World War, 1914-1918 -- Australia; World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Palestine
They rode away in the sunrise, the advanced squadrons trotting out after
the ground scouts, the flank patrols galloping wide; Brigade after
Brigade rode out over the rolling sandhills. The men were eager, the
horses fought for their heads. The swords of the Yeomanry flashed and
Indian lances glinted from each successive skyline. It was like a war
scene of the picture galleries. Quickening the pace, the Regiments raced
on past our guns, most of which were already limbered-up for the
pursuit. The infantry, busy with their prisoners, cheered them as they
passed, and soon they were speeding down on Turks who had fled from the
onslaught of the infantry. But their sport with sword and lance was
brief. In this Sharon sector, the enemy had no forward reserves, no
second-line trenches. The Turkish front here had depended for its safety
on a one trench system. From the crossing of the trenches until they
reached the Esdraelon Plain, late in the night, the cavalry encountered
no resistance. Once or twice they sighted small bodies of the enemy and
made for them at the gallop. But the Turks would not give battle. Before
the campaign was three hours old there began the long series of almost
bloodless surrenders which were to be the most amazing feature of the
sleepless fortnight.
The perfection of our organization was revealed very early. The cavalry
was scarcely clear of the trench system before scores of field guns were
rumbling in their wake. And, pressing on after the artillery by many
tracks, good and bad, went mile after mile of camels and wheeled
transport. Where the cavalry went the supplies must follow; and the
cavalry rode from forty to fifty miles between sunrise and midnight.
With nothing to check them, their pace was controlled only by the
endurance of their horses. The men rode light; they carried only one
blanket, and that as a saddle-cloth. Tent sheets and waterproofs were
forbidden. It was a wild ride against time. But horses were loaded with
three days’ rations, and few carried less than 250lbs.—many of them more
than 280lbs.
ESDRAELON PLAIN
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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