File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎14r] (36/834)

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is H. 2 -in Damascus, sent imperative orders that the best battalion
ot a weak reoiment ot the 48th Di vision, then on its way to Kerak
should be detached, and that transport for it and other
reinforcements should take precedence of all other demands of
both the Syrian and Yildernn commands. Eventually the first
battalion of the 152nd Regt. was sent down fronf Amman
station, and having effected its object, is to remain with the 2 nd
Composite korce. In clearing the line it co-operated with a
force sent up from the South.
There have been indecisive skirmishes at other points—near Bir
esh-Shediyah, on the 17th, where about 100 Arabs were dispersed
by an armed train assisted by one of the Mean planes f near
Harret Ammar (or el-Amara) on the 19th, where the Arabs lost a
man and some gun and other ammunition and had some wounded ;
and near (xhadir-el-Haj, where a considerable body of Arabs was
prowling on the 20 th.
(5) Southern Section. —W e have heard of a raid effected on
the night of the 17th between Abu Naam and Stabl Antar, in
which ooO rails were destroyed : and of a smaller affair near
Bowat, which resulted in thirty-eight rails having to be replaced.
The first of these raids may be the same, or part of the
same, operation, which has been reported to us from Wejh as
having destroyed 800 rails ; but the date given for this destruction
was October Jl. That total of rails is, no doubt, far above the
tiuth ; but there is no good reason to reject the further inform
ation that the lurks lost fourteen killed and twelve prisoners,
besides material. A German, whose name is given as “ Miral
Kohnen ( = Miralai Kohn ?), is said to have been among the
killed. Other Wejh reports of breaks near Toweira and Abu
laqa, each resulting in preposterous totals of rails destroyed
seem to be belated echoes of affairs already reported.
Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Musa Operations.
Following urgent recommendations from Damascus, and in
the belief that Feisal’s main attack would be directed towards
TVadi Musa, the G.O.C. 1 st Composite Force moved out all the
troops he could spare on the 20th towards Fiji and had, on the 21st,
a seven hours fight there with an entrenched Arab force. The
result, according to enemy report, was the destruction of the
fortifications and the repulse of the Arabs. But it does not
appear that the latter dispersed. Indeed an Arab report states
that the} counter-attacked and took prisoners and animals. This
is probably the Arab version of what the enemy represents as a
voluntary retirement, after the battle was over, to Ain Busta,
owing to a call from Maan for troops for Dhat el-Haj. The
enemy report gives fantastic figures of Arab casualties (including
British officers !), following an inflated estimate of their total
forces. The Turk’s own casualties are stated as twelve killed and
ninety-four wounded.