ress through the streets is partially barred by the graves of
Devon yeomen who were buried where they fell. It was not possible to
hew a grave in rock, therefore earth and stone were piled up round the
bodies, so that in at least two spots you find several graves serving
as buttresses to rude dwellings. On one of these graves, beside the
identification tablet of two strong sons of Devon, you will find, on
a piece of paper inserted in a slit cut into wood torn from an
ammunition box, the words 'Grave of unknown Turk.' Friend and foe
share a common resting-place. The natives of this village are more
than usually friendly, and those graves seem safe in their keeping.

Between the 4th and 7th December there was a reshuffling of the troops
holding the line to enable a concentration of the divisions entrusted
with the attack on the defences covering Jerusalem. The 10th Division
relieved the 229th and 230th Brigades of the 74th Division and
extended its line to cover Beit Dukku, a point near and west of Et
Tireh, to Tahta, and when the enemy retired from the immediate front
of the 10th Division's left, Hellabi and Suffa were occupied. The
Australian Mounted Division also slightly advanced its line. On the
night of December 5 the 231st Brigade relieved the 60th Division in
the Beit Izza and Nebi Samwil positions, and on December 6 the line
held by the 74th was extended to a point about a mile and a half north
of Kulonieh. The 53rd Division had passed through Hebron, and its
advance was timed to reach the Bethlehem-Beit Jala district on
December 7. The information gained by the XXth Corps led the staff to
estimate the strength of the enemy opposite them to be 13,300 rifles
and 2700 sabres, disposed as follows: east of Jerusalem the 7th
cavalry regiment, 500 sabres; the 27th Division covering Jerusalem and
extending to the Junction Station-Jerusalem railway at Bitter Station,
1200 rifles; thence to the Latron-Jerusalem road with strong points at
Ain Karim and Deir Yesin, the 53rd Turkish Division, 2000 rifles; from
the road to Nebi Samwil (Beit Iksa being very strongly held) the 26th
Turkish Division, 1800 rifles; Nebi Samwil to Beit ur el Foka, 19th
Turkish Division with the 2/61st regiment and the 158th regiment
attached, 4000 rifles; Beit ur el Foka to about Suffa, the 24th
Division, 1600 rifles; thence to the extreme left of the XXth Corps
the 3rd Cavalry Division, 1500 sabres. The 54th Turkish Division was
in reserve at Bire