They had also had a
tough journey up, having had to carry loads most of the way from
Railhead, when what they required was rest and food. Here we were
within four miles of Jerusalem, and all ranks had the chance of seeing
the city.
During the next week or so we managed to supplement our rations with
dried figs, and the most excellent native brown bread; but the supply
of the latter soon stopped, as we were forbidden to buy it, as it
would just mean that the B.E.F. would have to supply bread to the
population later on if we were allowed to consume their stocks of
flour. H.Q. actually managed to secure a turkey, which was picketed
out near the Quartermaster's stores to wait for Christmas. The
programme here was "Road Improvement," but all the same we had a slack
time for ten days or so, when we were told what was to be the next
stunt. We were to assist in a big turning movement in which we were to
go along the Zeitun Ridge, the object being the gaining of some elbow
room to the north of Jerusalem. The 60th Division were to make an
advance up the Nablus road, with which was to be combined a sweep by
the 10th Division, with our Brigade attached, on to Bireh and Ram
Allah from the west. The country favoured such a movement, as the main
ridges ran east and west. We were to be at the same time the point of
the echelon (the brigades being more or less echelonned from the
right) and the inside of the wheel.
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