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
Here it might be mentioned that the work of the R.A.F. was truly wonderful.
Prior to the "stunt," in order to ensure that the enemy should not be aware
of the massing of our cavalry just before the attack and their subsequent
movements after the infantry had broken through, they flew continually over
the enemy aerodromes and prevented enemy airmen from rising. Perhaps it
should be said they rather tempted them to do so, but--they never did!
Consequently, on the day of our attack, the enemy had no information at all
of what was happening, as his planes were on the ground and remained there
until they were either burnt or captured. They certainly would not rise! At
El Fule a very large aerodrome had been established, and a large collection
of enemy machines was found there. It was not long before these were joined
by some of our own which arrived almost as soon as it had been taken.
During the day the 13th Brigade had been dealing with Nazareth, and that
night our Brigade slept at El Fule. Next morning we were to go southwards
to Jenin (which might or might not have been captured), and clear the
intervening country.
FOOTNOTES:
[22] _About a mile south of the site of the present station at El Fule
was the scene of a great battle between the French and the Turks, on
April 16th 1799, called the Battle of Mount Tabor. Kleber with about
1,500 men kept 25,000 Syrians at bay; he was almost defeated when
Napoleon with 600 men arrived. The Turks, thinking a large army was
upon them, fled. Here also are ruins of a church of the Crusaders,
destroyed by Saladin._
JENIN[23] CROWDED WITH ABANDONED MATERIAL.
With this end somewhat in view, Lieut. Kindell was ordered to fix up two
machine-guns in a captured Boche motor-car, and, acting as left "flank
guard" to the Brigade, was directed to go to Jenin by a road running
parallel to, and on the left of, the one to be taken by the Brigade. When
fitted up the car looked quite formidable. Lance-Corpls. Fox and Fuller and
Ptes. Boak (with signal flags) and Franklin accompanied him. The driver of
the Brigade car was lent for this special occasion.
After re-filling with German petrol in the morning, they started off upon
their journey. They soon came up with all kinds of derelict enemy transport
and Turkish stragglers coming in. At one point ahead, could be seen a crowd
of people (which proved to be natives) around some deserted enemy motor
lorries. A troop of "S.R.Y." (detached from the Brigade for the purpose),
came galloping over, but, as already stated, they proved to be only
villagers looking about for some "plunder," and they were soon sent about
their business. Further on Lieut. Kindell's car was joined by two other
cars of the "Light Car Patrol" each with a machine-gun, so that the party
now consisted of three cars with four guns.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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