MacNamara diary, 19 August 1916-29 May 1919 / John Patrick MacNamara - Page 74
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[Page 74]
May 22nd
Left this afternoon on a long stunt to a place called Asluj some 15 miles below Beersheeba. Set out at 2 pm on 22nd & did not get back to camp till midnight on 23rd riding practically all the time. We arrived at our destination at about 6 am next morning having covered about 43 miles. Going home however we went by a shorter route of about 37 miles. We must have travelled easily 80 miles on this stunt.
Met with practically no opposition except for some shots fired at us by Bedouins of whom we saw a fair number.
We blew up a long railway bridge over a wadi at Asluj station. The Bridge has 15 spans in it & was well made of sandstone. We also blew up some miles of railway with gun cotton.
Quite near the station was a village that had probably been used as a frontier post as it contained a big barracks that had been used by cavalry. The line was narrow gauge about 3'6" & ran from Beersheeba to a place called