ment was ordered, under cover of which,
and with the assistance of machine-gun fire from aeroplanes, the 181st
Infantry Brigade of the 60th Division went forward to the assault.
They captured the hill in ten minutes, only sustaining about one
hundred casualties, and taking nearly as many prisoners. A German
machine-gunner who fell into our hands bemoaned the fact that he had
not a weapon left--every one of the machine guns had been knocked out
by the artillery, and a number were buried by our fire.

The first phase of the operations having thus ended successfully quite
early in the day, the second stage was entered upon. Field guns were
rushed forward at the gallop over ground broken by shallow wadis and
up and down a very uneven stony surface. The gun teams were generally
exposed during the advance and were treated to heavy shrapnel fire,
but they swung into action at prearranged points and set about
wire-cutting with excellent effect. The first part of the second phase
consisted in reducing the enemy's main line from the Khalasa road to
the wadi Saba, though the artillery bombarded the whole line. The 60th
Division on the right had two brigades attacking and one in divisional
reserve, and the 74th Division attacking on the left of the 60th
likewise had a brigade in reserve. The 74th, while waiting to advance,
came under considerable shell-fire from batteries on the north of the
wadi, and it was some time before their fire could be silenced. As
a rule the enemy works were cut into rocky, rising ground and the
trenches were well enclosed in wire fixed to iron stanchions.
They were strongly made and there were possibilities of prolonged
opposition, but by the time the big assault was launched the Turks
knew they were being attacked on both sides of Beersheba and they must
have become anxious about a line of retreat. General Shea reported
that the wire in front of him was cut before noon, but General
Girdwood was not certain that the wire was sufficiently broken on the
74th Division's front, though he intimated to the Corps Commander
that he was ready to attack at the same time as the 60th. It
still continued a windless day, and the dust clouds prevented any
observation of the wire entanglements. General Girdwood turned this
disadvantage to account, and ordering his artillery to raise their
fire slightly so that it should fall just in front of and about the
trenches, put up what was in effect a dust barrage, and under cov