Diary of Trooper Ion Llewellyn Idriess-1917- Part 6

each troop finished its little trench at about

four o'clock. We had something to eat,

and while we were eating, noticed long

strings of men coming over the skyline

about two miles away. These men excited 

a lot of curiosity, we did not know
who they were. We had got word

during the afternoon that the Turks were

retiring all along the line, and as the

battle was drawing away from us, we

did not in the least think that these

men were Turks. So a lot of them

were mounted on camels, we decided

that they were the camel corps, but

were surprised at their peculiar formation,

and in among the camels we were

lines of straggling horseman. This went 
on for half an hour, and meanwhile 
these men had almost completely 
enveloped us, and we saw that

there were a great many of them. Suddenly 
the major called out that they were

Turks and to saddle up immediately.

What a scurry there was then. Saddles

thrown on anyhow, horses hurriedly

unlinked, gear flying all over the place.

Then ''Whee -eee-eeze'' ''Crash ! Crash! Crash!'' Shells

bursting within a few hundred yards of

us, the enemy horseman coming straight

for us. What a hell of a hurry there

was then. Away went the led horses
and each troop made a rush for its

little trench. We got all the ammunition 
we could carry along, and each

troop made itself ready for a fight of

fights. Barely one hundred men, and

coming straight at us was two Turks that

numbered fully two thousand and others

coming up over the skyline behind them

every second. Then some mistake was

made, and our troop horses were brought

up to us at the gallop, with orders to 
retire. We jumped up out of the

trench and ran for our horses that

were hurrying to meet us. By this time

the leading Turks were very close, and

bullets began whistling past us and

kicking up the dust at our feet. My

heart turned sick as I saw that in

the hurry Stans' saddle had slipped 

under his horses belly. But a matter

of seconds and it was right again

we mounted, and were off. But only

for a couple of hundred yards. Orders

came from the Major that the Colonels

orders were to hold our position to

the last man. So away went our led

horses again, and back we ran and

tumbled into the trench. As we looked

towards the Turke we saw that coming

behind the horse and camel men were
long columns of Turks. We knew then

that it was all up. We were so hopelessly
outnumbered, tha and knew that

though we would put up a good fight

in the last rush  every man would

be bayoneted at his post. I made up

my my mind that it was finish, and

so did every man in the troop, though we

did not say anything until afterwards

So the squadron started firing then, and the

surprise of my life came. All those Turks turned

tail and fled. Cleared for their lives, Then a

body of them lined a ridge, and in the gathering

gloom of the evening came long flames of fire.

''Boom'' ''Boom'' ''Boom'' ''Boom'' , four whining screams

instantly overhead, and crash of shrapnels

They were shelling our led horses. ''Crash''

''Crash'' ''Crash'' ''Crash''. Again and again and again. By

Jove, the Turks did work those guns. The air

over the trench was a whistle with shells.

They got some of our horses, but not many. 
When their men ran, we looked at one another

and laughed, and owned up our thoughts of a few

minutes before. Surely the Turks must of thought

the plain on which we were on was alive with

infantry. Otherwise it was the greatest piece of

cowardice I have ever seen, let alone heard of.

But one thing spoilt everything. The major

galloped up to our trench and said ''Boys the

yeomanry on our right have bolted. I asked

sent Captain Patrick  after them to ask them

for Christs sake to hold on, but they galloped

clear off before he could catch them. Never

mind, we will hold the post on our own to

the last. So we bought up more ammunition

and felt very lonely, all on our own, and

wondered and wondered and wondered where

all our men had got to who were fighting

there in the morning, and where was our

artillery that had been shaking the very hills

only a few short hours before. Then away on

our left came the hearty stutter of machine

guns. Welcome sound. Some of our Brigade

were blazing away at the Turks right along

the left. Then at last, came the roar of our

artillery, and shrapnel suddenly burst above

the Turkish guns, and very soon the red

flashes of his guns was seen no more. And

darkness came, and we waited for the attack

that we were sure must come with the

night. Well after dark word came along
that we were to retire under cover of the
darkness. We collected our horses, and shortly
afterwards quietly rode off. We spread out
 across the flat, trying to join up with C

Squadron, and expecting every moment

a volley of fire from out the darkness.

But none came and at last we rejoined 

the regiment, and retired for some th two 

or three miles where we formed a fresh 

outpost line. I got two hours sleep last

night. This morning we started another

outpost trench, and watching coming

closer and closer across the flat, great 

clouds of dust from Turkish reinforcements.

We hear that yesterday the 9^th regiments suffered 

80% casualties. If that is true, then the Turks

must have had a lost a fearful number.

A short time ago four taubes flew  xxxx

overhead, and bombed the men behind

us heavily. Half an hour ago six of our

planes flew over, straight for the Turkish

reinforcements. And where was before

clouds of dust from marching men was 

now turned into the thick clouds of black 

smoke and the roar of explosions. The

Turks brought down one of the planes, but

they must have lost a frightful number of

men. We hear now that the Turks are retiring,

and we can see some of our men galloping

on our flanks and harassing them. But we

don't know what to believe. . . Yesterday one 

of our planes brought down a taube that

was bombarding one of our Brigades. Hurrah.

By Jove, we hear that a big French

cruiser that was bombarding the Mentar has 

been torpedoed, but managed to get safely

into camp. . . Those blasted taubes this

morning caused 100 casualties among the 

First Brigade men and horses. . . . The day

after. We were relieved at five o'clock

yesterday afternoon, and you can imagine 

the relief when we were told that we were

to have a nights sleep. Well, we rode off

at half past five, and rode through the

night until twelve o'clock, f  men falling

asleep in their saddles, etc etc. Enough said.

But anyway the few hours sleep we did
get has freshened us up wonderfully. We
hear that the New Zealanders brought down
a taube that was bombing them by with
rifle fire and that one of our planes has
brought down another taube. Hoo blooming
hurrah! . . . This attack has developed
into a great battle. All along the line
Turkish cavalry are facing us but won't
put up a fight. They gallop off when we
go for them. But what the hell is happening
to the infantry at Gaza. Constantly
there is the booming of guns, but how is
the battle there going . . . . This big fight
is very interesting, but what the devil 
is really happening to both sides? We are
going out again very shortly, Riding Next
day. Rode last night until one o'clock.
Then did outpost duty. Usual miserable
turn out. Next day. Had a rather interesting
afternoons reconnoitring this afternoon.
We had to get as close as possible to a

Turkish position, Shumnan I believe by name
and have a look at their defences, should we be 
able to get close enough. So out we started,
just the Squadron of us, out across the broken
track across the Waddy of Sheikh Nuran, out
on to the open plain. Right away in the
distance is a line of big hills, and on the Gaza
side a line of low hills only a few miles away.
Towards these hills we went, our screen of a 
troop of men thrown well out in front, and
the two troops of the main body coming up behind.
What made me look first was a big flock of
birds rising in the plain, from near a ruined
stone hut. Looking past them we could see
that for a very long distance the hills behind
them were white with tents. It was a very
large Turkish camp. Here and there were
small bodies of mounted men ahead of us,
but as we came closer they turned their
horses heads and were off at a hell of a 
rate for their distant camp. Stan and [[Siro?]]
looked at one another and grinned, "We'll
be having "Whizz Bangs" over us soon now,"
said Stan. We were in the screen. "Plip plop"
"Plip plop" "plip plop" from a very long
range the Turks were firing at us. The
screen neared the old ruined hut. The Turkish
camp was very plain now. We just passed

the hut. Now both Stan and I were
thinking hard things about that hut, which
very soon was proved to be quiet justified.
A distant "Bang" - "Whee - ee - ee - 
ee- eez" "Crash!" dust and smoke and
plunging horses marked where a shell
had burst fair in among the two little
troops of men behind us. Then another
and another and another and another, all
whining over our heads and over the ruined
hut, and almost blocking out the two little
troops of men by the explosions. That hut
was a range mark for the Turks guns. But
the shells were very small and did mighty
little damage. Had they been big shells,
there would have been no main body
left. As it was our fellows soon turned
to the right, and made off at a very
lively pace. The Turks shells followed
them, and made very accurate shooting.
As we, the screen were galloping up behind,
we were in a very good position to hear
the shells screaming over to our heads
and bursting in and among the men
in front. And all the damage they did was
three men wounded marvellous luck. Anyway
we mustered up again, and came back here
having obtained some very valuable information

[*camp was very plain now. We just passed*]

But better than that, Last night we had a 
splendid, uninterrupted sleep. We had
another stunt this morning, very similar
to that of yesterday, only a little bigger.
Some of the 7^th L. Horse were on our right,
and confused seventeen Turkish cavalry.
We got a wet wee bit further on than
yesterday, and met with more opposition.
The day after. One of our squadron was out
again, and got chased ^back by the Turks. We are
going out this afternoon. . . The days are getting
very hot now. Water is still a great trouble.
In the broken up, rugged hillocks of the
Waddy, there is a God sent spring, and
God alone knows how many generations of
men and animals have blessed that spring.
When the Turks were holding these positions
on which we are now on, they rammed
water pipe into the spring, which is then
fitted up very conveniently for us.
Dotted over the country at intervals
are wells, and after a long and hot
and dusty ride it is paradise for us
to find one of them, with their cold clear
water. . . . Fighting is going on all the
time here. The guns booming day and
night. The greatest take down we

[*camp was very plain now. We just passed*]