Diary of Gordon Colin Cooper, 1918 - Part 6

MARCH, 1918.
Saturday 16
Relieve by the Yeomanry.
Left Pear Hill about 12
& rejoined the regiment
& proceeded through
Tayieb-eh to Rummon
where we drew rations
Weather very bad
raining most of the
morning & late in afternoon
& put up bivvies
and got flooded out     
before morning.
Very cold & wet.
Camped night in Beitin
rained incessantly all
night. got got flooded
out: 

MARCH, 1918.
Sunday 17
Drew rations.
Left Beitin early: simply
pouring all the morning
& awfully cold all day
Passing through Ram Allah
& Jerusalem arrived in
Bethlehem after dinner.
Everything wet: got a
nasty kick above the
knie by one of the nags.
Rained most of the night. 

MARCH, 1918.
Monday 18
Beautifully clear morning
sun bright & thus able
to dry our blankets &
other gear which had been
wet for some time
Good mail in got 10.& a
parcel from Gussie.
Got paid 30/-
No 105. & Jess.
Mrs Hayes (PC)
Marjorie Francis (PC) 

MARCH, 1918.
Tuesday 19
Usual routine: drew
rations and some gear
quiet day otherwise
Rec
M^rs. Rickman (C). 

MARCH, 1918.
Wednesday 20
Left Bethlehem at 6.30 PM.
- proceeded to Tel-el Dumm
where we arrived fairly late
& made a camp for night
Pretty tiring ride but good
road. 

MARCH, 1918.
Thursday 21
Left Talal-el-Dumms
& proceeded towards Dead
Sea, again travelling
at night: arrived in
camp early & stayed
the rest of night.
Watered up at Wadi
Kelt. about 3 miles from
camp 

MARCH, 1918.
Friday 22
Stayed the day in camp
very warm & dusty
Watered up at Moses Tomb
Waited all day & night
tim Hajla 

MARCH, 1918.
Saturday 23
Left about 10 Am & proceeded
to Jericho: passing
it and proceeding onto
the Jordan River: camped
during day: fine springs
waited till
10.30 P.m. and then proceeded
across the Jordan at the
pontoon Bridge & turned
to the North & followed
up the Jordan a few
miles & camped about
4 oclock: Turks shelled
all about xxxx xx the
morning. but did us no
damage. Infantry advancing
toward hill: captured guns. 

MARCH, 1918.
Sunday 24
Cloudy & windy: Infantry
moving up to attack Es Salt
moved up about 2 miles
& went on outpost: near
the foot of the hills on Right
flank of our position with
18 Regt.
Showery during night 

MARCH, 1918.
Monday 25
Returned off outpost
about 10.30 & returned to
R.H.Q (with pl.) raining
practically all day & fairly
heavily during night. 

MARCH, 1918.
Tuesday 26
Left Camp about 7 & proceeded
up Jordan Valley
about 8 miles & relieved
2^nd Regt off outpost: got heavily
shelled on approaching
position; (no casualties)
went on round foot of hills
to Outpost: under shell fire
all the way: had to come
back to R.H.q. for rations
Heavy shower during day.
Did shift on picquet
during night.
In Wadi Ralem. 

MARCH, 1918.
Wednesday 27
Left Wadi Ralem (outpost)
& proceeded back to RHq.
relieved by 2^nd Regt
about 10. arriving back
at camp at RHq about
2 P.m.
Drew rations. 

MARCH, 1918.
Thursday 28
Early morning bombing
raid by 9 Taubes: did
a fair amount of damage
but not to us.
Left camp early & proceed
along Jordan to outpost
got into very hot corner
Turks very plentiful &
savage: (2 Killed & 3 wounded)
Stayed the rest of day: very
warm: took over outpost
at night with A sq.
16 Taubes came over late
but did not trouble us
Came on down to the
A Dumps & bombed them.
(Um Shirt) 

MARCH. 1918.
Friday 29
Spent all day on outpost
fairly warm day: shelling
fairly heavy but no damage
good cover for horses:
Relieved by No 2 Sectn who had
just returned from Es Salt.
went back to R.H.q with
"S Sq" for night. fairly heavy
shower of rain during night 

MARCH, 1918.
Saturday 30
All day in camp watered
up - grazed on Jordan banks
stayed out a good while
did some washing and
clean up: (swim etc)
Went out & returned Hq at
night (at 630) & did shift
on gun. 

MARCH, 1918.
Sunday 31
Turks got rather "Windy"
about 4.30 "stood to" for
trouble but they only sent
out a few on a patrol
Shelling going on practically
all day. stayed in
outpost & was relieved
about 6 by Asq & No 2 Sectn
Returned to R.H.q & drew
rations. & camped the night 

APRIL, 1918.
Monday 1
Stayed at R.H.q till evening
grazed horses & washed
went out & relieved Asq. at
dark. Turks very active
during night. sending in
big patrols etc. a lot of firing
going in: expected an attack
Did shift on gun.
Very little sleep during night
on shift from 2.30 till daylight 

APRIL, 1918.
Tuesday 2
Turks shelling gun possy
at daylight: put a good
few over & several very
close to us.
16 Taubes came over &
Bombed dumps etc near
Gonorya Bridge.
Left Position at 2. got heavily
shelled coming out: (one
casualty:) Turks all over
possy as soon as we
left: plenty of them too.
Returned to Wadi Nemrin
& crossed the River at
Gonorya Bridge & camped
on other side of River.
Had good sleep in. 

APRIL, 1918.
Wednesday 3
Brigade crossed Jordan
again & took up line
near Wadi Nemrin,
Left behind with astion
Came on in afternoon
positions hard to find
Charge of horses at night
with A troop C Sq. 

APRIL, 1918.
Thursday 4
quiet morning, collected
remainder of rations early
Sent horses out grazing
Barb wire coming over
to put round position
Turks doing a little
shelling on left flank.