Sunday, 26 November 2017

Jaffa and Cambrai



Monday 26th November 1917

On the night of 24th/25th two battalions of 54th (East Anglian) Division, assisted by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade tried to cross the River Yarkon near Jaffa to drive out the Turks. The attack was unsuccessful. The adjutant of the 1st/5th Bedfords has wired and it does not appear that they took part in the attack. He does note, however, that a Turkish officer was captured yesterday as he made a visit to a well which was rather too close to one of the Battalion’s picquets. A line of posts had been made to prevent Palestinians moving backwards and forwards through the Battalion’s line. This was proclaimed in both nearby villages, there was also a proclamation to the effect that if any Turks were hidden by inhabitants of the villages, the villagers would be held responsible and hanged.

The 8th Battalion are bidding a fond farewell to the front line near Cambrai. They are in the process of being relieved and will move back to the support line near Ribecourt which they helped to capture six days ago.

Fighting for Bourlon Wood still goes on, without much real success.

Sources: X550/6/8; X550/9/1

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