It was an awkward moment, but the Colonel at once relieved the temporary gloom which had settled on us during the reading of the message by adding at the end “and England expects that every one will give the Turk a hearty Christmas greeting.”
Dispositions were soon made. “A” Company moved out in support of the Kensingtons at Beit Hannina and “D” Company to the Westminsters, who were holding the line at Tel-el-Ful. The Companies were very weak and “D” Company was reinforced by No. 11 Platoon of “C” Company, the remainder of the Battalion moving to a hill behind Tel-el-Ful. It was midnight before the move was complete and nothing remained but to wait for dawn. It was a most appalling night; a high wind and torrential rain make life very unpleasant when one is in bivouacs on top of a hill 3,000 feet high. Our bivouacs were flooded and we were soaked to the skin, but it was realised if the Turk attacked under such conditions he would be a hardier man than we expected. Christmas morning broke and the grey light from the east disclosed one of the most dismal pictures dawn could ever disclose. Jerusalem almost hidden in driving rain on Christmas morning! As we expected, the attack did not take place, though we could not but realise the irony of our dear friends at home hurrying off to church to sing “Christians awake, salute the happy morn,” when the dear ones for whom they prayed had just spent the most miserable night of their existence in waiting for a dawn which in no circumstances could have been called happy. The rain continued all Christmas Day until the morning of the 26th when the sun came out and cheered us. That the attack was imminent we all knew, but the sun revived our spirits and by midday we were willing to tackle all the Turks in Asia. We had suffered several casualties from exposure, but a supply of whale oil for the feet did much to check wholesale sickness. Information came through that the attack really would take place on the 27th, and a few minutes after midnight of the 26/27th, the Turks pushed in an advanced post in front of Tel-el-Ful. The first main attack came about one hour later, supported by heavy artillery fire on the Westminsters’ position in front of Tel-el-Ful. Shortly afterwards the Kensingtons were also heavily attacked to the west of that hill. The Turk had been reinforced by new troops from the Caucasus and was making a desperate effort to retake Jerusalem, so the brunt of this attack fell on our positions which covered the main road, and only road from the north. Two platoons of “D” Company were soon sent up under Lieutenant T. H. E. Clark to reinforce the left Company of the Westminsters and the struggle was intense. Eight attacks in all were made on the position in front of Tel-el-Ful, and in the heaviest just before dawn the Turks succeeded in effecting a footing in the main positions. The situation was grave and Colonel Gordon Clarke of the Westminsters thereupon ordered the officer in charge of “D” Company (Lieutenant Hutchison) to take the remainder of his Company and eject the Turk with the bayonet. This counter attack made by No. 16 Platoon, “D” Company, and No. 11 Platoon, “C,” under Lieutenant R. H. Harris, M.C. (“Bulldog” Harris of the 1st Battalion), under the command of the O.C. “D” Company, in spite of severe shell fire, ejected the Turk from the main position, though not without sustaining severe losses. Lieutenant Harris, with a party of seven or eight men, became detached and was surrounded. They fought to the last and Harris, accounting for at least three of the enemy himself with the bayonet, was killed. All the remainder of his party were either killed or were wounded and taken prisoners. These were the only prisoners we lost in Palestine, but their loss was due solely to the vigour with which they pushed home their attack. The remainder of the Company lost heavily and had when they took over the line from which they had ejected the Turk but 50 per cent. of their original strength. Junction was made with Lieutenant Clark and the line was reorganised and held throughout the remainder of the day in spite of repeated attacks which were supported by heavy artillery shelling. The following letter received by our C.O. a few days later gives an appreciation of the value of the work done:
Photo by Turner & Drinkwater, Hull.
2nd Lieut. R. H. HARRIS, M.C.
Killed in Action, Palestine, 1917.
To face page 320.
“Head Quarters, 60th Division, “31st December, 1917.
“My Dear Bisdee,
“I visited the post held by the platoons of your Battalion in front of Tel-el-Ful. The number of dead, their attitude, their closeness to the parapet, the bomb and shell holes, are all witnesses to the grim struggle of your splendid men. They must have inflicted not less than 300 casualties in all. The fact that they maintained their line intact against heavy odds and a brave and determined enemy is an incident of which your Battalion may well be proud.
“I should much like to know who commanded the platoons and how many casualties they had.
“Accept my warmest congratulations on their courage and determination.
“Yours sincerely, “(Signed), A. C. Temperley, Lieutenant Colonel, “General Staff, 60th Division.”
On the left in front of Beit Hannina, “A” Company did no less glorious work. After being in the line in the early morning they were withdrawn until about midday when the Turk made his final onslaught on our line. He pressed his attack right up to the stone breastworks which had been erected, and fought with determination. As on the right in the early morning, the situation was critical and “A” Company were called up to assist. In company with the Kensingtons they counter-attacked with the bayonet, and forced the enemy back. In this action, Lieutenant R. W. G. Andrews greatly distinguished himself.
A story of the 27th December would be very incomplete without mention of the gallantry of the other ranks, and particularly the stretcher bearers. These latter went out time after time under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire to bring in wounded comrades. Private Martin, “D” Company, went out with a fellow stretcher-bearer, Ridley, some forty or fifty yards from cover, and placed a wounded man on a stretcher. Whilst doing this Ridley was shot through the head, Martin thereupon, in spite of the fact that he was much the smaller of the two men, got his pal on his back, and commenced to carry him in. He stopped exhausted half-way, and after a brief rest shouldered his burden again, and got him under cover only to find that he was dead. Quite undismayed he again went out with another man, and succeeded in bringing in the first man safely. All this was done under aimed rifle and machine-gun fire. Martin afterwards was awarded the Military Medal although recommended for the V.C. When told of his reward a few days later all he said was “What about Ridley, sir, I did no more than he did,” and that epitomises the self-sacrificing spirit of the stretcher-bearers. (Martin was killed in France some months later while gallantly attending the wounded under heavy fire.)
“A” and “D” Companies were withdrawn from the line on the evening of the 27th December, and joining up with the remainder of the Battalion followed up the Turkish retirement northward next day, which resulted from the crushing blow by the 10th and 74th Divisions on the Turks’ right flank.