b'LAWRENCE OF ARABIA THE TANK WARScan hereScan here JORDAN AND THE ARAB REVOLT for the fullTHE STEEL DEVILS OF THE WESTERN FRONTfor the full itinerary itinerary28 OctoberHistorical Background 1720 May 2025 Historical Background7 November 2025 Initially dismissed by critics as a sideshow, the Arab Revolt was one of the4 days If necessity is the mother of invention, then the tank was conceived in 11 days most successful campaigns of the First World War. Conceived and plottedExpert Historian: the cloying mud of the Western Front. The First Battle of Ypres (October-Expert Historian: by the Arab Bureau, a branch of British Military Intelligence, from their roomsSimon Jones November 1914) showed how the conflict was becoming a stalemate, in Cairos Savoy Hotel, Lawrence and his colleagues brought the idea of abogged down in muddy trenches, saps and craters, with both armies Prof Nicholas Saunders Bedouin uprising to life. Between 1916 and 1918, the Arab Revolt wroughtActivity Level: 2 settling into a bloody war of attrition and breakthroughs proving temporary Activity Level: 2 havoc and destruction upon Ottoman-Turkish forces, from the deserts ofand elusive. A new weapon was needed which could bring results so the Arabia to the gates of Damascus. Subsequently called the first modernidea of a Landship using the newly designed caterpillar track technology intelligence war, the Arab RevoltThe use of the tank along the Westernwas developed. Initially part of the Machine Gun Corps the tank, as it came This tour explores Jordans remarkableis the perfect example of whatFront is often subsumed into the narrativeto be known, was brought into the war in 1916 at the battle of the Somme. classical history and archaeology focussingwe might today call asymmetricof wider tours of the area. However thisMany broke down and the slow pace of movement endeared them to few. on Thomas Edward Lawrence better knownwarfare. Using guerrilla tactics andcan detract from the incredible storyBut at Cambrai (1917) British tanks succeeded in making a breakthrough, as Lawrence of Arabia. In Amman you willsuperior knowledge of geographybehind the development of what was toalthough this was not followed up. The limitations of tanks and their climb up to the ancient citadel and gazeand tribal alliances, the irregularbecome a potent weapon in the war ofcumbersome nature stimulated further advances in design and tactics. down on Roman and modern architectureBedouin forces, supported bymovement as the century progressedThe British Whippet was designed to exploit breaches in the enemy line and and explore many fabulous museums. ButLawrence, secured numerousand the tank became a key component ofwas faster (an eye-watering 8 mph against 34 mph for other models!). the real adventure starts as we begin todramatic victorieskeeping tensthe German Blitzkrieg strategy of WW2. trace the remains of the Hejaz railway thatof thousands of enemy troops tiedOn this tour we concentrate fully on theDespite some limited success it is unlikely that the tank made a significant was built by the Turks. During the Arab Revoltdown in static garrison duties tryinguse of the tank in the war and show howimpact on the defeat of Germany. Major General Sir Louis Jackson called in 1917-1918, the line was constantly underto defend their supply line - untilit soon made frequent appearances inthem freaks and suggested the tasks allocated them should be dealt with attack, and there are many extant traces oftheir eventual, triumphant entrymany battles along the Front. From theby other means. These hulking, cumbersome and unwieldy behemoths had the bitter fighting and defensive positionsinto Damascus on 1 October 1918. first appearance of the Mark I at the battlemade their debut; Major General Jackson could not have known that the from Amman to the border with Saudi Arabia.of Flers-Courcelette in September 1916future for the tank was only just beginning.Well jump on to the back of open 4x4s driventhrough to the unexpected tank on tank by knowledgeable Bedouins to travel deepDay 1 Arrival: Fly London to Amman or make your own arrangements to join battle of Villers-Bretonneux in April 1918 this into the desert and discover the remains ofthe tour at the hotel. Hotel in Amman - 3 nights. engaging tour explores the development stations, trenches, fortifications, airfieldsDay 2. Amman. Welcome meeting prior to a full day exploring Jordansand camps. Well drive amidst the golden- capital (B,L,D) and tactics of tank warfare paying red desert, admire dramatic wind-carvedattention to the rich narratives of tank Day 3 Arab Revolt and the Hejaz Railway: Ammans Hejaz Railway station anddevelopment, the unreliable technology, formations, scale massive sand-dunesmuseum, Martyrs Memorial Museum and Royal Tank Museum (B,L,D)and even spend a night in the desert in ourthe lessons learnt from their use, and the own luxury tent. We explore the rock-hewnDay 4. On to Aqaba! Following the Hejaz railway southward via Qatrana, punishing terrain over which they were Nabataean city of Petra and atmosphericJerowf-Dawish and Qalat Aneiza stations Thence to Abu al-Lissan andforced to move. We also learn of the men desert castles ending our tour at LawrencesAqaba (one night) (B,L,D) who fought and died in these unwieldy headquarters in Azraq. If you would like to seeDay 5. Wadi Rum. Subject to access, Arab Revolt museums in Aqaba and machines, the challenges of operating more, you can extend your stay to includeexplore the battle site. Wadi Rum - Lawrence Springs, Lawrence House. in confined spaces, the fear of getting the magnificent Roman ruins at Jerash,(one night luxury tented camp) (B,L,D) stuck or incapacitated, and the amazing stand where Jesus was baptised and enjoyDay 6 . Deep Desert Exploration. 4x4 travel following the route from Wadi Rum,camaraderie that the tank war engendered. Moses first view of the Holy Land. former RAF base at Disha, camp at Tooth Hill, track-bed of the railway to the Saudi border via Ottoman forts and stations at Tel Shahm, Ramlehand Mudawwara. Petra (three nights) (B,L,D)Day 7. PetraFull day at sitethe Treasury, the Royal Tombs, the Monastery, Qsar al-Bint and the Temple of the Winged Lion. (B,L,D) Day 1 1916 Somme: Travel London St Pancras to Lille via Eurostar or make your Day 8 . The Railway War. Batn el-Ghoul, climb Hill of Birds, landscape aroundown arrangements to join the tour at Lille Europe. Drive to Flers (first Tank Maan station. (B,L,D) attack), Pozires Tank Memorial. Drive to Arrashotel for 3 nights. (D)Day 9 . Little Petra, Crusader castles and Tafileh: Nabataean site at Siq al-BaridDay 2. 1917 Bullecourt & Cambrai: Battles of Bullecourt, Bullecourt Museum, Battle (Little Petra), Crusader castle of Shobek, battle site of Tafileh, Crusaderof Cambrai, Flesquires battlefield, Flesquires Hill British Cemetery, castle at Kerak. Return to Amman for last two nights. (B,L,D) Cambrai Memorial at Louverval (B, L, D)Day 10. Azraq and the Desert Castles. Azraq Castle and Qasr al-Kharaneh(B,L,D) Day 3 1918: Villers-Bretonneux, Cachy, Le Hamel, Battle of Amiens,Day 11 Depart: Fly Amman to London (B) Le Quesnel. (B, D)Extension Day 4. 1917 Ypres: Menin Road Tank Cemetery, Pond Farm replica Mk IV tank,Day 11 Jesus and Moses. Drive to the banks of the River Jordan to Bethany,Action at the Cockroft site near St Julien. Drive to Lille. Travel Lille EuropeESSENTIALS Elijahs Hill caves and baptismal pools, Mount Nebo, St Georges Church ESSENTIALS to London via Eurostar or perhaps extend stay in France. (B)4-star hotels, meals as indicated,in Madaba. Continue to Amman (two nights). (B,L,D) 4-star hotels, meals as indicated, drinks with dinner, all entrance fees,Day 12. Jerash. Full day at Jerash. (B,L,D) drinks with dinner, all entrance fees, tour manager and expert historianDay 13. Depart. Fly Amman to London or perhaps extend your stay in Jordan.tour manager and expert historian throughout, all internal travel,throughout, all internal travel, optional travel from UK. optional travel from UK.46 www.theculturalexperience.com I info@theculturalexperience.com I UK0345 475 1815 I USA(toll-free) 877 209 5620 www.theculturalexperience.com I info@theculturalexperience.com I UK0345 475 1815 I USA(toll-free) 877 209 5620 47'