dawn next morning.
Shortly before midnight the Turks began their operations against the
line held by the 60th Division across the Nablus road precisely where
it had been expected. They attacked in considerable strength at Ras et
Tawil and about the quarries held by our outposts north of that hill,
and the outposts were driven in. About the same time the 24th Welsh
Regiment--dismounted yeomanry--made the enemy realise that we were on
the alert, for they assaulted and captured a hill quite close to Et
Tireh, just forestalling an attack by a Turkish storming battalion,
and beat off several determined counter-attacks, as a result of which
the enemy left seventy killed with the bayonet and also some machine
guns on the hill slopes.

The night was dark and misty, and by half-past one the Turks had
developed a big attack against the whole of the 60th Division's front,
the strongest effort being delivered on the line in front of Tel el
Ful, though there was also very violent fighting on the west of the
wadi Ed Dunn, north of Beit Hannina. The Turks fought with desperate
bravery. They had had no food for two days, and the commander of one
regiment told his men: 'There are no English in front of you. I have
been watching the enemy lines for a long time; they are held by
Egyptians, and I tell you there are no English there. You have only to
capture two hills and you can go straight into Jerusalem and get food.
It is our last chance of getting Jerusalem, and if we fail we shall
have to go back.' This officer gave emphatic orders that British
wounded were not to be mutilated. Between half-past one and eight A.M.
the Turks attacked in front of Tel el Ful eight times, each attack
being stronger than the last. Tel el Ful is a conical hill covered
with huge boulders, and on the top is a mass of rough stones and
ruined masonry. The Turks had registered well and severely shelled our
position before making an assault, and they covered the advance
with machine guns. In one attack made just after daybreak the enemy
succeeded in getting into a short length of line, but men of the
2/15th Londons promptly organised a counter-attack and, advancing
with fine gallantry, though their ranks were thinned by a tremendous
enfilade fire from artillery and machine guns, they regained the
sangars. For several hours after eight o'clock this portion of the
line was quieter, but the Turk was reorganising for a last effort. A
very brilliant defence had been