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[page 81]
1918
R.H.Q. had been established by 0800 in square 113/V18C to direct an attack on The Bluff, but as "C" Squadron had been unable to move up along the Roman Road owing to shellfire, R.H.Q. had been withdrawn to 113/Y/23A. By this time prisoners were coming in from all sides and a great number of the enemy had been killed or wounded. The Regiment's casualties during the attack were:- Lieutenants Taylor, Macfarlane and Goodchild wounded, 6 other ranks killed and 30 wounded, 8 horses killed, 17 wounded. German prisoners numbering 170 were taken, including a percentage of officers, also 3 machine guns, 17 automatic rifles and about 100 rifles.
A little after dark the enemy put up a heavy barrage of shell fire just in front of the wire and another attack was anticipated, but the Germans were only gathering their dead and wounded outside the barbed wire entanglements and had apparently had had enough. Prisoners told us that the Turks had let them down by not attacking on the flanks as arranged, and also that they did not expect to find the Anzac Division holding the line as the German Intelligence had assured them we were resting at Bethlehem. Captured maps showed that the enemy had accurate information in regard to our wire and dispositions. One of the objectives of the attack was to get command of the good water in Wady Auja and it was said that the Turks had been kept on a short ration of water for several days prior to the attack.
Orders were received at 1800 that The Bluff, Abu Tellul Right Post and Vale Post were to be held during the night by 1 L.H. "C" Squadron held The Bluff, "A" Squadron Abu Tellul and "B" Squadron Vale Post. The night was spent in collecting war material, ammunition etcetera, and in burying the dead Germans which lay nearest the trenches. Next morning all squadrons reported in camp six men of "B" Squadron being wounded by shell fire on coming out of the trenches, and "B" Squadron had to move their horse lines about 200 yards south as the enemy were shelling them, 18 horses being killed.
The Bluff - Abu Tellul line was again held on the night of July 15/16 by "A" Squadron, with one troop in Vale Post, while a party from "C" Squadron buried our dead and the Germans killed on July 14.
At 1700 the enemy again shelled the bivouac area with 4.2 guns, killing 4 and wounding 7 horses.