Part 7 (1/2)
PART IV.
MARCH TO THE JORDAN VALLEY.
Before proceeding with a description of the Squadron's ”trek” to the Jordan Valley, it might be desirable to enlighten the reader as to the actual position of affairs at the ”front”.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
After the capture of Jerusalem on December 9th 1917, the Turk made one forlorn effort to re-capture it. This attempt met with not the slightest success, and afterwards (in February 1918), he was driven down into the Jordan Valley, where he had to yield up the town of Jericho to us. Since then (in March and April), two raids had been made into Turkish territory on the eastern side of the Jordan in the hills (in which the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, and Ess.e.x Battery R.H.A. partic.i.p.ated), and on each occasion, the towns of Es-Salt and Amman were reached. A large number of prisoners were taken, together with machine-guns and ammunition, added to which several bridges were destroyed, and the Hedjaz railway from Damascus to Mecca cut, thus endangering the Turkish troops, which were operating against the Arab Sherifian Army, further south. Elsewhere on the front, the position of the ”line” had not materially changed, and at the time of the ”20TH MACHINE-GUN SQUADRON'S” tour of duty in the Jordan Valley, it extended from the coast north of Jaffa south-eastwards across country (through a point 18 miles north of Jerusalem), to the Jordan Valley, thence, due south along the eastern bank of the river to the Dead Sea.
Now, it will be readily imagined that when a unit has remained for any length of time in one place it has automatically collected large quant.i.ties of stores, equipment, etc., which naturally cannot be carried, when on the march. On this occasion the princ.i.p.al difficulty lay in the stock of ”canteen goods” that we had acc.u.mulated. Fortunately the ”R.A.F.” came to the rescue and bought the whole lot, ”lock, stock and barrel”.
As has been stated, there was much sickness in the Squadron at this time, but many men were able to keep themselves out of hospital because of the fact that the Squadron was ”at rest,” besides, they preferred to rough it, rather than leave their duties. A ”sick-parade” was now hurriedly called in order to dispose of those who could not be expected to take part in the next ”trek”. This parade, however, was _vetoed_ from the start, and was, in fact, unpopular. Only two men turned up! These, with the two officers previously mentioned (all of whom ought to have ”gone down the line”
several days before), were accordingly sent to hospital. Many men were suffering from septic sores on their legs and feet; permission was asked (and granted), for these cases, to wear ”slacks” or shoes, as might be necessary. Strange as it might seem, these men preferred to suffer and remain with the Squadron, when there seemed a chance that they might be able to come to grips with the enemy and do something really useful.
In these circ.u.mstances, it was not a _very_ smart Squadron that paraded that night, but its spirit would require a lot of beating! The _route_ lay past Yazur, on the Jaffa road, to Ramleh, which town they were approaching as day broke, and Ludd[14] could also be seen. The latter town will be remembered by all who had occasion to go to Egypt for leave or to take a course of instruction, also by reinforcements who joined the Squadron about this time, as it was the British railhead; the journey from here to Kantara on the Suez Ca.n.a.l being accomplished overnight. From Ludd, also, there is a branch line to Jerusalem, and a narrow gauge railway to Sarona. At Ramleh, turning off the road to the right, and pa.s.sing Lieut. Price's grave, we halted, off-saddled, watered and fed. At 14.00 a further march, arriving at the water troughs east of Latron at 17.00, camping for the night further up the road. Fairly on the way to the famous Jordan Valley, ill-accounts of which they had often heard, we were soon to find that these reports had not been at all exaggerated!
The next morning (June 30th), the road in front being very steep, rising continually, with often a drop of several hundred feet on either side, units started at half-hour intervals.
FOOTNOTES:
[14] _Ludd was the birthplace of St. George, the Patron Saint of England. A church built here, after his martyrdom, was destroyed on the approach of the First Crusaders. It was re-built, however, but was destroyed again by order of Saladin in A.D. 1191. Of this church, two apses, two bays and the crypt still remain, and to-day the eastern end has been restored by the Greeks, while the western end is used as a mosque! In the crypt (belonging to the Greeks) is shown the Tomb of St.
George.
Ludd = Lod of the Scriptures, a city of Benjamin, see I Chron. viii, 12; Neh. xi, 35; Ezra ii, 33; Acts ix, 32._
AN EXCITING MARCH ALONG THE EDGE OF PRECIPICES.
The necessity of this soon became evident. The road was crowded with motors of all kinds, and it was by no means a joke to ride a restive horse while leading an obstinate mule, along the brink of a precipice! At 13.00 Enab was reached, where the Squadron was allotted its ground, rather stony, but next to the water troughs, which, however, saved a lot of work.
The following afternoon (July 1st), the road being steeper still, the transport (”A” Echelon), went ahead of the Brigade. The Squadron started at 14.30 (units still moving at half-hour intervals), and proceeded along the main Jerusalem road through the new town, past the Damascus Gate (at 17.30), to the eastern side of the town, where the transport was pa.s.sed and the Brigade concentrated, the highest point having now been reached (2,590 feet above sea level). A halt of two hours was made, and at 20.00 the descent to the Jordan was commenced. Henceforth it was ”down,” ”down,” all the way, with roads just as precipitous as before, but the mountains being so high and steep on both sides, not a breath of air reached us. At 02.30 after a tiring march, and after pa.s.sing the ”Inn of the Good Samaritan,” we arrived at the water troughs at Talat-ed-Dumm (1,018 feet above sea level).
After watering, about half an hour later, the Squadron found its camping ground, a s.p.a.ce barely large enough for a section. In this cramped area the whole of the Squadron was crammed ”as tight as sardines in a tin,” with, literally, not an inch to spare!
Early next morning, when the sun began to rise, some idea was gained of what might be expected in the Jordan Valley. Although Talat-ed-Dumm, as already stated, is 1,018 feet above the level of the sea, shut in, as it is, among the mountains away from any breeze, the heat there is almost unbearable; the rays of the sun seem to take on a hundred times more power than ever could be believed possible, blazing down from right overhead, and leaving no shade, thus turning the place into a veritable furnace.
The Brigade did not continue the march again until 19.00, when it moved along the old Roman road. Still ”down,” ”down,” round sharp bends, and still along the edges of precipices hundreds of feet deep! At length a final, particularly steep slope, brought us to Jericho,[15] on the plain of the Jordan Valley, and _820 feet below the level of the sea_. A halt was made here for a short time, and then the Brigade marched north-east (through clouds of dust), to its camping area in the Wadi Nueiame, arriving at midnight. Here, on dismounting in the dark, _one seemed to be standing in mud_, but, upon closer examination, this was found to be merely several inches of fine dust! Sec.-Lieut. c.u.mmer, whose turn it was to be with the advance party that day, was waiting to show the Squadron its camping ground, which turned out to be as good as could be expected, and alongside a stream. A few bell-tents were already standing, which were appreciated.
FOOTNOTES:
[15] _The site of the present Jericho has only been occupied since mediaeval times. The ancient Jericho lay near the spring Ain-es-Sultan and the City of Roman times was more to the south-west. The Biblical references to Jericho are as follows: Deut. x.x.xiv; Josh. vi, 26; I Kings xvi, 34; II Kings ii, 4, 5, 11. Only a mound exists now, to mark the position of the ancient city, but excavations here have brought to light some interesting relics._
THE ”BEAUTIFUL” VALLEY OF JORDAN.
The following are a few extracts from the notes of a member of the Squadron, which gives a vivid description of his experiences on the road to the Jordan. He says:--
”The sun was just setting as we approached Jerusalem, and the ancient walls of the Holy City were bathed in orange light against an opalescent sky. The long dusty column of the Brigade toiled its way up the steep hill into the city, and pa.s.sing close by the Jaffa Gate 'turned left' and followed the main thoroughfare towards the Damascus Gate. Outside of Fast's Hotel (a former German concern, but now famous throughout the E.E.F.) stands a group of officers and soldiers, watching our brigade pa.s.s, and cheering us on as we move into the dusk.
”Over the Mount of Olives, past the Garden of Gethsemane (the black points of its many cypress trees now silhouetted against the sky), what thoughts are ours as we cross this hallowed ground amid surroundings so deeply a.s.sociated with our religion! Some of us may never return, but yet we shall have followed to our fate along a path that still holds memories of that greatest sacrifice the world has ever known!
”Dark has fallen, and the stars s.h.i.+ne bright in a velvet sky. At length we approach the little Village of Bethany,[16] 'the town of Mary and Martha'; near which we dismount and breathe our horses for a s.p.a.ce; finding a little shop close at hand, we buy some fruit and 'take a pull' at the water-bottle.