dawn, and a line
was consolidated which effectually deprived the enemy of all observation
from the north over the Valley of the Wadi Auja. Incidentally, the
distance between the enemy and Jaffa was increased from 3 to 8 miles.
This safeguarded Jaffa and its harbour, and the main Jaffa-Jerusalem
road. Further adjustments of the line were made, including the capture
of Rantieh on the railway and El Tine and Bornat to the right, which
gave commanding views over the forward country and increased elbow room
to the troops covering Ludd and Ramleh.

As the result of these operations the line ran, at the beginning of
March, approximately as follows. The 60th Division on the right had
reached the Jordan, our line running along that river as far north as
the Wadi Auja and then bending westwards. On their left came the 53rd
Division, a little to the north of Bireh, and on their left again the
10th Division completed the front of the 20th Corps. They joined up the
75th Division, whose frontage ran from Midieh (the Modin of the
Maccabees) through Kibbiah to the foot-hills at Et Tireh; from here the
54th Division extended across the Plain; while the 52nd Division held
the sector close to the sea, a little to the north of the other Wadi
Auja.

[Illustration]

Except for occasional rains, our soldiering in the 75th Division sector,
throughout February and the early part of March, was campaigning _de
luxe_. The enemy had gone right back to the line of the Wadi Deir
Ballut, leaving a No Man's Land in front of us about 4 miles across. He
held advanced posts a mile or two in front of our line, but his guns had
been taken well back out of range. We therefore enjoyed immunity both
from sniping and shelling, and could move about in front of our line
without anxiety, even in broad daylight. The observation posts that we
occupied commanded extensive views across No Man's Land, and we should
have had early intimation had there been any considerable hostile
movement.

We thus had opportunities for training, and preparing ourselves for the
next forward push. The whole battalion was put through a course of
musketry. The forward slopes of our position provided an admirable field
firing range, with all No Man's Land for the stray bullets to spend
themselves upon. How it must have made the Turk itch to see men lying
about in platoons in the open before his very eyes, and how he must have
longed to have had a gun within range, and to have disperse