The Arab Legion Insignia

Norman Oliver[1] Lash (1908–1960)[2] OBE was a British police officer seconded to the Jordanian Arab Legion. On 15 May 1948, Brigadier Norman Lash was handed the field command of the operations of the Arab Legion in Palestine.[3]

He appointed Abdullah el Tell to lead the offensive on Jerusalem during the 1948 Palestine war, the war for which he was criticised by many British officials for being the field commander of an Arab army. A representative of the British chief of staff, described Glubb Pasha, and his two senior aides, Norman Lash and Ronald Broadhurst as "Soldiers of fortune of British nationality" during the 1948 war.[4]

Ironically, he was also criticised by Arab officers, as being more of a politician than a military leader. He negotiated the Jordanian-Israeli armistice agreement, that resulted in what came to be known as the green line. Norman Lash reached the rank of Major General, and was retired from Jordan's Arab Legion on 1 April 1951. He was replaced by Brigadier Sam Sidney Arthur Cooke of the Lincolnshire Regiment. According to Ma'an Abu Nawwar, an Arab officer in the Arab Legion Norman Lash had less experience as a soldier, compared to his successor Cooke.[5]

Honours

1943 – Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division)[6]

1947 – Third Class of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance[7]

1943 – Third Class of the Order of Independence[8]

References

  1. ↑ Archives, The National. "The Discovery Service". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  2. ↑ England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006
  3. ↑ Arab Armies of the Middle East Wars 1948-1967
  4. ↑ The Road to Jerusalem: Glubb Pasha, Palestine and the Jews By Benny Morris Page 123
  5. ↑ The Jordanian-Israeli war, 1948-1951: a history of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan page 393
  6. ↑ "Page 4540 | Supplement 36209, 12 October 1943 | London Gazette | The Gazette". The London Gazette. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  7. ↑ "Page 2190 | Issue 37956, 16 May 1947 | London Gazette | The Gazette". The London Gazette. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "Page 4321 | Issue 36189, 28 September 1943 | London Gazette | The Gazette". The London Gazette. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
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