Looking for Colonel St. John "Jack" Philby

[AdamG]

Moving right along... :cool:

Anyone done any reading or research on Colonel St. John "Jack" Philby?

[davidbfpo]

Thread created here from a post on the thread on Lawrence of Arabia:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=5330, IIRC there is a link between the two men. PM to Adam G.

[Jedburgh]

His actions and influence are discussed quite a bit in Priya Satia's Spies in Arabia: The Great War and the Cultural Foundations of Britain's Covert Empire in the Middle East (http://www.amazon.com/Spies-Arabia-Cultural-Foundations-Britains/dp/0199734801/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273408739&sr=8-1). Although I don't really recommend the book, you may find the chapter notes useful, as she did do a thorough job of documenting primary sources. Plenty of useful leads, if you have the time and ability to hunt them down.

As regards the book itself, if you've already read all the others on the subject that I mentioned here (http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showpost.php?p=70778&postcount=417), and your interest hasn't waned, then perhaps you may find it worth the read.

[davidbfpo]

Discovered in a sort-out of old journals.

In November 2005 several Home Office files were released relating to harry St John Philby, father of the Soviet agent, Kim Philby. The files relate to Philby's detention in India in WW2, deportation and internment in the UK. the papers can be found in the file: HO 45/23780.

[davidbfpo]

Philby Senior appears in this new newspaper article on Kim Philby:
Harrison suggests that Philby's father, St John Philby, was the most powerful influence in Kim's life. The Arabist, explorer, colonial intelligence officer and eccentric kept his friends in MI6 though he was far from loyal to Britain and British interests in the Middle East.

Link:http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/defence-and-security-blog/2012/sep/27/espionage-mi6?CMP=twt_gu

Perhaps the cited book has more?

[AdamG]

Other sources definitely support that he had a profound influence on his son.

Thanks.

[davidbfpo]

AdamG,

You may find this new book of value, Loyal Enemies British Converts to Islam, 1850-1950, by Jamie Gilham, just published by Hurst.

The publisher's advert says:
A well-researched and extraordinary account of British converts to Islam, ranging from my great-grandfather’s elder brother Henry Stanley, first Muslim peer of the realm, to "Harry" St John Philby, uncritical fan of Ibn Saud and Wahhabism. They all swam resolutely against the tide of public opinion of their day.

[AdamG]

Oh hey, thanks - just saw this. I'll look into that.

[davidbfpo]

From a long, mainly historical explanation, by Alistair Crooke: 'You Can't Understand ISIS If You Don't Know the History of Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia':http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alastair-crooke/isis-wahhabism-saudi-arabia_b_5717157.html?

[davidbfpo]

In this article 'Middle East Time Bomb: The Real Aim of ISIS Is to Replace the Saud Family as the New Emirs of Arabia'.

There are several paragraphs about Colonel St. John "Jack" Philby.

Link:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alastair-crooke/isis-aim-saudi-arabia_b_5748744.html