File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎150v] (309/834)

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ARABIA.
North-West.
Intelligence.
Northern Operations.
On April 19, British armoured cars and Egyptian Camel
Corps attacked the railway near Tel el-Shahm and captured all
Turkish posts between that place and Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Rethem. Aeroplanes
co-operated in the attack on Tel el-Shahm itself, and the station
surrendered during the evening of the same day. Two officers
and fifty-two other ranks were captured, together with 80,000
rounds of ammunition, twelve cases of bombs, 200 rifles and
considerable quantities of flour and other foodstuffs. One
Egyptian was wounded. On the following day the British units
occupied Ramleh station, which had been evacuated. On the
21st a reconnaissance in force was made against Mudawwara,
which was found to have been reinforced by a relief train from
Tebuk, and had a garrison of 400—500 men with two lon<>' ramm
Austrian guns and two Mantellis. Five miles north of
Mudawwara the telegraph was cut and a ten-arch culvert
demolished the troops retiring for the night to the neighbourhood
of lei el-bhahm.
On April 22 they attacked Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Rethem. The enemy
retired from the station to a redoubt on the escarpment 1,200
eet above, and the station was occupied and more than a
kilometre of _ line destroyed. The fight continued till dusk, the
enemy suffering severe casualties from our accurate artillery fire
mt pursuit was impossible in the dark owing to the precipitous
natuie of the passage up the escarpment.
p S {, s “ c des ‘™ction of the line was continued next day.
Hides I ; m 19 w f t n e ] 2ol ' <1 ’ 11 was carried on in sections of five
and ei.dit ln'I W!U I t0 t withil1 five miles of Mudawwara,
Three^t -1 ni? vf 8 "!/ ° f P e, ' manent way were demolished,
destvoved Tv W 1 ''“""‘S st ock on the sidings, were completely
eH t irches IT 7 1?™^ C " hert » »» averse of
telelranh Wire a d We, ,' e Wn U P’ and about ten kilometres of
teiegiapli v\ne and poles were removed.
ShedE'sHHon^r! 1 ^ Ar f bs .? a P t f ured B ‘^n el-Ghul, Fasoa and
withdrawn thev 011 a ^ ter ^ le Bl itish units had
Mulaw" tvclb “cpying the whole line from Maan to
at SlieVia ii,’cv^, t, 'red Cl 0 Sherif Feisal reports that
that the first 4, f, d I 'y 6 ,?* 06 ^ a' 1 ' 1 thirty other ranks, and
if . . . a thud stations south of Maan are lipid bv
0, 1 the 23 '- d ,1 > e . ArabsTereTntShe^
from the north have readiell tlmt-n-rfr fan \' Vlletller any sn PP lies
probably do not exceed 500 fighting men. PreSent 11UmberS
according to^Feisal^ammint'to eight'officersTntf^Oo'hher 8 midts