th of the station
was successfully cut, but north of Amman the cutting was not complete.
Consequently, the enemy were able to receive considerable
reinforcements. Before Amman could be attacked in strength some 4,000
Turks were in position covering the viaduct and tunnel, while 2,000 more
were moving on Es Salt from the north. Five miles of railway line were
however, destroyed, while much other damage was done to the railway
line. But, in view of the strength of the enemy and the difficulties of
our communications (we had only been able to bring forward
mountain-artillery), our force withdrew.

The raid had not entirely fulfilled its object, but much good work had
been done, and it had materially assisted Sherif Faisal with his Hejaz
troops in his operations further south against Maan.

Our force returning from Eastern Palestine did not abandon the
hardly-won eastern bank of the Jordan. Bridge-heads were retained. The
Turks, however, became aggressive, and, on the 11th April, attacked our
bridge-head at Ghoraniyeh. They were repulsed from here and driven back
to Shunet Nimrin, which they strongly garrisoned.

On the 30th April another raid was made across the Jordan. This time our
infantry attacked the Shunet Nimrin position, while the cavalry,
intending to cut off the garrison, moved round the flank and reached Es
Salt. But a strong Turkish force, crossing the Jordan from the Nablus
area at Jisr ed Damieh, drove back the cavalry, who lost nine guns in
their retirement. This raid had been planned to co-operate with the Beni
Sakr Arabs. Their promised assistance did not materialize, and the whole
force was brought back to the crossings of the Jordan.

Thenceforth, until the sweep of the following September the Jordan river
and bridge-heads remained our front line.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 9: See before Chapter III.]

[Footnote 10: See before Chapter IV.]

CHAPTER XIV

THE WADI DEIR BALLUT

In the last chapter we saw how, after the capture of Jerusalem, the 20th
Corps proceeded to improve the line on the right. We will now follow the
operations of the 21st Corps on the left.

The first operation of importance was that carried out by the 52nd
Division on the extreme left. On the night of the 20th/21st December,
1917, crossings, partly by fording and partly by rafts, were effected
over the Wadi Auja, a few miles to the north of Jaffa. The high ground
overlooking the wadi from the north was rushed before