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[Page 48]
In Djemel Pasha's presence these produced the Sheriff's flag, displayed it on the Town Hall, and declared for the Sheriff, Djemel Pasha then, at 2 p.m., left the city by the Beirut Road.
By 0500 this Brigade was on the move, the 10th Light Horse Regiment (Lieutenant Colonel Todd, D.S.O.), forming the advance guard, with Major L.C. Timperly (C Squadron) commanding the Vanguard. The column descended to the main road at Dumar and moved along it south easterly into Damascus. Some delay was caused by the road being blocked by enemy transport and animals the result of our machine gun fire the night before. The head of the enemy column had been utterly overwhelmed, dead and wounded strewed the road and filled the houses on either side. In one place a flock of sheep which had evidently been accompanying the column had all been killed and a dog attempting to cross the road had perished. At Dumar station a train with troops aboard was captured. 483 prisoners were taken here together with fifteen machine guns, two 77 m.m. field guns, and large amount of gold and silver coin, and further along the road six more guns and fifteen machine guns were found abandoned. On entering the north-west suburbs a good deal of rifle shooting was indulged in by the inhabitants. Some of the shooting was sniping at the column. In a few cases the snipers were observed and the fire was returned. To discourage the sniping the vanguard moved on at the gallop, until it arrived in front of the Town Hall, where it halted. The time was now between 0630 and 0700. Major A.C.N. Olden, Second in Command of the 10th Regiment was up with the vanguard. Accompanied by Major Timperley, he entered the Town Hall. A large assembly of notables and people in uniform was in attendance. The civil Governor was asked for. Emir Said came forward and said:- "In the name of the civil population of Damascus I welcome the British Army" and then made a speech of welcome. A guide to the North-East or Aleppo Road was asked for. Emir Said detailed an Officer called Zeki Bey to act as such. This Officer stopped with the Brigade until the following morning but was more inclined to parade the column through the streets of Damascus than expedite our pursuit of the enemy along the Homs Road, so that shortly afterwards the offer of an English speaking resident of Jaffa, Mr. D.N. Tadros to guide us through the intricate and narrow streets of the city to the north-weast was gladly accepted. This gentleman had been exiled from Jaffa some time previously by Djemel Pasha owing to the former's English sympathies.
The advance guard then moved on, followed on by the remainder of the Bridge, passed through the city and moved on to the North-East road passing the English Hospital en route.
The 3rd A.L.H. Brigade were thus the first Allied Troops to enter Damascus. I understand that it has appeared in the press that the Sherifian forces were the first to enter. This is not so. His force had been moving up from Deraa with the 4th Cavalry Division, Col. Lawrence, of the Sherifian Army, with an escort pushed on to Damascus on the morning of the 1st October and were seen to enter the city a few minutes before 0800. By that time this Brigade had come and gone. As there were none of our troops left in the city at 0800, the absence of any British troops may have given rise in theminds of the Sherifians to the erroneous belief that they were the first to enter the city. Up to the time, (about 0700), that this Brigade completed its passage through the city thereby closing the only available exit for the enemy, no member of the Sheriff's army was visible in any part of the city within view of this Brigade.
As the main body of the Brigade marched through large numbers of the enemy were observed on our right about the Government Buildings and the Baramkie Barracks. They showed no signs of opposition or hostility. All lines of retreat were closed to them; moreover it was essential that this Brigade should gain the Homs road and press on in pursuit of the enemy retreating along it with all speed possible. The enemy in the town was therefore passed by and left to be dealt with later. Eventually it was reported that the 4th L.H. Brigade had collected upwards of 12,000 there. As the Brigade passed through the streets the crowd gave vent to loud acclamations and every sign of joy, and distributed flowers and fruit amongst the troops. When the advance guard reached the north-east outskirts, information was received that the Bridge over the Wadi Maraba was held by Germans with