the Allies . 1948 ARAB-ISRAELI WAR 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 during the conflict 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 were involved in the Kfar Etzion Massacre . On May 28 , 1948 , aided by Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car s, they conquered the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City (i.e. inside the walls of the Old City), expelled the Jews who lived there and took part in the destruction of the Synagogue s therein. The Legion also secured the West Bank for Transjordan. AFTERMATH Following the war, the Legion was reformed as the Army Of Jordan . SEE ALSO BOOKS
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