File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎57v] (123/834)

[ Late News .— The Jazi section of the Huvveitat, accompanied
by Sherif Nasir, is threatening Shobak and Hisli, and when the
reinforcement of mounted “ regulars,” now on its way from
Akaba, has got up, a move on Tafileh and Iverak, in conjunction
with Beni Bakin' and Terrabin, will be made. The Beni Atiyah,
with Merzuk el-Teheimi, have moved up to the railway between
Mudowarrah and Tebuk. Ibn Rashid is reported blockaded by
tribesmen in Medain Salih.]
A Raid.
1 left Akaba on October 24, with Capt. Gr. Lloyd, Lieut.
Wood, R.E. and the Indian Machine Gun Company. The Indians
took two Vickers, and 1 took two Lewis guns with me.
We marched to Rum (October 25) and thence across El-Gaa
and up W. Hafir to near Batra. We crossed the railway just
south of Bir el-Shedia and reached el-Jefer on October 28.
Capt. Lloyd returned to Akaba from there. Sherif Ali ibn
Husein overtook us, and the party marched to Bair, picked up
Sheikh Mifleh el-Zebn and fifteen Sukhur and reached Amri on
November 2 . On November 5 we camped at Kseir el-Hallabat,
and on the 7th failed to rush the bridge at Tell el-Shehab, and
returned to Kseir. Thence the Indian M.G. Company with
Lieut. Wood, returned to Azrak. I went with sixty Arabs
to Minefir, blew up a train at Kil. 172 on November 11 and
reached Azrak on the 12th.
My intention had been to reach Jisr el-Hemmi on November 3 ,
but this proved impossible, since rain had made the Jaulaan
plain too slippery for our camels, and the Turks had put
hundreds of woodcutters in the Irbid hills. This closed both the
north and south roads, and left Tell el-Shehab (Bridge 14) the
only approachable bridge in the Yarmuk valley. My first plan
was to rush it by camel marches of fifty miles a day. This idea
also failed, since by their best efforts the Indian Machine Gun
Company were only able to do thirty to thirty-five miles a
day, and even this pace cut up their camels very quickly, owing
to their inexperience. They all did their best, and gave me no
trouble at all, but were simply unable to march fast.
I decided, therefore, to raise an Arab force, and descend
on the bridge in strength. The Abu Tayi refused to come, only
fifteen Sukhur would take it on, and I had to rely mainly on
thirty Serahin recruits at Azrak. They were untried men and
proved little use at the pinch. For the last stage to the bridge,
as hard riding was involved, I picked out six of the Indians,’
with their officer, and we got actually to the bridge at midnight
on November 7. It is a position of some strength, but could, I
think, be rushed by twenty decent men. The Indians with me
weie too few to attempt it, and the Serahin, as soon as the
Turks opened fire, dumped their dynamite into the valley and
bolted. In the circumstances 1 called everyone off as quickly as
possible and went back to Kseir el-Hallabat. The Indians with