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[Page 31]
- were using them freely. The streets and roads were full of mounted and dismounted enemy, 300 cavalry and 200 infantry, the latter escaping in motor lorries and limbers. A large motor lorry full of enemy was escaping along the Amman road, firing as they went. Lieut. Taylor's troop raced after this lorry and stopped it. Two limbers were also seen escaping along the road, one of the drivers was shot and the two teams forced off the road, rolling down a 20 or 30 foot bank. Lieut. Taylor then pursued the retreating enemy a distance of 2 miles along the Amman road, collecting prisoners as he went. He could go no further than this as the enemy put up an organised resistance with machine guns, and Lieut. Taylor had only five men left. It was not possible for more of the Regiment to hve been up in time to assist Lieut. Taylor, as it was only practicable to pass through the town in single file. This rapid pursuit was the means of capturing a further 200 prisoners. The 8th Light Horse Regt., for the night, took up a position covering the junction of the Shunet Nimrin and Amman roads. The 9th Regiment was detailed to provide the outpost line protecting Es Salt from the north east to the north-west.
The original divisional instructions were that when two Brigades reached Es Salt the senior Officer would send one Regiment along the Amman road to point 2900, about 7 miles, to cover the track which leads from the south and cuts the Es Salt-Amman road near that point. The 5th Mounted Brigade had not yet arrived, but I considered it important that the above point should be secured as early as possible, as that is a track that fugitives, (if any), from Shunet Nimrin would take.
Accordingly as soon as it was moonlight - about 2200 - two squadrons of the 10th Regiment and 4 machine guns under Major Olden, were ordered to proceed to point 2900, (0.30), to block the track from Ain Es Sir where it joins the Es Salt-Amman road at that point. These two squadrons were held up 2,000 yards short of their objective by a Turkish force. Enemy infantry and cavalry were observed in position, local inhabitants stated that Djemal Pasha was in Suweileh with a body guard of 300 Circassian cavalry, and some infantry. Our two squadrons were far too few in number to attack the enemy positions, so remained in position, exchanging rifle and machine gun fire with the enemy and patrolling to the flanks. This detachment kept touch for some time with Brigade Headquarters at Es Salt by telephone, per wire laid by our signallers and by the Turkish wire but both these means were cut by some unauthorised person.
1st May
The following day when the 2nd Light Horse Brigade arrived, the enemy were attacked by the 5th Regiment and our two squadrons. The enemy retired and point 2900 was occupied by our forces. No further matters of interest developed until the afternoon of the next day, 1st May, when information was received that the 4th Light Horse Brigade had been forced to withdraw about 6 miles from their position, north of the Wadi Es Sidr, to a line near to Wadi El Abyad, and that several columns of enemy had been observed entering the foothills by the Jisr Ed Damieh-Es Salt track. Earlier in the day the Division had ordered me to support the 2nd Brigade at point 2900. At the time that news of the Turkish advance from Jisr Ed Dmieh was received, the 8th Regiment and 4 machine guns were moving to the point 2900 to support the 2nd Brigade and the two squadrons of the 10th Regiment and four machine guns there were moving back to Brigade Headquarters. Two troops of the 3rd Squadron of the 10th Regiment were on escort and guard duty in Es Salt. I had thus only two troops of the 10th Regiment available to despatch westwards to occupy a position on the Ed Damieh track and to hold up the advance of the Turks from that direction these two troops were at once despatched. Shortly afterwards instructions were issued by Division that the 2nd Brigade and the 8th Regiment should retire from point 2900, the 8th Regiment to rejoin this Brigade and one squadron to remain on the Amman road, 4 miles form Es Salt. One of the 10th Squadrons under Major Hamlin was there. At 2100 the first of the two squadrons sent to point 2900, rejoined the Brigade. It was immediately sent out to reinforce the two troops on the Ed Damieh track. About 0200 on the 2nd May the 8th Regiment returned to Brigade Headquarters.