File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎76r] (160/834)

Jedid, and Sherif AH attacked Bowat andHafira ; but as Abdullah
has now gone north to Marebba, it is probable that this plan has
been modified. His available force consists at present of about
7,000 Bedouin, three to four hundred trained Syrians, an Egyptian
army detachment under Davenport Bey, and a trench detach
ment under Captain Idaho. He has nine guns and sixteen
machine guns. His principal commanders are Sherif Sharraf
and Sherif Shaker.
At the end of December the whole garrison of a Turkish
post near Toweira, numbering sixty-two men, with a gun and a
machine gun, surrendered to Abdullah. The post referred to
is no doubt that of Khilis (see last Bulletin).
According to reliable information from Akaba, the rams
have done great damage to the railway south of Tebuk. The
culverts over Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Akhdar and Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Ghudei aie believed to
have been washed away, and no train had passed this sector for
fifteen days. „
On January 1, British armoured cars, with halt a battery ot
ten pounder guns, attacked a strong post seven miles north of
Tel el-Shahim without definite result. Ihe guns then shelled
Tel el-Shahim (about fift } 7 miles south of Maan), damaging the
station and destroying some trucks. ihe cars advanced,
unsupported by other troops, and completely silenced enemy
resistance by machine gun fire. The ground is suitable for cars
between Tel el-Shahim and Mudowara, but the line is defended
by a series of small, strong _ posts on the neighbouring hnls.
The Arabs contemplate operations in this sector ot the me. _
On January 4 , two of our aeroplanes bombarded the luikisn
post at Uheida, about ten miles west of Maan, and the barracks
and station buildings at Maan, where a direct hit was obtained
on the power station. A Turkish aeroplane has crashed three
miles east of Maan, the pilot and observer being killed.
At the beginning of January Sherif Feisal’s army occupied
Abu Lesal and Marigha (probably Maghaira on the 500,000
Maan sheet) while the Turks withdrew to a line covering Maan
and stretching from Uheida to Semana (position uncertain).
Sherif Nasir, with Abu Tugeiga and Bern Sakhr Arabs, then
advanced on the Hishe Forest and Shobek, winch he occupied,
apparently, without opposition. I he loss of Hrshe, which was
the most important source of fuel supply for the Hejaz rai way,
is a serious one for the enemy. Moving eastward from Shobe ,
Nasir’s forces attacked the railway and occupied Jauf el-Derwish
station, thirty miles north of Maan, where a gun, two machine
guns, some rolling stock and prisoners have been captured Che
A r obs also took thirty prisoners at Kalaat Aneza stat .
Another party under theGrab officer, Mowlud Elfend. is reported
to be holding the bridges at Ghadir el-Haj, south of Maa .
The Arabs west of the Dead Sea are well disposed towards
the King of Hejaz, and it is expected that Sherif leisal will take
steps to establish friendly relations with them.