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[Page 15]
Nov. 9.
At 1630 on 9th November the following order was received from the Australian Mounted Division:- "Anzac Mounted Division is marching from Burier to Beit Duras" - "Australian Mounted Division will march from Huj station as starting point on to the line Arrak El Menshiyeh-Falujeh."
In accordance with these orders the 3rd L.H. Brigade moved at 1645 from Huj and carried out duties as advanced guard to the Division on the night march. Signallers were dropped at every half mile to guide troops in rear by flashing O.K. intermittently on the signal lamps. The route to be taken was via Northern side Kh El Hummum - Kh Zei Dan - Tel El Hesy, through very rough country. The night was dark. One of the Divisional Staff Officers doubted the ability of the Division to reach it's dawn objective by night march through country so rough that had to be crossed during the night. We had, however, often before marched by night in the presence of the enemy over unknown country by compass bearing so the Brigadier was confident that the Brigade, as advanced guard would be in the required position by the time ordered. At 2400 on 9th November the Brigade halted at a point on the Turkish railway 1½ miles south of Ara El Menshiyeh, having watered in the pools of the wadi Hesy on the way. Patrols were pushed forward and at once reported Arak El Menshiyeh unoccupied by the enemy.
Nov. 10.
At 0600, 10th November, the Brigade moved forward to Arak El Menshiyeh and at 0730 the enemy opened up a battery of 6 guns on the Brigade from the direction of Zeita. A few casualties were suffered as a result of enemy shelling. It was laughable to see the rapid movements of the inhabitants of the village in taking cover when the Turkish shells burst near the village, men, women and children stampeded from the huts with shrieks and howls and promptly hid in the numerous cisterns which had been dug for storage of grain in the vicinity. The result of the air raid by our planes the previous afternoon at Arak El Menshiyeh were observed. Heaps of enemy dead and 7 burnt aeroplanes were discovered. The enemy aerodrome had been successfully bombed.
A line of observation posts were established north and north-east of Arak El Menshiyeh. Horses were taken in small numbers to water from the wells in the village. The supply was very limited and the Brigade had not completed watering by 1700. The wells were very deep, varying from 100 to 300 feet in depth. The oil engines and pumps had all been removed or totally destroyed by the enemy, and the only means of getting the water up was by buckets and ropes, a very tedious process. The enemy continued to shell the line and places of watering.
The 3rd A.L.H. Brigade was in visual communication throughout the day with the 4th A.L.H. Brigade in the neighborhood of Falujeh.
At 1200 enemy infantry, accompanied by guns was observed at Sumeil, and orders were received from the Division that the 4th A.L.H. Brigade was moving to attack the enemy, and as soon as the attack developed, the 3rd A.L.H. Brigade to pivot on right and to assist attack of the 4th A.L.H. Brigade.
At 1545 the 4th A.L.H. Brigade moved to attack Summeil from the west. The 5th Mounted Brigade from the south-west and the 3rd A.L.H. Brigade from the south. By dark, (1715), the attack had not fully developed, delay took place in getting in touch with the 4th A.L.H. Brigade, and it was decided that the Brigades would not push in the dark.
Supply columns were now finding it difficult to keep up with the mounted troops in their rapid advance. Rations began to be received by the forward troops late, and immediately on being off loaded had to be taken up to the troops in the front line, sometimes under heavy fire. Through the later, and later arrival of the rations, one day's rations were lost to men and horses, as in the army arrears of rations are never made up.
At 2000 the Brigade held the following battle night out post line:-
Atak El Menshiyeh to railway bridge V7d sheet 1/63360, (8tyh L.H. sector,