“GO TO JERICHO.”

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 80, 2 May 1918, Page 1

“GO TO JERICHO.”

A Trooper’s Letter. The following is a portion of an interesting letter written by Trooper Albert Delaney to his father, Hugh Delaney, of “Tyrone,” Matamata. Albert has been wounded lately for the third time, besides being severely kicked by a horse in the battle of Beersheba. “ Once more settled and here we are again at Jericho. I’ve been told to go there many a time and sure enough I’ve “landed it.” I quite enjoyed our stay near Richon (near Jaffa). The villages were very interesting. At first we moved across lovely country, but it soon became hilly and did rise some —I wish I had taken lessons in “ book writing” in my early days for here is material for a great book—many many times. I pulled my ears and tried to realise just where I was, but it was no good. All that settled in my head was that we were on the old Roman road, and right and left and in front lay the most miserable and poverty stricken land imaginable. The hills appeared like waves leading up to Jerusalem and they were covered with moulten looking boulders and rocks. Every now and again we saw evidence of Roman work. The Bedouins live along this route and cultivate strips perhaps a chain long and so many yards wide and this heartless work is carried on on the faces of these hills that would almost baffle a goat. Well, we came to a halt one afternoon and from a hill near at hand we got our first glimpse of Bethlehem and Jerusalem and three very large reservoirs built by Solomon. We stopped here a day and two nights and I went in the evening over to the Ist, Brigade, A.L H., and saw uncle. He had a great joke to tell me. Whenever we halt orders come round that no trees are to be cut, or villages looted, etc. Yery well, after a while uncle and the Colonel spotted two fellows loaded up with sticks, branches, etc., and

things looked serious for those two. But, when they “ hove to” they found that they were their own orderlies. Needless to say both officers had comfortable bivies that night. When we left we rode through Bethlehem and got a very warm welcome. As we were getting there all were in readiness to fight. I could not help thinking we should be entering such a place with love and beautiful thoughts in our hearts. I took many photos, but the weather was dull and disappointing for camera work. We passed close by the spot where Chi ist was born, and then headed for the Dead Sea and down hill all the way. I never saw anything like it, we travelled most of the night and lead our horses down some awfully narrow tracks. Our squadron was advanced to the brigade and I fully expected a burst of machine gun fire every moment, but we got down to level country near the north of the Dead Sea. Just as it was breaking day we moved forward and my word the Turks were fully alive by now. I did long for a camera to take in the long winding track with the brigade strung out single file, and shells bursting at the foot of the track. The level stretch gave good cover, but rose abruptly near the Dead Sea, and this was held by the Turks. The infantry were fighting hard on our left and eventually gained all objectives. The Turks withdrew in the afternoon then we moved forward and made good the hills. Next morning we moved out over the Jordan Valley and then occupied Jericho. The people being delivered from their isolated position were very joyful, rang bells and threw holy water over any boys near to them. This was 22nd February (my birthday) and I received “ happy returns” from five Taubes, the shells falling thick and. fast. Food was very scarce and many of the inhabitants were living on grass —Gospel truth. Mt. Temptation rises near Jericho and built into the hill is a monastry. The stone Christ sat on for forty days and nights has been removed from the top and is now placed in a beautiful room far into the hill. It is a wonderful piece of work, large and small rooms, natural doors and arches, passages, etc. This home of old Monks is far up the side of the hill and takes some getting to. Trooper Walter Jeffries (brother of Mrs Bodley, Matamata) and I wrote our names in the old visitors’ book and we noticed dated 1900 a Rev. Mr and Mrs Dickson, minister,New Zealand. Iwonder if they are still in New Zealand ? Our regiment is still here and fairly cosy, but rations are very short. We can’t get to the Jordan yet, but I saw it from a post the other day. lam looking forward to having a good look through Jerusalem some day.