from Beitunia, 4000 yards
away. The garrison put up a most gallant defence. They were compelled
to leave the building because the enemy practically destroyed it by
gunfire and the infantry almost surrounded the hill, but they
obtained cover on the boulder-strewn sides of the hill and held their
assailants at bay. At dusk, although the garrison was reduced to 2
officers and 26 men, they refused to give ground. They were instructed
to hold on as long as possible, and a reinforcement of 50 men was sent
up after dark--all that could be spared, as the division was holding a
series of hills ten miles long and every rifle was in the line. This
front was being threatened at several points, and the activity of
patrols at Deir Ibzia and north of it suggested that the enemy was
trying to get into the gap of five miles between the yeomanry and the
right of the 54th Division which was now at Shilta. It was an anxious
night, and No. 2 Light Armoured Car battery was kept west of Tahta
to enfilade the enemy with machine guns should he appear in the
neighbourhood of Suffa. The 7th Mounted Brigade was ordered up to
reinforce. The fresh troops arrived at dawn on the 28th, and had no
sooner got into position at Hellabi, half a mile north-west of Tahta,
than their left flank was attacked by 1000 Turks with machine guns.
The 155th Brigade of the 52nd Division was on its way through Beit
Likia to rest after its hard work in the neighbourhood of Nebi Samwil
and El Jib, and it was ordered up to assist. At midday the brigade
attacked Suffa but could not take it. The Scots, however, prevented
the Turks breaking round the left flank of the yeomanry. The post
which had held Zeitun so bravely was brought into Foka under cover of
the Leicester and Berkshire batteries' fire, and very heavy fighting
continued all day long on the Foka-Tahta-Suffa line, but though the
enemy employed 3000 infantry in his attack, and had four batteries
of 77's and four heavy camel guns, he was unsuccessful. At dusk the
attack on Tahta, which had been under shell-fire all day, was beaten
off and the enemy was compelled to withdraw one mile. Suffa was still
his, but his advanced troops on the cairn south of that place had
suffered heavily during the day at the hands of the 7th Mounted
Brigade, who several times drove them off. Some howitzers of the 52nd
Division were hauled over the hills in the afternoon and shelled
the cairn so heavily that the post sought shelter in Suffa.