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Chapter XXVI. North to Ayun Kara.

When the Regiment started for Beersheba to rejoin the brigade, it actually began one of the most notable treks of the campaign. It left at 12.30 p.m., and just had time to draw fodder and rations and water for the horses before moving on with the brigade on a 60 mile ride across Philistia, to the left flank, which was still moving north behind the retreating Turks. Sheria was reached by midnight, after which the pace became much slower than it had been owing to some wadis having to be crossed in single file. Some men and horses fell down the steep banks. At 3.30 a.m. a halt was called, and the tired men tumbled off their horses almost asleep. Rain fell before the march was resumed at dawn, but few there were who felt it. At 7.30 Jemmaleh was reached, and there a halt of two hours was made. Some water existed at the place, but it was guarded by engineers, who refused to allow it to be used.

Pushing on through the rich rolling country, over which there was much wreckage of war, the New Zealanders arrived at Tel El Hesy at 1.30, finding some fine pools of water in the wadi, the result of the rain of the previous night. The north side of the wadi had been heavily entrenched, no doubt as a second line of defence. The march was continued at 2.30, the brigade passing through the lovely emerald village of Bureir, and on to Hammame, where it was bivouacked. Over the last few miles the pace was very poor, owing to wadis having to be crossed in the darkness. They "boiled up" that night page 162with muddy water secured at Hesy. When dawn broke they found that they were in the orange-growing country. The horses were taken two and a-half miles to the sea coast for water, and the men drew drinking water at a German mill. Fodder and rations did not come until late, and when the Regiment moved on again the horses had had only eight handfuls of barley each. That night the Regiment bivouacked two miles north of Kh Sukereir, and the following morning, each man carrying fodder and rations for two days, it moved on to join the other regiments of the brigade, which that day was to fight the battle of Ayun Kara, its most severe engagement of the campaign.

The C.M.R., who were the advanced guard, got into touch with Turkish outposts at 11 a.m. They pushed on, but by mid-day were definitely checked. Orders were immediately issued to attack the enemy, whose main positions were on a series of hills, with long slopes between them and the sand hills of the coast. The C.M.R. was on the right of the line, the W.M.R. in the centre, and the A.M.R. on the left. The regiments advanced in line of troop column, and soon were under long range machine-gun fire. There being some high ground on the right front of the A.M.R., the 3rd squadron, under Major Twistleton, was sent forward to secure it, the other two squadrons taking cover from direct fire in depressions. As the W.M.R. pressed on towards the main position, some cavalry appeared on the left front of the A.M.R., and Colonel McCarroll, who had been viewing the position from the 3rd squadron's hill, ordered the 11th squadron to advance as rapidly as possible to ascertain the strength and position of the threatening force. Heavy rifle and machine-gun fire prevented the page 163squadron getting to the required position, so two troops of the 4th squadron (Lieutenants M. E. Johnson and Ryan) were detailed to gallop straight at it. This sudden and vigorous move evidently upset the enemy, for they reached the spot with very few casualties, the enemy retiring quickly. Under cover of the fire from the 3rd squadron the other two troops of the 4th squadron pushed on to secure some high ground to the left of the W.M.R., who continued to advance steadily. As soon as the 4th squadron had gained their objective, the 3rd squadron was drawn into support, and the 11th was sent forward on the left of the 4th. Covered by the 4th, the 11th advanced steadily, but for some time they did not reach any point where they could get a view of the enemy, although heavy rifle fire was coming down all the valleys from the higher positions of the Turks. At 2.15 the patrols of the 11th located some of the enemy concentrating in the orange groves nearby, and Lieutenant Jackson's troop pushed well forward and found that the enemy was advancing rapidly. Colonel McCarroll galloped forward, and, seeing that the troop was being attacked, sent in every available man, including signallers, gallopers, and batmen to reinforce, and signalled to the 3rd squadron to come up. Major Twistleton brought his men up at the gallop in fine style, losing only two horses, although two or three bullet-swept zones were traversed, and dismounted his men within a few yards of the line. Lieutenant S. Reid's troop was sent in on the right, but heavy enfilade fire gave them a severe time, and the few men who were not killed or wounded had to be called back./

At 2.45 the enemy, under cover of heavy artillery fire, started a strong attack. Several of page 164the Turkish machine-guns now began to make their presence felt, and the commander brought up his machine-gun section, which opened a counter fire. The action in this part of the battle now became a machine-gun duel, it being impossible for Colonel McCarroll to move his men until the opposite machine-guns were silenced. After a furious fusillade the Auckland machine-gun sergeant, in worried tones, reported his gun out of action. "That's all right," replied the Colonel, "so is the Turk's," for at the moment the enemy guns were abandoned. Meanwhile, the W.M.R. had pushed up the hill on the right, and there came under a very heavy fire. Two troops of the 3rd squadron were sent further to the right, to a spot where they could bring enfilade fire against the Turks assembled in a valley. The Hotchkiss guns and machine-guns, under Lieutenant Kelly, were also sent in, and did great execution. Afterwards they described this chance as "the machine-gunner's dream."

While this drama was being enacted, the counter-attack was rapidly developing. It was estimated that fully 600 fresh infantry were flung against the Regiment, which by now had suffered very severe casualties. In many places the attackers got within bombing distance of the thin line. The A.M.R. men on one small hill having been all killed or wounded, the Turks established themselves on it and brought an oblique fire against the main position. The situation was now very serious, and two orderlies were sent with orders for the fourth squadron to come up, but both were wounded. Eventually a message was got through, and the Waikato stalwarts, led by Major Munro and Lieutenant Johnson, raced page 165across the fire-swept area—a sight worth living to see. They regained the hill, and in spite of heavy opposition worked round the enemy's left, and were able to enfilade the main line. This move nonplussed the Turks, who then fled in disorder towards the orange grove, under the heaviest fire that could be put across. Colonel McCarroll had just collected his squadron leaders to organise pursuit when he was wounded in the neck and then in the shoulder. Major Whitehorn then took command, but the colonel before receiving medical aid, rode to brigade headquarters and arranged for support in the event of a night attack. The Turks kept up a heavy artillery fire until dark, after which the victorious troopers consolidated their position and removed the wounded.

The A.M.R. lost heavily, 15 being killed, including the gallant Lieutenant J. D. Stewart, of the 3rd squadron; 74 wounded, including Lieutenant -Colonel McCarroll, Captain Twistleton, M.C., and Lieutenants K. J. Tait, M.C., S. C. Reid, G. L. King, C. G. R. Jackson, and E. A. H. Bisley. Captain Twistleton and Lieutenant King died of wounds. The W.M.R. lost 8 killed and 44 wounded; the C.M.R., one killed and six wounded; and the machine-gun squadron, eight killed and 18 wounded. The Turks, who retired during the night, lost 160 killed and 250 (estimated) wounded. The Turks who made the counter-attack were part of a fresh force that had just arrived from its victories in Roumania, and they apparently were unprepared to meet troops of the quality of the desert horsemen. One wounded prisoner remarked to an Aucklander, "Inglizee no run," and he seemed to be rather page 166perplexed over the fact that a thin and outnumbered line had refused to budge in the face of what seemed inevitable disaster. The secret of the victory was the simple fact that the mounted riflemen were actuated by a spirit which did not permit of retreat being considered when committed to a definite action. It was the same attitude of mind which defied set principles of war on Gallipoli. It had its foundations in an extraordinary confidence, resolute and highly capable leadership, and the sense of personal responsibility which possessed the men of the Regiment.

The following morning the village of Ayun Kara was reported clear of the enemy, and, with a company of "Camels" on the left and the 1st Light Horse on the right, the brigade moved forward towards Jaffa, meeting with no resistance. On the way they passed through the village of Richon le Zion, where for the first time they met Jews. One member of the community was a brother of Rabbi Goldstein, of Auckland. The joy of these people at being freed from the tyranny of the Turks was unbounded. They treated the New Zealanders most hospitably—an exceedingly pleasant experience after the tremendous effort they had just made, and the harsh hungry times spent in the south with its hostile Bedouins.