Order of the Day The history of the Arab Revolt during the Great War is well documented, but less well-known are the details of the Order of the Nahda. This was an order bestowed by King Hussein Bin Ali of the Hijaz upon British subjects for their services during this period. My father, K.J. Oldfield (of the wellknown Peninsula family) was a recipient of this Order and his stories of adventurous encounters make for a wonderful and colourful saga during this exciting period in history.
of Lawrence for setting up a small landing strip close to enemy lines. This resulted in a 45-minute ride across the desert to attend a dinner given by the famed Colonel, which seems to indicate Lawrence was far happier in semi-seclusion than in the company of the top brass.
our present day sophistication. The small scout planes flown by my Dad were, as the name suggests, used to uncover the whearabouts of enemy troops and warn the bombers. Interplane communications in those days consisted of flying a colourful streamer to show you were leading a flight to the correct destination! The wandering Arab tribesmen which Lawrence of Arabia made into an army were well in evidence. Dad's first encounter with the Bedouin was also his first with Lawrence. After he had sternly chased a ragged Arab out of a plane hangar, he encountered the same man in the Officer's Mess and it quickly dawned on him he had been ordering Lawrence himself about! During the course of their military escapades, my Dad and another pilot earned the personal praise
12-1173
As a young lieutenant, my Dad was trained to fly legendary aicraft such as Sopwith Pups and Bristol Scouts. There were no new planes for him, just "re-built jobs from the Western Front." Instrument flying was in its infancy, bombing was worlds away from being a precise science and night raids were carried out with none of
by Alixe Wallis
Looking for a Better Retirement Lifestyle? Let’s discuss it over lunch… Often the most lively and interesting conversations take place at the dinner table. Are you missing the simple pleasure of a good laugh, a fresh meal prepared and served at the table of your choosing, or just the notion that you are only steps away from wonderful amenities and a friendly staff to serve you? Then you owe it to yourself to visit Amica at Beechwood Village in Sidney. Please call 250.655.0849 to arrange a tour of our community and stay for lunch compliments of our Chef. Amica at Beechwood Village A Wellness & Vitality™ Residence 2315 Mills Road, Sidney, BC V8L 5W6 250.655.0849 • www.amica.ca 42
SEASIDE TIMES | november 2012
For his part in WWI air defence, my Dad was awarded the DFC together with the Order of the Nahda, an intricate and ornate insignia which is probably the only one in Canada. It was established to commemorate the revolt of the Hejaz against the Turks and is confined to people who actually took part in this series of battles. The colours are those of the Hejaz flag – white, black, green and red – and their significance reads like something from the"Arabian Nights." It's not noted that the Order was awarded to Lawrence, although he would in all eventuality have refused the honour because of his professed aversion to self-glorification. Perhaps this explains my Dad's reluctance to engage in the topic of war. The father I knew much preferred music, literary pursuits and driving his car with reckless abandon, preferably in undisturbed territory. I have memories of being driven over high and rocky Mt. Finlayson because he remembered riding a horse over that hilly terrain. His love of the written word was evident in the multitude of letters and poems he wrote, some even finding their way into print. We will never know the conversations which transpired at that long ago desert gathering with Colonel Lawrence; those youthful Royal Flying Corps pilots are all gone. But the Order of the Nahda remains, it's glowing lustre a reflection of another time and place, and a Remembrance Day reminder that departed spirits still shine as brightly as ever.