or taken prisoners. The Queen's
Westminsters were exposed to a heavy flanking fire at a range of about
a thousand yards from a tumulus south-east of Ain Karim, above the
road from the village to the western suburbs of Jerusalem. Turkish
riflemen were firmly dug in on this spot, and their two machine
guns poured in an annoying fire on the 179th Brigade troops which
threatened to hold up the attack. Indeed preparations were being made
to send a company to take the tumulus hill in flank, but two gallant
London Scots settled the activity of the enemy and captured the
position by themselves. Corporal C.W. Train and Corporal F.S.
Thornhill stalked the garrison. Corporal Train fired a rifle grenade
at one machine gun, which he hit and put out of action, and then shot
the whole of the gun team. Thornhill was attacking the other gun, and
he, with the assistance of Train, accounted for that crew as well. The
two guns were captured and Tumulus Hill gave no more trouble. Both
these Scots were rewarded, and Train has the unique honour of wearing
the only V.C. awarded during the capture of Jerusalem.

At about the same time there was another very gallant piece of work
being done by two men of the Queen's Westminsters above the Khurbet
Subr ridge. When the battalion got to the first objective an enemy
battery of 77's was found in action on the reverse slope of the hill.
The guns were firing from a hollow near the Ain Karim-Jerusalem track,
some 600 yards behind the forward trenches on Subr, and were showing
an uncomfortable activity. A company was pushed forward to engage the
battery. The movement was exposed to a good deal of sniping fire, and
it was not a simple matter for riflemen to work ahead on to a knoll on
the east of the Subr position to deal with the guns. To two men may be
given the credit for capturing the battery. Lance-Corporal W.H. Whines
of the Westminsters got along quickly and brought his Lewis gun to
bear on the battery and, with an admirably directed fire, caused many
casualties. Two gun teams were wiped out, either killed or wounded, by
the corporal. At the same time Rifleman C.D. Smith, who had followed
his comrade, rushed in on another team and bombed it. Smith's rifle
had been smashed and was useless, but with his bombs he laid low all
except one man. His supply was then exhausted, but before the Turk
could use his weapons Smith got to grips and a rare wrestling
bout followed. The Turk would not surrender, and