crosses the yet
more ancient route from Egypt and Gaza to Acre and Damascus, the
neighbourhood of Ramleh and Ludd has for many centuries been the site of
an important town. In Biblical days it was Ludd; in Crusading days it
was Ramleh. The towns are but a couple of miles apart. And so it came
about that now, once again, this spot became the great traffic junction
of Palestine.

As time passed on, and as, through the spring and summer of 1918, we
held a line across Palestine to the north of and covering Jerusalem and
Jaffa, railway development proceeded apace, being focussed on Ludd. In
spite of the difficulties of railway engineering in the mountains, the
broad gauge line was carried from Ludd through Junction Station right up
to Jerusalem. Well-constructed narrow gauge lines were laid down between
Ludd and Jaffa, and between railhead and various distributing centres
close behind the front line. The line from Junction Station to Beersheba
was changed from narrow to broad gauge and extended to Rafa. Thereafter
the line was double from Kantara to Rafa. From Rafa, one single line
went forward, by Belah, Gaza and Yebna, to Ludd, while another single
line went forward to Ludd by way of Beersheba and Junction Station. The
advantages of a double line system north of Rafa were thus secured at
times of pressure by working the full freight trains forward to Ludd via
Gaza and Yebna, and working the trains of returned empties back again by
way of Beersheba.

Ludd developed apace. Soon were seen all the evidences and activities of
a great advanced base and distributing centre. Huge ordnance and supply
dumps arose, workshops and depots were to be seen on all sides, a great
bakery was installed and even a mineral-water factory. The importance of
Ludd far eclipsed the quondam glory of Belah, and came nearer to
rivalling that of Kantara.

To an Englishman, the chief interest of Ludd lies in its being the place
of martyrdom and burial of St. George. Was it not appropriate that the
victorious British armies in Palestine should have been provided and fed
from beside the very tomb of their own Patron Saint?

CHAPTER XIII

THE JORDAN

Jerusalem having surrendered on the 9th December, the enemy lay round
about in an encircling line on the north and east. The first thing to be
done was to make good our hold upon the city. Accordingly, a series of
minor operations took place, with the object of clearing the enemy from
any point