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[page 92]
1918
W.F.M. Ross and 29 men marched in from the Training Regiment. Major G.H.L. Harris, M.C., and 40 others went to Mafrak on October 16 and brought back 9 field guns, 15 machine guns, 14 unserviceable machine guns, 116 spars machine gun barrels, 6 automatic rifles, 1 armoured truck containing 2 machine guns, and 3500 rounds of field gun ammunition. Another gun was brought in from Samra later and Capt. F.H. Otton with two troops proceeded to the vicinity of Zerka to erect crosses over the graves of two men recently killed by Bedouins.
Seventy-one cases of gift stores were received from the Comforts Fund Depot at Kantaro, and were issued to the men. On October 25, Lieut.-Col. C.H. Granville, D.S.O., and 12 other ranks were evacuated with fever, and Lieut. Jarrett and 43 other ranks arrived from the Training Regiment, Moascar. A miniature rifle range was erected and Hotchkiss gun and rifle firing carried out. The usual day and night outpost line was held and escorts were detailed for R.E. parties collecting motor lorries from the direction of Zerka.
A guard of honour was formed in Amman on October 28 for the official hoisting of the flag of the King of Hedjaz, whose men were scattered about in irregular mounted bodies.
On October 30, the day of the signing of the Armistice by Turkey, the Regiment's Quartermaster, Capt. W.H. McKeown and 15 other ranks were evacuated with malaria, and Lieut. Markwell took over the duties of Quartermaster. Waggons were packed as orders had been received to move to Es Salt on November 1.
CHAPTER 11 10.
The Armistice - and Home.
We left Amman on November 1 and marched to Es Salt on our way to Richon once more, the 1st A.L.H. Brigade being the last of Chaytor's Force to march out of the hills of Moab and re-cross the Jordan. How quiet and empty of troops was the valley this time.
Richon-le-Zion was reached on November 5 and we settled down on the site were our clamp had been in January. Evacuations due to malaria had now dropped to about a dozen a week. The first party, consisting of 27 all ranks, to march out on "1914 leave" left on November 8. Three days