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confused with el Muntar passed on the way to Jericho). The Brigade marched in column of route along the main Jaffa-Jerusalem road, with intervals of 150 yards between Squadrons, as the traffic, motor lorries and camel convoys carrying food and ammunition, was very great. The enemy railway at this time had not been converted into the Egyptian standard guage nor linked up with the desert line. The Brigade's transport was in charge of Lieut. J.A. Markwell and moved in groups of six vehicles with 150 yards between groups. The Regiment was short of horses and 2/Lieut. Kingsford and 41 men were left in camp dismounted.
At Enab on the morning of March 7 the Regiment left the main road and branched off to Betunia which was reached at 1300. At midnight we were ordered to move on to Rummon. The enemy line was roughly from Taibiyeh along Wady Auja to the hill called el Munatir.
The colonel, accompanied by Major Harris and Lieut. Frost, went forward at 0800 to reconnoitre roads with the Brigade Major. The Regiment followed at midday to Rummon, with two sections of the M.G. Squadron under Lieutenants Ahearn and Greatorex, a detachment of engineers under Lieut. Jones, and two sand carts. On arrival we came under the orders of the 159th Brigade. Rations were drawn at Rumm Alla, as beyond this point wheeled transport could not go. The weather was cold and wet and the rocky country was rough on the feet of both men and horses, the farriers having a very busy time while on the march. On the evening of March 8 the Regiment received orders to be in position half a mile south of Taibiyeh by 0500 next morning.
We left bivouac at 0400, "A" Squadron being detailed to escort the 10th Mountain Battery over the Wady Jerir and hand it over to a battalion of the Cheshire Regiment (operating about square 113/8/3B Palestine Sheet XV). There was no road or track and the battery and its escort had to zig-zag downhill through scattered olive trees and slippery rocks. The battery was handed over at 1615 and "A" Squadron moved forward to operate on the infantry's right flank. Touch with the enemy was gained on Wady Auja and casualties were inflicted on them. A troop under Lieut. Macfarlane relieved the 1/7 Cheshires on the top of Najmeh at 1700 and an outpost line was held for the night from Nejmeh to el Munatir by "A" and "C" Squadrons and a section of machine guns under Lieut. Ahearn. Horses were watered from a native cistern developped by the engineers.