File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎212r] (432/834)

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leaving an important water-supply as well, doubtless, as much
material of war at the mercy of any attacking force. The
re seating soldiers^ themselves also, over a hundred strong, could
have been caught in the open. 6
A part of these, however, about forty strong and including
home officers, did not reach Maan. Having halted short of water
while the rest went into Maan to despatch a relief convoy back’
they were rounded up on July 3, together with those who were
returning from Maan to their relief, with many animals, by a
party of Howeitat scouts sent out from Feisal’s headquarters.
Altogether, fifty Turks were captured, and ten more are said to
have died on the march. Another Howeitat force of 150 riders
was sent south to Mudowara, as soon as the situation had been
realised at Aba Lissan. These will, no doubt, find the station
re-occupied by a relief force from the south, but weakly held.
A locomotive and seventeen trucks were seen there by our
airmen on July 3, and two days later our planes returned and
were not fired upon.
Successful raids have been carried out by our Air Force.
One, on Kerak citadel, on July 2, registered nine direct hits.
L he second on Kutrani, on J uly 5, heavily bombed and machine-
gunned the force there. The third, on J uly 2, was directed
against Maan village, where, according to refugees who have
come in subsequently, many casualties and much damage resulted.
An armoured car reconnaissance east of the railway reached
the Jafar wells (six in a group with abundant constant
supply) where 200 Howeitat tents of Abu Tayi were found.
Proceeding thence to the Bair wells (three giving a fair constant
supply), the observers found Sheikh Audah ibn Zaal with thirty
Howeitat tents, and a mounted section of Rowalla under Mujhim
Shaalan.
Southern Area.
A refugee, who left Medina in the early part of May, has
imparted rather unusually interesting and apparently reliable
information about the place at that date. He is Said Mohammed,
a Tunisian of Sfax, a man of education and substance,
and as an owner of date groves, he gives important testimony
that, owing to the abundance of rain last winter and spring, the
date crop in Medina district is likely to be a bumper one.
Normally the yield is about one and a half million kilos., but
this coming season two millions are expected. When the
informant left, only about 500 civilians all told were in the city,
and the regular troops were almost all in the outer defences and
on the railway. Several of the town gates had been removed
and burnt for fuel. As for railway plant, spare rails were
exhausted and many sidings had been taken up ; one large
locomotive (No. 21) and a small one, used for water-trains,
were alone serviceable, and no through train had left or arrived