ience. It was
successful in reaching most of its objectives. The enemy losses were
heavy, especially from the preliminary bombardment.

"Subsequent reports from prisoners stated that one of the Divisions
holding the Gaza Sector was withdrawn on account of casualties, a
Division from the general reserve being drawn into this Sector to
replace it. The attack thus succeeded in its primary object, which was
to prevent any units being withdrawn from the Gaza defences to meet the
threat to the Turkish left flank and to draw into Gaza as large a
proportion as possible of the available Turkish reserves. Further, the
capture of Sheikh Hasan and the south-western defences constituted a
very direct threat to the whole of the Gaza position, which could be
developed on any sign of a withdrawal on the part of the enemy."

Here the force attacking Gaza stayed its hand, merely holding on to the
positions already captured, while the main attack was being developed on
the right.

Having captured Beersheba on the 31st October, a force was pushed out
early on the following day, the 1st November, into the hills north of
Beersheba, with the object of securing the flank of the attack on
Sheria, while mounted troops were sent north along the Hebron road.
Accordingly, the 53rd Division took up a position from Towal Abu Jerwal
(6 miles north of Beersheba) to Muweileh (3-1/2 miles farther west) and
the 10th Division occupied Abu Irgeig, on the railway, 6 miles from
Beersheba.

Next day, the 2nd, our mounted troops found and engaged considerable
enemy forces to the north of Towal Abu Jerwal. Accordingly, on the 3rd,
we advanced in that direction towards Ain Kohleh and Khuweilfeh, where
the enemy were found to be holding a strong position with considerable
and increasing forces. It will be borne in mind that this was only the
right flank-guard; our main attack, which was to be delivered against
Sheria, was not timed to commence until two or three days later.
However, the enemy elected to employ the whole of his available reserves
in an immediate counter-attack. During the 4th and 5th he made several
determined attacks on the mounted troops in this locality. These attacks
were repulsed; and the enemy's action was not allowed to make any
essential modification to the original plan, which it had been decided
to carry out at dawn on November 6th. It was this exhausting of the
Turkish reserves, so early in the operations and so far away to the East