Towards the end of June the Light Car Patrol received instructions to patrol the River Jordan from Hajla and Henu to the mouth, where the River enters the Dead Sea. The orders were to patrol twice daily (at dawn and in the evening before dark) and to report the result to Divisional Headquarters. On either bank of the river there were clay foothills over which we soon made motor tracks. These hills commanded a good view of the surrounding country for about 10 miles and by the aid of field glasses any movement could quickly be seen. The river was nominally the dividing line between the two forces but actually the British held both banks for most of the distance. This patrolling of the river banks meant that the unit spent considerable amount of time travelling backwards and forwards from the camp north of Jericho to the Dead Sea, which was the starting point of the line to be patrolled and in order to reduce this dead mileage we applied to have our camp moved down towards our starting point. This request was granted by Headquarters and accordingly on 12th July we were transferred to Rujm-el-Bahr on the coast and generally known as the Dead Sea Post. This new move was a very welcome one to all members of the unit. It meant that we got away from the choking and blinding dust encountered wherever bodies of horsemen were moving (and this was practically all the time near Light Horse camp) but what was far more welcome was the fact that we were near the water and bathing could be indulged in. We built our bivvies right alongside the water and in the morning rolled out of the blankets into the sea for our swim. The Dead Sea would be a good place for non-swimmers, as it would be practically impossible to drown. The buoyancy of the water is such that a person may stand in deep water and hold his arms up out of the water and the water will not rise over his neck. A swimmer used to fresher water however, will notice that it is very difficult to get speed up. This is probably because of the density of the water and of the difficulty of keeping the feet down as they have a tendency to rise to the surface all the time. One of the chief amusements of the place was to encourage visitors to dive into the water head first. The water was intensely bitter and if any of it went up the nose or got into the mouth the victims would probably cough and splutter for half an hour or until he managed to wash out his throat with fresh water again. If the water got into the eyes it would sting very severely for quite a while. A peculiar effect of a dive into the water was the speed with which the diver shot up out of the water again and sometimes if a person dived straight down he shot out feet first again.
44. At the Dead Sea post the mechanical skills of the members of the Light Car Patrol were put to good use running captured Turkish patrol boats (Creek collection ATM LCP.PC.006 HR).
The Dead Sea Post was an ideal spot from many points of view for our camp. There was a workshop there and a forge, which were extremely useful to us. One of the first things we did after being stationed there, was to remove the wheels from our cars and leave them overnight or as long as possible soaking in the Sea. Our wheels were only wooden ones (as the pressed steel wheels were not available at that time) and we had experienced considerable difficulty in keeping wheels tight owing to the extreme heat and in some cases we had narrow escapes from wheels practically collapsing altogether. The result of the soaking was to swell the wood making the spokes and felloes tight. This was not merely a temporary remedy because the brine soaked right into the wood and although the wood appeared perfectly dry in the day time, in the night air the salt would always get damp again causing the joints to swell.
There was stationed quite a fleet of motor boats at our post. These included a couple of fast six cylinder “Wolseley” speed launches each fitted with a Vickers gun. There were also some ships’ boats with outbound motors and later on two large Thornycroft twin screw gun boats each fitted with a three pounder were transported overland by tractors and launched near our camp. These boats greatly appealed to the men of our units who were nearly all good mechanics and expert machine-gunners and on many expeditions across the water the Dead Sea fleet was manned by the members of the Light Car Patrol who became known as the “Amphibians”. Quite a lot of work was done by these boats after dark as we would then run our “agents” across the sea, land them in enemy territory and pick them up at prearranged spots after they had completed their mission. On certain nights the boats would cruise along the enemy coast keeping watch for lights as if one of our men wished to be picked up he would light a fire under a cliff or overhanging ground so that the light would not show inland. The boat would then move quickly in towards the light and pick him up. Great caution of course had to be exercised as there was always the risk of treachery but this was never experienced. One of the agents, an old native, who appeared to be well trusted by Headquarters, had made many trips backwards and forwards and seemed to bring back a lot of information. This old chap was generally very regular in keeping his appointments with the boat, but one night he did not turn up and after the third night of cruising he was given up for lost by the crew. But about a week later the lookout reported a light some miles south of the usual position. A boat was sent down and after carefully cruising towards the light they discovered the old chap nearly dead, laying on the beach alongside a fire, which he had lighted. He was carried on board and given some food and water after which he seemed to revive. He had been badly wounded in the foot and he was taken across as soon as possible to be attended to. There was a large hole in his foot where a bullet had gone through it and it was expected that the leg would probably have to be amputated. It appeared that the old fellow had been seen by some of the Turkish sentries as he was passing through their lines and they had fired at him, one shot getting him in the foot. In spite of his wound however, he managed to get away to hide in the scrub during the day and crawled down to the beach at night time, where he slept and rested for about twenty-four hours. He put his foot into the water and left it there. The next evening he managed to crawl to a spot where he could light a fire and there he was found by the boat’s crew. The doctor told us afterwards that they managed to save the foot after all. They were afraid that the gangrene had set in but it appeared that the wound was filled with almost solid salt from the Dead Sea, the healing properties of which had saved the foot.
The Dead Sea Post was quite an interesting place from many points of view and we had numbers of episodes of various types to keep us from becoming dreary.
One morning the enemy dragged an old camel gun down the hills opposite to us and began to bombard the post at extreme range for an hour or two until pursuit was arranged and he was chased back over the hills again. The shelling did not do any harm as all the missiles exploded either in the water or in the mud behind. Another morning several of us who were standing in the water’s edge were surprised to see a large column of water shoot up into the air about half a mile out to sea. Some of the members of the unit (who had at one time been members of the Submarine Miners Corps) immediately came to the conclusion that a mine had gone off under the water and were marvelling where it could have come from, when a few minutes afterwards another explosion was heard from behind and a column of mud from the land side shot up into the air about a quarter of a mile behind us. We then discovered that an enemy aeroplane was dropping bombs from a great height. He was flying so high that he could not be heard and barely seen even with the glasses. As his nearest shot was over a quarter of a mile from its target, he did not cause much anxiety to anybody.
Amongst the stuff left behind at the Dead Sea Post when captured, were all the parts of a large steam tug, which had been taken to pieces at Haifa and transported overland in sections by the Germans and Turks. It must have taken a large amount of labour and time to do this as every piece had to be brought by road over the steep hills for something like 100 miles. All the parts were there except the engines and these could not be found. These had either not been brought or had been sunk in the water. Divers were sent down to search but no trace could be discovered. The British authorities decided to assemble the boat as all the parts were so conveniently left for them, and internal combustion engines from some of the Tractors were to be installed. Some shipwrights were brought down and the frames and plates of the boat were all riveted up. When we left the Jordan Valley some months afterwards the hull seemed to be all ready for launching but we never heard whether this had ever been done.
On the 14th July (a few days after our move to the Dead Sea Post) our two cars on morning patrol work at about 5 a.m. noticed movements of enemy troops some miles east of the Jordan. This information was immediately sent back to Headquarters and in the meantime parties of the enemy could be heard being engaged by our outposts. Apparently there was to be another attack on the riverfront. Sergeant J. Langley (a Bendigo boy) was in charge of the morning patrol that day and after sending back full particulars of enemy movements, he reported to the officer in charge of the lower bridgehead asking permission to cross and engage the enemy in front. This was granted to him and he immediately took his two cars across the bridge proceeding to some hills about a mile to the east where he dismounted his Lewis guns and carried them to a spot commanding the approaches in his direction. He left his two cars below headed for the bridge ready to move off in a hurry if necessary.
Meanwhile he entrenched and waited. Shortly afterwards a column of packhorses came along and a Machine Gun Section. These were allowed to get well into range when both Lewis guns opened on to them with deadly effect. The horses were stampeded and some of them killed.
Meantime one of the enemy machine-guns managed to get into action and a duel began in which the Turkish machine-gunners came off worst. Some time afterwards the rest of the patrol came up to relieve the morning men but when they arrived the ground in front was strewn with enemy debris. The remaining men of the Turkish section in front of us fled, abandoning their machine-guns and equipment which were captured. In that engagement we fired 5000 rounds out of our Lewis guns and two of the barrels were so damaged in the rifling owing to the continuous fire that they had to be renewed. Beyond this the only damage suffered by the patrol was some slight injury to the casing on one of the Lewis guns by an enemy bullet. The Turks retired from this attack along the line leaving large numbers of dead and prisoners.
Sergeant J. Langley was awarded the DCM for his conduct during this attack and that was the end of the second big attack on the Jordan Valley. The enemy now seemed to lose all interest in us for a couple of weeks and we arranged a big cricket match between the Australian Light Cars and the garrison of the post who consisted of English units. This was looked on as a test match and created a lot of interest for miles around. The weather of course was intensely hot as usual, but the fielders were able to have a swim in between each batman’s hand. I’m pleased to say that Australia won this test by 110 to 36 runs.
45. Boys playing cricket in the Jordan Valley. Sport played a significant part in the pre-war lives of many members of the Light Car Patrol (Cornwell collection ATM.LCP.PC.005).
46. General Allenby decorating Sergeant Langley of No. 1 Light Car Patrol with the Distinguished Conduct Medal (AWM B00249).
Bendigonians Gain Distinction
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The news reached Bendigo yesterday that Sergeant Jack Langley grandson of the Most Rev. Dr. Langley, Bishop of Bendigo and Sergeant Norman Bisset son of Mr. G.S. Bisset of Golden Square, had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.2
These soldiers are in Palestine, and are attached to the Australian Light Armored Car Patrol. Sergeant Bisset is an Anzac, and returned to Bendigo about two year ago, and after a brief stay again left for the front. He took part in the Senussi Campaign in Egypt. Sergeant Langley prior to enlisting was residing with Bishop Langley. He left for abroad in June 1916 and is 23 years of age.”
In connection with the announcement of the awards the following extract from a Letter from Gunner Leo Cohn by his parents will be interestedly read:“The Jackos (Turks) made a big attack last week, and got all they wanted. Six of our little unit, including Jack Langley and Norman Bisset and myself, were on our usual early morning patrol with two cars when we first got word of their advance right up to our lines during the night. We had to leave the cars about half a mile back and go on as infantry machine gun section. Our position overlooked that of the enemy’s flank, we had a perfect enfilade fire. They left their horses in gullies, and, although 1400 yards away, the observation was so good that we got right on them and stampeded the lot. About 7 o’clock they got four machine guns to try to quieten us, but we got right into them and repulsed them. Later a regiment of Indians came along on our right and put the enemy to flight.
“It was just like shooting rabbits”
Trooper Leo Cohn
The original text of Cohn’s letter provides a clearer understanding of the courage of the small patrol:
“The Jackos made a very lively attack on the 14th. Two of our cars got into it and we had a splendid day’s shooting. Jack Langley was in charge and Norman Bissett of our car. Norman is the gunner and I am the driver but as our boss is always cooling off we have to get another hand, as we had to this day. We had to leave the cars and carried on as a dismounted machine gun section. We got right up and got on to one of the Jackos’ flanks, which by the way were practically all Huns. We got on to one big crowd of horses and scattered them, leaving dead and kicking horses all the way up the gully. About two in the afternoon a Regiment of Indians had worked well up on the right and made a beautiful charge with the lances. The Huns had to run right again across our front to try and find their horses. It was just like shooting rabbits.
A few evenings later a big concert was held up in Jerusalem by Lena Ashwell’s party and permission was granted for a carload to go to Jerusalem for the night. Needless to say the car was well filled. On the morning of the 25th July during our morning patrol, we discovered a homemade boat and some oars hidden in the reeds skirting a lagoon close to the mouth of the river. We had not noticed this boat previously so concluded it must have been brought across the river during the night probably by an enemy agent. We were anxious to see how the boat was brought into the lagoon, so a couple of us embarked and pushed off when the boat promptly sank with us both, and we just had time to throw our watches and revolvers ashore as we disappeared below the surface to the amusement of the rest of the patrol. The boat had only sufficient buoyancy for one person, so evidently only one had to come across in it. We discovered that there was a narrow but deep entrance through the reeds into the sea through which the boat had been brought. We replaced the boat where we had found it after making it leaky enough to prevent it crossing the river again and reported particulars to the nearest intelligence officer who arranged for a watch to be kept beside the boat for the return of the navigator, but he must have received news of the boat’s discovery for he never turned up again. When we returned from the morning patrol, the water had dried on our clothes after the immersion and the white salt had dried and left us white like a couple of ghosts to the great enjoyment of the troops in the vicinity who thought it was some new game for their amusement.
Things seemed to be settling down about this time and no events of importance took place much in the valley. The enemy made a small demonstration on the 6th September and the whole patrol received orders to cross the river at Hajla Bridge, which we did first thing in the morning. We travelled at full speed to the north-east where we joined the Central India Horse with whom we crossed the Wady Rame. The enemy however changed their minds and retreated at full speed to the hills again. We received orders to return and were back at our post again in plenty of time for lunch. Nothing more of importance happened until 13th September when orders were received to leave the valley. We packed up after having been there for six months to a day. They were the six hottest months of the year and we were not sorry to leave. We were not to see the Jordan Valley any more. Events were shortly going to happen on the other flank of the Mediterranean Coast and we were to be there for the kick off. Orders were received for the cars to proceed singly at half hour intervals so as not to excite any particular interest and we were to take two days over the move. We arrived at Ramleh on the evening of the 15th September and proceeded to Sarona a couple of days later. All movements were now done at nighttime, so as not to arouse the enemy’s suspicions of the concentration on this flank. We now joined the 4th Cavalry Division and on the 18th September the officers were called to a conference where the Commander in Chief (General Allenby) explained that the big smash through the enemy’s lines was to be attempted at dawn the next morning. He explained that speed was to be the essence of the whole operation. The artillery and infantry were to make a break on the enemy’s western flank when the mounted troops and motor units were to pour through at full speed and take the enemy in the rear.”3
(The Bendigonian, 12 September 1918, p. 9)