Item 04: Leslie William Sutherland's account of operations of the 1st Squadron, A.F.C., 40th wing, R.F.C., 1917-1919 - Page 9

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RESUME OF OPERATIONS OF THE 40TH WING, ROYAL FLYING CORPS
2.11.17 - 8.11.17

RECONNAISSANCE.
The work of the 40th Wing during the week has naturally been intimately connected with the operations subsequent to the fall of BEERSHEBA which culminated in the capture of the whole enemy line from the sea to the E. of HARIERA resulting in a retirement of the enemy which by the end of the period under review was reported by air reconnaissance to have developed into a rout.

The strategical area was kept under constant observation the results being reported by message dropped on the CORPS concerned and, in addition, photographic reconnaissances were carried out daily and any fresh work was at once transferred to the map which was then reproduced photographically by the special staff working at NURAN Aerodrome and despatched together with any information of tactical importance to the CORPS, 6 issues of maps being made during the week.
Reconnaissance of the area affecting the right flank of our operations was rendered extremely difficult owing to the broken nature of the country which made it impossible to discover the presence of enemy troops as long as they remained stationary in the Wadis and movement observed could not be definitely located owing to the inaccuracy of the maps available, the contrast between the accuracy of reports which could be located on maps prepared from aerial photographs being very marked.
A detailed report of the daily information obtained is appended. On the 2nd. three reconnaissances and one photographic reconnaissance were carried out. Behind the KAUWAUKAH and BUSHDI systems and the extensions of and the extensions of the KAUWAUKAH system as far as VII (C.6) 2230 infantry were seen halted. 750 infantry were moving in column from HARIERA towards SHARIA and at the latter place 1025 cavalry were concentrated. In the area between the GAZA-BEERSHEBA road and the WADI HESI bodies of infantry (430 in all) and cavalry (160 in all) were moving E. and S.E. and a small party going W. towards GAZA. 420 infantry and 150 cavalry were halted along the line of the WADI HESI. There were also the usual scattered H.T. movement throughout the area. The shelters behind the KAUWAKAH & RUSHDI SYSTEMS had decreased in number. The railway line was seen to have been blown up in four places between BEIT HANUN & DEIR SINEID and both bridges across the WADI HESI were damaged by the fire of the Navy. There were 7 R.S. at NEJED and 32 R.S. at DEIR SINEID, 6 R.S. at BEIT HANUN, 20 R.S. at NEJED and 32 R.S. at K.22, and 30 R.S. at SHERIA.

Two reconnaissances and two photographic reconnaissances were carried out on the 3rd. The general trend of movement of the TURKISH reserves was towards the E. One column of cavalry 2000 strong was reported moving E. along WADI SHARIA AT 0730 and throughout the strategical area smaller parties of infantry and cavalry were seen converging towards the East flank. The early reconnaissance reported the two hospitals W. of BEIT HANUN gone and a further decrease in the shelters behind the KAUWUKAH & BUSHDI SYSTEMS. A hospital of 16 E.P. was also reported as having been erected at BURBERA. This was probably one of the hospitals from the BEIT HUNAN. 8 R.S. were counted at DEUR SINEID, 4 at HUJ and 30 at K.22.
Four reconnaissances and 2 photographic reconnaissances were carried out during the day of the 4th. Movement behind the enemy lines was not, as on the previous day, towards a particular area. No large parties of troops were seen on the march. The majority of the enemy troops seen were either halted or else moving in small parties, the direction of whose movements were various. The dumps were removed from DEIR SINEID during the night and the Road bridge over the WADI HESI repaired. On the right flank the enemy appeared to be holding a line from the trenches in VII (Sheet C. 6) to MERTINIA but troops were not seen further E. In the KH. UMM. BEGLER and KH. MURRA AREA a total of about 400 tents and shelters were counted.