Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 25]
The situation became quiet with intermittent enemy shelling and machine gunning.
Congratulations on the good fight put up were received from the 20th Corps and Deserted Mounted Corps Commanders during the day. Parties burying, own and enemy dead were kept busy throughout the day. Enemy dead in front of our position had to remain unburied for several days. On attempting to reach the bodies our troops came under very heavy enemy machine gun and rifle fire.
At 1700 on 1st December, 1/4th Royal Scots Fusiliers moved from the 3rd A.L.H. Brigade area at El Burj, and marched to Latron. Cheers were exchanged between the Scotchmen and the Australians as the former moved off. One Scott [Scot] was heard by his C.O. to say to another:- "Those are the sort of men I like to support, you will find them in the firing line when you get up there to support them - you won't have to bring them back with you."
The disposition of the Brigade remained - 8th Light Horse Regiment holding right sector, 9th Light Horse Regiment left sector, and Gloucester Yeomanry in support 400 yards north of El Burj. A state [of] trench warfare now existed, but in place of trenches, stone sangars were erected. The Turks occupied Shilta - Belain and Suffa, but gradually fell back on to the line Kuddis-Kurbeth-Ibn-Harith-Kefr Namah. Until 27th December, Australian Mounted Division held the sector of the line opposite these places, gradually pushing the line forward and consolidating. Two of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Brigades were relieved in turns for a few days from the line by the third one during this period. The Headquarters of the 3rd Brigade were established at several different places in the area. Heavy rains fell and much discomfort and cold were experienced by all ranks. Life in the rocky and high hills was now the extreme of that spent for so long in the sands of the Sinai desert. Supplies were received regularly but often there was an unavoidable short issue. Supply columns between rail head and Latron often failed to get through on account of the boggy nature of the only available tracks. The enemy showed very little activity; close observation was being kept.
The enemy's positions at Kefr Namah-Harith-Jurdeh and Kuddis were daily shelled by our artillery. Any appearance of enemy in his defence works would immediately be followed by the opening of our guns on to him, and he now always aimed for concealment. Any additional work to his defences were carried out during the night. The situation all along the Divisional line became exceptionally quiet, only an occasional machine gun burst could be heard. Sniping and rifle fire had practically ceased.
Although wet and wintry conditions prevailed, all ranks were gradually bivouacing under more comfort. Many were forced to remain wet for several days, but all were now becoming more or less used to these conditions. Strong defences, (chiefly sangars), were built all along the line. Enemy aeroplanes became active and two or three times daily flew over our lines, sometimes at a low altitude.
On 12th December advice was received that enemy aeroplanes had raided and bombed the horse camp, (1 mile east of Surafend) - at 1500 on the previous day and at 0700 that day, 12th December, inflicting casualties of 7 other ranks wounded and 34 horses killed, and 58 wounded. The Brigade horses were moved from Deiran to Ludd, and thence to Katra. Camp areas quickly became quagmires, and the horses were feeling the cold and wintry conditions very much. The issue of forage was short, very often on account of transport difficulties along the line of communication and for a period of 11 days the issue of grain was reduced to one half, and tibbin was often not an [on] issue. With 1 man to 4 horses the attention given to horses was limited, and the Brigade horses went back considerably in condition and appearance.
Reference map - Palestine sheet 1/63360, sheet 17.
Dec. 14.
10th Light Horse Regiment rejoined the Brigade from on detachment with 20th Corps at Jerusalem, (see account of 10th L.H. Regiment operations previous). Only occasionally, and then very little, was enemy movement observed. Road and track making in Wadi Muslieb were proceeded with.
On 21 December reconnaissance by Brigadier and Regimental Commanders was