Through Palestine with the Twentieth Machine Gun SquadronUnknown
History
Through Palestine with the Twentieth Machine Gun Squadron
Unknown
Great Britain. Army. Machine Gun Squadron, 20th -- History; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
When would orders arrive for us, on the beach, to move? Patiently waiting
and expecting, nothing however came! Suddenly at 07.00, the troops in front
were seen mounting, and at length the surprising order came through to us
that the entire Division was _to make its way to Nazareth_--quite 50 miles
behind the enemy's line, as the crow flies!
The 13th Brigade, being on the sands in front of the 14th, was to lead this
movement. The Poona Horse were to be the leading regiment of the 14th, with
ourselves (the 20TH MACHINE-GUN SQUADRON) immediately behind them.
"GET BACK OUR GUNS".
Upon advancing a short way up the coast, we reached what had been the
British front line, and evidences of the morning's action were to be seen,
as here and there several dead men and mules were lying about. As we passed
by this spot, an officer of an Infantry Machine-Gun Company called out to
us: "Good luck, get us back our guns. They raided us this morning and
captured two!"
A few yards further on, the old Turkish line was reached and a number of
killed and wounded Turks and animals were to be seen here also.
Right along the coast we went, "without let or hindrance," the high cliffs
affording us protection from the few shells coming over, nearly all of
which fell into the sea. The pace was killing, and the sand and rocks made
it heavy going for the horses. They were very fit though, thanks to the
hard training they had had at Deiran!
Still proceeding northward, about six miles along the coast, the cliffs
suddenly gave way to flatter ground; here we turned inland in a
north-easterly direction. Reports reached us that about 200 enemy infantry
(with transport) were in a wood on our right flank. "No. 1" Section and one
squadron of Poona Horse were detailed as "flank guard" to prevent the enemy
leaving the wood until the Brigade had passed by. The flank guard, however,
were instructed not to trouble to dispose of this small party, as bigger
"fish" were in view.
At 11.30 the Brigade had reached the Nahr Iskanderun. After crossing slowly
by two small, very shaky, bridges, units hurriedly watered here,
independently, by means of buckets, the banks of the stream being very
steep. The country now became delightful, cultivated, everywhere, with
orange groves and gardens. At 12.30 the Brigade, winding its way through
the groves, came out into the pretty little Village of Liktera (a Jewish
settlement called by them Hudeira), 26 miles from the starting point. The
inhabitants were overjoyed to see us, and as a halt was made here, and
horses off-saddled and fed, they soon made us at home with gifts of bread,
eggs and milk, refusing to take any payment therefor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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