The Capture of Jerusalem.

"The Turks in general left the plains and withdrew to the mountains. In consequence of this our men were commanded by voice of herald to move towards the foot of the mountains and when all arrangements were completed they marched towards a castle called Beit Noble. Then the rain and the hail began to beat upon our men and killed many of their beasts of burden. The storm was so violent, that it tore up the pegs of the tents, drowned the horses and spoiled all their biscuits and bacon. The armour and coats of mail, also, were so rusted that the greatest labour was required to restore them to their former brightness. Their clothes were dissolved by the wet and the men themselves suffered from the unwonted severity of the climate. Under all these sufferings their only consolation arose from their zeal in the service of God and a desire to finish their pilgrimage!—Chronicles of the Crusaders."—D. E. Vinsauf.

Following upon the occupation of Jaffa by the New Zealanders the advance against Jerusalem by the remainder of the Army had steadily proceeded, though much hampered by the weather and the winter storms. Upon the crest of the great wave which had rolled up the plains from Beersheba to

The Surrender of the Town of Jaffa.
The ceremony at the Town Hall.

Jaffa the Yeomanry were borne far into the hills and reached to within 10 miles of Jerusalem. Here fighting, at a great disadvantage they held on for some days until reinforced by the infantry. But the Turkish resistance daily stiffened as page break page 161the weather became colder and wetter and no progress was made for some weeks. Both horse and man had become inured to the great heat of the plains, and the men were clothed in the lightest dress possible. All blankets had been left behind and the men were in possession of a water-proof sheet and greatcoat only, and felt keenly this great extreme of cold and bitter rain.

In order to relieve the pressure here the Division was ordered to cross the river Auja to make it appear as if a further advance on the plain was to be made. Bridgeheads were to be established at the bridge on the main road, the the village of Sheikh Muannis and at the ford on the beach, and were to be taken over by infantry of the 54th Division. Accordingly on the 24th November the N.Z. Brigade was ordered to cross the river and to clear the enemy for a space of two miles northward. A very pretty little action followed. The Canterbury Mounted Rifles crossing the ford on the beach at a gallop quickly seized the hills that commanded the ford and then seized the village of Sheikh Muannis, but the enemy garrison, who were cavalry, got away. Then the Wellington Regiment, moving through the Canterburys, advanced eastward and captured Khurbet Hadrah which commanded the bridge on the main road. In Muannis, four prisoners were captured and at Khurbet Hadrah, 25 prisoners, one machine gun, one British Lewis gun and some ammunition.

The 161st Brigade (54th Division) then took over the line held by the New Zealand Brigade and asked that mounted men be left at the bridge and at the village of Muannis to patrol in front of the posts established at these places by them. Accordingly two squadrons of the Auckland Regiment (the 4th and 11th) and one squadron of the Wellington Regiment (the 2nd) were placed in position in advance of the infantry posts. In front of the ford on the sea beach the Canterburys placed the 1st Squadron. To each squadron were allotted two machine guns.

The enemy lost no time in accepting the challenge given by our crossing the river, and he brought up large reinforcements.

At a quarter to 3 on the morning of the 25th a Turkish mounted patrol appeared near the Khurbet Hadrah posts. At page 162a quarter-past 3 the same post, which was held by a troop of the 3rd Squadron, was fired upon from the left flank, and under heavy fire it withdrew to a prearranged line of defence where the squadron was posted. Half an hour later another post held by a troop of this squadron was becoming surrounded, and also withdrew to the squadron line.

The enemy's fire now increased greatly and all horses were sent back to shelter and the squadron withdrew to the positions held by the machine guns. The 11th Squadron was also being heavily attacked, but was occupying a more favourable position and held its ground. The enemy were using guns well and accurately served, and about 8 o'clock the infantry received orders to withdraw to the south bank of the river. This was an operation of extreme difficulty, as the bridge was now swept by enemy fire and was being continuously shelled by enemy guns. Some men got across by swimming, though many of the infantry encumbered with equipment were drowned; and some men withdrew across the bridge. To cover this withdrawal the 11th Squadron, having already sent back their horses, took up a position close to the bridge on the north bank, where they remained until all the infantry and the 3rd Squadron were across. The 11th Squadron then took up a position on the south bank of the river covering the bridge.

The machine guns had remained to the last to cover the withdrawal, and they had put up a magnificent stand. Captain Robin Harper (Machine Gun Squadron Commander), who had come upon the scene as soon as the firing was heard, was wounded in three places during the withdrawal. Sergeant Emerson, the only unwounded N.C.O. remaining, managed to keep the enemy off by working one gun himself to the last moment, and then, with the help of a horse-holder he carried Captain Harper down to the river, and the two swam across with him and got him to a safe place.

Many of our wounded were brought across the river in this manner with the assistance of Sergeant T. Ronaldson and Troopers Oberhuber and 0. Anderson, who performed this day deeds ranking with the finest done in any theatre of the war.

While this was going on the attack upon the 2nd Squadron at Muannis was developing. At about 8.30 a force of some 2000 Turks, covered by a very accurate shell fire, made a very determined attack. This was gallantly held off for some time, the machine guns of the squadron giving great help; one gun in particular, fought by Trooper Kelland, made a great stand. But as at Khurbet Hadrah, the troops holding the post had no support at all from our artillery, and it was not until Khurbet Hadrah and the bridge post had been evacuated that the Somerset battery came into action, assisted in so far as their shooting upon Khurbet Hadrah was concerned by the guns of the 161st Brigade. Their support came too late, however, to influence the battle, and the infantry at Muannis were ordered to retire, which they also did under the greatest of difficulties. Before the pressure became too great to be held off, the 2nd Squadron had sent their horses down the river to the ford at the beach and they remained holding the post on foot. Also, before the attack upon Muannis had fully developed, Colonel Findlay, with the Canterbury Regiment, had crossed the river at the ford on the beach and had taken up a position on the hills to the north of the ford, and had sent the 10th Squadron to the help of the 2nd Squadron in Muannis. The horses of the 10th Squadron also were sent back by the ford.

The Wellington Regiment was ordered to reinforce at Khurbet Hadrah, but arrived just as the evacuation was taking place, and being heavily shelled, took up a position south of the bridge.

The evacuation of Sheikh Muannis was skilfully carried out with the help of the Somerset battery firing from a position 1400 yards south of the village on the south side of the river. This battery remained in action until after the village was occupied by the enemy, and the O.C. Battery (Major Clowes), who was in the village observing, had to swim the river.

Two troops of the 10th Squadron retired slowly towards the ford, and the remainder, with the 2nd Squadron and the infantry, crossed the river by means of a boat and over the weir-head at the mill.

The Road to Jerusalem.

Richon le Zion (Ayun Kara). One of the Garden-Cities of the Jews.

The Turkish attack fell now upon the Canterbury Regiment, who were covering the ford, but the 1st Squadron, under Major H. C. Hurst, held them off until the remainder of the regiment and the troops from Muannis had gone across the ford. Then the squadron fell back, covered to the last by the fire of the machine guns, splendidly fought by Lieutenant Eldridge.

Lieutenant Livingstone, who commanded the rear troop and who had behaved with the greatest coolness and skill throughout, was killed. His troop had held a commanding position to the last possible moment, and he himself, when all others were over, came across with the last party, and fell, just as his work was done.

The Brigade remained in support close up to the outpost line held by the infantry until December 1st, when it was withdrawn a little to the German village of Sarona.

On the 5th it relieved the Camel Brigade in the front line about half-way to the foot of the Judean hills. Here sniping with the enemy and endeavouring to dig trenches in the sodden ground—for the wet season had now set in—took up the next few days.

The fighting in the mountains for the possession of Jerusalem had gone steadily on. Bad weather, absence of roads, want of pack transport (though some 2000 Egyptian donkeys were used), delayed and hampered the troops.

Three infantry divisions, the 60th, 74th, and 10th, were at this time within a few miles of Jerusalem on the western side, with their right resting on the railway in the Wadi Surar. On their right flank was the 10th Light Horse, under Lieut.-Colonel Todd, and this regiment had the honour of being among the first British troops to enter Jerusalem.

About this time, while progress towards the taking of Jerusalem seemed at a standstill, the Corps Headquarters heard of the presence in Beit Jibrin of a notorious Turkish Intelligence Agent. Beit Jibrin was in no man's land, though frequently patrolled by our troops. So the A.P.M. set off to investigate in a Ford patrol car accompanied by one other Ford car. Each car carried a machine gun and a crew of three men. In the first car with the A.P.M. was Lieut. MacKenzie who commanded the Light Car Patrol from which page 166the two cars came. MacKenzie was a New Zealander who upon the outbreak of war had enlisted in a Home unit.

The two cars reached Beit Jibrin only to find the Intelligence Officer had gone, and information obtained showed that he had gone to Beit Netief. Now Beit Netief is on the old Roman road which leads from Ascalon to Jerusalem, and is just through the narrow part at Tel Zakariya (the ancient Azekah).

Away the two cars went and found the Roman road in excellent condition, having just been re-built by the Turks. On running out the far end of the pass into the Wadi es Sunt the cars ran into a Turkish company of infantry marching into the pass. Boldness being the essence of the game both cars opened out with their machine guns and pushed on at full speed. The astonished Turks scrambled out of the way and in a moment the cars were clear and racing up the valley road, in the windings of which all sight of the Turks was soon lost. Beit Netief was reached and the inhabitants said that the wanted man had just gone up to El Khudr on the top of the plateau.

A consultation was held and MacKenzie decided that as they had evidently come right through the Turkish lines at Zakariya, unwittingly coming upon the enemy post on the road as a "change over" was in progress, and that as it would be impossible now to go back that way they might as well go on. So up the mountains went the cars and by dusk reached El Khudr, a small village just off the Hebron-Jerusalem road and overlooking King Solomon's Pools. Here was a Greek Monastery and the priests lodged the little party for the night. The machine guns were mounted upon the flat roof and an anxious night spent. However, no disturbance took place and it was decided, as no further trace could be found of the Intelligence Officer, that all speed should be made back to the British lines; and on the old hunter's rule, "never go back by the way you came," the two little cars headed down the Hebron-Beersheba road.

Hebron was reached without incident, but almost the first person encountered there was a Turkish Officer. After a breathless moment of suspense whilst the interpreter asked questions, it was found that he was a doctor and the only page 167Turkish Officer left in the town. All the troops he said had yesterday fallen back upon Jerusalem and he was left with his ambulance.

The journey was continued and eventually the British lines were reached a few miles further south in the shape of an infantry post. The astonishment of the Divisional Headquarters, met a few miles further on, can better be imagined than described. It is sufficient to say, however, that the party found a very cold reception when they told of the enemy's retirement; and they thought discretion the better part of valour and made off through Beersheba back to Corps Headquarters, where a full report was handed in.

There is no record of what the C. in C. said to the Divisional Commander concerned, but the fact remains that the next day the infantry advanced through Hebron close up to Jerusalem.

On December 8th began the last great act in which the Holy City was to pass from the hand of the Moslem who had held it since the days of the Crusades. At dawn, in the midst of rain and wind, the 60th Division (London Territorial), with the 74th Division (Dismounted Yeomanry) on its left, stormed the formidable hills to the east of the Wadi Surar; and by nightfall all the strong positions to the west of the city so laboriously and so skilfully dug out of the solid rock were in our hands.

During the night the 53rd Division pushed up the Hebron road and occupied Bethlehem.

General Allenby's report goes on to say—"Towards dusk the British troops were reported to have passed Lifta, and to be within sight of the city. On this news being received, a sudden panic fell on the Turks west and south-west of the town, and at 5 o'clock civilians were surprised to see a Turkish transport column galloping furiously cityward along the Jaffa road. In passing they alarmed all units within sight or hearing, and the wearied infantry arose and fled, bootless and without rifles, never pausing to think or to fight.

"After four centuries of conquest the Turk was ridding the land of his presence in the bitterness of defeat, and a great enthusiasm arose among the Jews. There was a running to and fro; daughters called to their fathers and brothers page 168concealed in outhouses, cellars and attics, from the police who sought them for arrest and deportation. 'The Turks are running,' they called; 'the day of deliverance is come.' The nightmare was fast passing away, but the Turk still lingered. In the evening he fired his guns continuously, perhaps heartening himself with the loud noise that comforts the soul of a

Von Falkenhayn and Djemal Pasha at Jerusalem.

barbarian; perhaps to cover the sound of his own retreat. Whatever the intention was, the roar of the gun fire persuaded most citizens to remain indoors, and there were few to witness the last act of Osmanli authority.

"At 2 o'clock in the morning of Sunday, December 9th, tired Turks began to troop through the Jaffa gate from the west and south-west, and anxious watchers, peering out through the windows to learn the meaning of the tramping were cheered by the sullen remark of an officer, 'Gitmaya mejburuz' (We've got to go), and from 2 to 7 that morning the Turks streamed through and out of the city, which echoed for the last time their shuffling tramp. On this same day, 2082 years before, another race of conquerors, equally detested, were looking their last on the city which they could page 169

The modern Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem.

On the top of the Mount of Olives.

page 170not hold, and inasmuch as the liberation of Jerusalem in 1917 will probably ameliorate the lot of the Jews more than that of any other community in Palestine, it was fitting that the flight of the Turks should have coincided with the national festival of the Hanukah, which commemorates the recapture of the Temple from the heathen Seleucivs by Judas Maccabæus in 165 B.C."

On December 11th the Commander-in-Chief, followed by representatives of the Allies, made his formal entry into Jerusalem. The historic Jaffa gate was opened after years of disuse for the purpose, and he was thus enabled to pass into the Holy City without making use of the gap in the wall made for the Emperor William in 1898. The General entered the city on foot—and left it on foot.

For this occasion the Brigade sent a troop as a bodyguard to General Sir E. Allenby. The troop was commanded by 2nd Lieutenant C. J. Harris, Canterbury Regiment, and was composed of 1 sergeant and 10 men from the Auckland Regiment, 9 men from the Canterbury Regiment, and 9 men from the Wellington Regiment, with 3 men from the Machine Gun Squadron and 1 from the Signal Troop—a total of 1 officer and 33 other ranks.

On this day the Brigade was relieved in the front line by the 162nd Brigade (infantry), and marched to bivouacs in the vicinity of Ayun Kara; but the Auckland Regiment was sent into Jaffa, where it came under the orders of the 52nd Division; and on the 12th the Wellington Regiment was sent to the village of Beit Dejan, on the Jaffa-Ramleh road, where it came under orders of the 54th Division.

Owing to the difficulty of supplies, for the whole plain was now almost a morass, the Brigade was ordered back to the vicinity of Ashdod, to which place the railway had now reached. Here there was plenty of good water in the Wadi Sukereir and an excellent camping ground among the sand dunes.

The Canterbury Regiment reached Ashdod first, and without very much trouble, but the Auckland and the Wellington Regiments spent Christmas Day on the march, and the Divisional Headquarters and other units of the Division started on Boxing Day.

Transport took over 24 hours to do the 12 miles, and it is to the lasting credit of the New Zealand horse and its driver that they got through at all.

It is interesting to note that King Richard with his army had attempted this same march from Ramleh to Ashdod. His chronicler says:—

"At dawn of day the men with the tents were sent forward and the rest of the army followed; the sufferings of the day before were nothing to those which they now endured from fatigue, rain, hail and floods. The ground, too, was muddy and soft beneath them, and the horses and men had the greatest difficulty to maintain their footing; some of them sunk never to rise again. Who can tell the calamities of that day? The bravest of the soldiers shed tears like rain, and were wearied even of their very existence for the severity of their sufferings. When the beasts of burden fell, the provisions which they carried were either spoiled by the mud or dissolved in the water. This day was the 20th January, in the year 1192, and they encamped for the night every man as well as he was able."

Many other units who were being sent back to railhead wore in the same predicament as these Crusaders of old. Here and there upon mounds like islands in a sea of mud were Yeomanry with their horses, "camping, every man as well as he was able," while all around lay bogged wagons, jettisoned cargoes, and exhausted animals. The black soil seemed bottomless, and the streams and rivers unfordable to any but those of stout hearts and hardy bodies, and resolute and resourceful brains.

The rest of the month was spent in steady training—musketry, bombing, Hotchkiss gun, signalling and mounted drill. The work was much interfered with by the heavy rains, but as men and horses were camped upon the sand, all were fairly comfortable.

On January 12th the Brigade moved to its old bivouac near Ayun Kara (Rishon le Zion). Here for a few days no work was done owing to the wet weather.

On the 20th the Canterbury Regiment went into the line to relieve the Light Horse, who were holding a position connecting up the XX and XXI Corps in the vicinity of the page 172village of Nalin. This village is in the foot hills (the Shepelah) of the Judean mountains and to reach it the regiment rode past the ancient town of Ludd (called Lod in the Old Testament and Lydda in the New Testament) where St. George of England is buried, and also past Nebi Daniel (the tomb of the prophet Daniel) which lies close to Jimzu

Ludd showing the Tomb of St. George in the background.

(the ancient Gimzo). Here the regiment remained making roads through rocky hills and building sangers and strong points until the 4th February when it rejoined the Brigade at Rishon.