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[Page 47]
leading north west to Beirut along which the main line of retreat of enemy troops to Damascus lay, while the 3rd L.H. Brigade, were to make their way to the N.E. road leading to Homs and Aleppo and block that line of retreat. The Brigade at once moved off, 9th Light Horse Regiment and 6 machine guns forming the advance guard. After a short advance over rough hilly country the Brigade reached a point about 1 mile S.W. of the village of Dumar. Reconnaissances soon showed that the nature of the terrain was such that an advance across country over Jebel Kasiun was impossible. The only alternative was the main road from Dumar through Er Rabue and then through the northern end of Damascus itself. In preparation of this the leading squadron of the 9th Light Horse Regiment and four machine guns took up a position on the high ground immediately S.W. of Dumar. Large bodies of the enemy were seen to be retreating along the road from Damascus to Beirut. They were in a closely formed column of infantry, transport and guns. This column was caught at effective range by the fire of our rifles and machine guns. Those who had passed before our occupation of the high ground commanding the road above Dumar were caught by the fire of the 5th Light Horse Brigade further to the west, while still further west again a squadron of the 8th Light Horse Regiment was also in position commanding road and railway. It is estimated that at least 700 casualties were inflicted on the enemy in this gorge of the Barada, in addition hundreds of animals were killed; horses, cattle, donkeys, sheep and dogs. The remainder of the column lost heart and returned back to Damascus and no doubt formed the bulk of the 12,000 prisoners who were collected there next morning. The Beirut road was thus closed at sunset on 30th September. A visual station had been sent out to get communication with Division and through it orders were now received for the Brigade to bivouac in its present position for the night and march for the Homs road at 0500 the next day in pursuit of enemy retreating to the north east. Loud explosions were heard in Damascus, and the flames of burning stores lit up the skies throughout the night.
The 9th Light Horse Regiment and 6 machine guns remained all night in position above Dumar sweeping the roads by fire and preventing any escape along this route by the enemy. Such targets are more dreamed of than realised by machine gunners.
At 1910 two troops of the 9th Regiment, (Lieutenants Hargrave, M.C. and Lieutenant Masson), reconnoitred the village of Dumar and found same clear of enemy, except for dead, sick and wounded and a few stragglers. The main road to Damascus was packed with transport but with little trouble would be passable to mounted troops. The bridges over the Barada were intact. A Turkish guard was still on sentry at the railway station.
Notwithstanding rough country and the delaying action fought by the enemy south of Sasa, the Brigade had covered 34 miles in 26 hours without off saddling, except for one hour at Sasa.
1st Oct.
The situation in Damascus at this time, it was afterwards ascertained, was as follows: Djemel Pasha, Commander of the Turkish IV Army arranged to hold a meeting of the Notables of Damascus at the Municipal Gardens at 4 p.m., on 30th September, 1918, for the purpose of handing over to Shukri Pasha Ayoubi the Military Governorship of the City. The last mentioned person was an Arab, formerly in the Turkish army and favourable to the Sheriff of Mecca. There was in the city at this time a person of Algerian birth named Emir Said. This man had been for some time past employed by the Turkish Government in raising a volunteer force of Arabs to fight against the Sheriff. Emir Said's sympathies were really in favor of the Sheriff, but he had disguised the fact and drew arms, and ammunition and money from the Turks.
Some time prior to 2 p.m. on the 30th news was received in the city that the British Cavalry were approaching. A report was also circulated in the city that the Germans intended to burn the city before they left. Shukri Pasha Ayoubi and Emir Said then went to Djemel Pasha and informed him that they would not allow the city to be burned and advised Djemel Pasha to leave the city forthwith and stated that if he would not, he would be attacked by the local Arabs.