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[page 69]
1918
were found to be strongly entrenched, with good sangars built along the main approaches. After crossing the wady, the Regiment moved along the north bank until clear of the wire defences and halted until 0430 when "C" Squadron under Major Harris advanced along the wady with "B" Squadron on the left and got in touch with the enemy at 0500. "B" Squadron under Capt. Ryrie reported a squadron of cavalry on the left flank and "C" Squadron reported that the enemy were firing on the screen from the left bank of Wady Nimrin.
A 4.2 howitzer subsection opened fire on the sangars at Shunet Nimrin, the enemy shelled the Regiment's front line heavily, inflicting casualties; heavy batteries from the right bank of the Jordan replied and kept the enemy's fire down until dark when a withdrawal was ordered. The Regiment's casualties were 1 killed and 7 wounded - Cpl. Metcalfe and Cpl. Hagley died from wounds next day - while 9 horses were killed and 11 wounded. The Military Medal was awarded to 1642 Tpr. McInnes A. for gallantry in the field.
On April 20 Major Irwin, the regimental 2nd-in-command, returned from a Senior Officers' School of Instruction at Zeitoun. The usual patrols were sent out, getting into touch each morning with the enemy patrols who kept further afield and did not show much fight. An aeroplane flew low over us and rifle and Hotchkiss gun fire was opened on it, without result. A burying party from 1 L.H., consisting of 12 men under Lieut. Morrice was sent to report at the Anzac Clearing Station at Jericho. As the Indian cavalry had no Hotchkiss guns, two were taken from "B" and "C" Squadrons and placed in the trenches until further orders.
Lieut.-Col. Granville left camp at 0830 on April 25 with the light cars of the Brigade Staff and, accompanied also by an armoured car, proceeded to the head of the Dead Sea, bu saw no enemy there. A few old boats had been recovered and a detachment of the Naval Brigade patrolled the Dead Sea with two armoured launches.
Meanwhile our allies, the Hedjaz Arabs under the Emir Fiesal and Lieut.-Col. T.E.Lawrence, were operating against Mecca (Hedjaz) Railway, and also were reported to have reached as far as Madeba which is a village east and slightly south from the northern (or Jorden) end of the Dead Sea; its distance in a straight line from our Ghoraniye bridgehead was about 20 miles. Lieut. A.I. McDonald, intellengence officer to 1 A.L.H.