Description
Limited Edition – 250 only
On outpost duty, this section of Light Horsemen, have positioned themselves on a low rocky ridge that gives them a commanding view of the area. On the lookout for enemy incursions or ambushes, they are ready to ride at a moment’s notice to send warning to their Regiment. This was the experience of Ion Idriess on outpost following the taking of Beersheba.
“Next morning, our mobile regiment was detached for reconnaissance duty up the Hebron road down which old Abraham had travelled to Beersheba. … Behind us and far to the left roared the fight along the line of Ras el Nagb-Tel Khuweilfe redoubts where our mounted troops were hurrying to the help of the 20th Infantry Corps. Even the air we breathed seemed impregnated with the fever of great events. We had no idea what was happening away toward Gaza, we guessed. The sky was blue as blue could be, but tense, throbbing under a fierce cannon thunderstorm. But we of the Desert Corps had turned the Turkish left flank and captured the precious water…
They (the Turks) held a hilltop, seemingly equipped with only two mountain-guns. For some hours we watched them… So long as no heavy reinforcements came marching down from Hebron and Dharayieh to strike our fellows fighting behind Beersheba, everything was all right with the regiment. From a craggy peak that overlooked that weird country, we on outpost saw distantly, screeching like a wounded bird, a taube spin down and in frantic efforts to right its drooping wings crash among the hills… The taube had swooped low to bomb the 8th light Horse, but the lads’ volleyed bullets had avenged their colonel.
Presently four of our armoured cars came spinning merrily along that old road. They chugged within nice range of Jacko, but he kept quiet as a mouse. We had just time to gallop a man down and warn the motorists that they were riding straight into a Turkish ambush. They wheeled around and we laughed. It seemed seconds only before they were dust-clouds flying towards home and Beersheba. Jacko must have cursed us for our interfering spoil-sports.”
DESERT COLUMN, Ion L Idriess, p.253, 254
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