Indian Antiquary Vol 51

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 54

46
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[MARCA, 1922
Phêri ujelo bhoiero hamra thậla jornal sâp le sawari bhoiero hameru lai bhannu bhbio: "Hê Gorkhâli bîro hô ! timra båduri le Jirusalam naū gareka gaer mã hinne båto khólyo; timro naữ thầlo bhai gyu. Téi Jirusalam saor lina lai âze pani timi phêri Agari barna pərsə : " bhanera bhannu bhoio.
Tes bêla mã Turki ka gola hamra mâthi hanno lâge ; baute nuksân bhio. Phêri phâlin ko hukum milero hamiheru Agari borgū.
Translation.. On the morning of the 18th the troopers of a white regiment called Australians (in front of us there was a village) attacked this village. But there was no success. The Turks shot machine-gun bullets out finely; they did not let' our cavalry advance.
The next day on the morning of the 19th at two o'clock an order came from the Brigade, saying: The Second Third Gurkhas must iake that village." - The Cotonel Sahib apportioned the companies: "A company and C company will be firing line; B company and Doom. pany will be their support.” So doing we advanced.
But the Turks on the morning of the 19th even before we advanced at 4 o'clock in the morning had lit a great fire in that village. That same fire is a signal of the Turks to retire. When our A company reached the village, neither shell nor bullet nor anything at all was fired.
From there going forward a little and halting on the edge of the village we remained there for a little while. Right and left of the village the Turks, having stolen the fowls of their own villagers, had eaten them and gone away. Feathers only over the wole road, in the hollow between the stones also only feathers were to be seen.
From that village we went forward a little for about two miles along the road. What was that road like ? On the right hand there was a great mountain, and on the left hand a great mountain. In the middle was the valley. For one who had to go along it the road was exceedingly difficult and narrow. That road too in several places the Turks had left blown up. Saying that our baggage and gun-carriages should not be able to come, putting in mines, they had blown it right up.
Very slowly we continued to advance. From the right an Indian regiment, numbered 58 (58th Vaughan's Rifles), had come up. We remained halted for a while : the Indian regiment advanced.
Again to our regiment came the order to advance. The Colonel Sahib commanded, saying: "A company will remain to protect the guns; the other three companies climbing the hill on the left will advance." So saying he commanded. On our receiving such order, the company commander Sahibs, each by his own arrangement, sent forward parties to scout. We remaining men, reaching the top of that hill one at a time, advanced by the right. Going slowly on, we had no information, as to near where the enemy was.
Having crossed that hill, on the further side there was a descent. Again another hill was met ; again there was an ascent. One by one, saying: "We will come out on the top of that hill," we went on. As soon as a few men had come out on the top of the hill, the Turks rained down on us very thickly both shells and machine gun bullets just like hail. We, too, with our Lewis guns from the shelter of the rocks, wherever possible, returned the bullets thickly. Now also darkness began to fall. The Turks too continued to fire. Our D company advanced : B company remained in its support. At that time a cannon shell struck D company commander, Grey-Smith Sahib (Captain M, Grey-Smith, I.A.R.O), and on that hill he entered the heavenly dwelling.