File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎210r] (428/834)

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crosses the line in this neighbourhood ; but from el-Muerda to
bowat lately every culvert and bridge has been totally destroyed
and the lurks have filled them in with sand. From el-Muerda
the railway crosses a large watershed until it reaches the Mellal
bridges (1 believe the Turks name them Gazed). On the east
close to the line, is a strongly fortified ridge of hills • on the
west about 2,000 yards of open plain.
These bridges consist of a big six-arched stone bridge then
a high embankment, and then a large bridge of twenty-seven
arches, of which the centre'three have, at some time, been
destroyed and filled in with masonry ; then comes an embank
ment and then a bridge of eleven square openings. All this is
strongly defended from the east, and machine guns have been
dug in to sweep the bridges. In the rains there must be a
tremendous flow of water. Under these the seils of Melha,
Dulma, Bowat, Hurad, Gefr and Melal all join up and, seeming
to be known as the Seil Mellal, flow under the bridges and thence
direct to the Hamdh.
k ‘ Just south and west of the bridges a ridge of hills comes
down to the line ; the eastern point of this is known as the
Kashm el-Gazeil and is 900 yards distant from the bridges.
This ridge really commands the whole line, and if held, would
permanently close it, as the western end of the ridge rests on
the road to Medina, via Bir Darwish. On the railway below
this ridge there is a small conical hill, which has been dug into
and fortified. It is known as Gazeil, and was originally an old
Hajj post before the days of the railway. It now acts as part
of the bridge defences, and probably holds about 100 infantry.
“ From here I have not seen the railway ; but it seems to go
into hills again and run up a valley through Hafira and Muheit,
and then to bend round Jebel Ohod to Medina.
“In the rainy season the Turk has to perform enormous
labour to keep the railway running. I am told the embankment
has sometimes become so sodden that, before now, railway service
has had to stop for three months in peace time. This year there
were exceptional rains, and at the big bridges the flood flowed
over the top. In *the valleys the ballast was often entirely
washed away from under, bending the rails. The Turk used to
pick the line up, relay the bed and straighten the rails ; raiding-
parties would then blow the line up for him, and the Turk would
relay it; then would come a sandstorm and cover the line feet
deep for miles ; the Turk would come out and remove the sand,
and so ad infinitum!
“From Abu Naam to Seil Matran there is a tremendous
number of culverts, and with the exception of the big bridges,
these have been systematically destroyed and the Turk has filled
them in with sand. The railway, in the rains, is obviously
dependent on its drainage system for its efficiency, and the rains
of 1918-1919 should do it enormous damage, as the drainage
system has been broken up.