west and
south of Jerusalem proceeded rapidly. Existing roads and tracks were
improved and new ones constructed to enable heavy and field artillery to
be placed in position and ammunition and supplies brought up. The water
supply was also developed. By December 4th all reliefs were complete." A
line was then held from Kushel, about 5 miles to the west of Jerusalem,
along the ridge that runs north-east some 3 or 4 miles to Neby Samwil.
From this point, the line bent back at a right angle, and ran along the
northern ridge of the Valley of Ajalon through Beit Izza and Beit Dukka
to Beit-ur el-Tahta (Beth-horon the Lower), from which point it was
carried west and north-west to the sea.

The enemy held a line approximately facing our Kushel-Neby Samwil line,
protecting Jerusalem from attack from the west or north-west, his front
line being distant about three miles from the city, and artillery and
machine guns being posted in the outskirts of the city itself. He had
two good lines of supply or retreat, namely the north road from Nablus
and the eastern road through Jericho and across the Jordan to Amman
Station on the Hejaz Railway. It will be remembered that, in the words
of the Psalmist, "The Hills stand round about Jerusalem." The Turks were
able to select positions of considerable natural strength in these
surrounding hills. In fact, the country is one continual succession of
hills and valleys, the hillsides steep and rocky, the valleys deep and
strewn with boulders. These positions of natural strength the enemy had
improved by the construction of trenches and strong points and other
devices of modern field engineering.

The general idea of the operations for the capture of Jerusalem was the
simultaneous pressure of three Divisions, whereby the enemy should be
driven off his main roads, and the city be isolated, and so forced to
surrender. The 60th and 74th Divisions had already arrived in the
fighting zone and were occupying positions in the line, the 60th on the
right, about Kushel, and the 74th about Neby Samwil. On December 4th,
the 53rd Division commenced their march from Beersheba up the
Hebron-Jerusalem Road. No opposition was met, and, by the evening of the
6th, the head of this column was ten miles north of Hebron. The infantry
were directed to reach the Bethlehem area by the 7th, and a line about
three miles south of Jerusalem by dawn on the 8th. The 8th was the date
fixed for the commencement of the renewed o