Heavily shelled by enemy. 
Collected over 300 more prisoners last night after a bit of a scrap.
​J.A.Graham 

Pursue enemy from Sharia to Sofia. Capture dozens of villages and towns. 
Capture 9 guns, two 5” howitzers, 2 AA guns, 5 field guns and thousands of prisons, ammunition, transport etc etc. 
Village people welcome us, many speak English. 
Maurice O’Connor lost his horse, went to find it and stayed out all night. Next morning he discovered himself in enemy lines. Came across an outpost of 6 Turks and charged them, taking them prisoners. 
30 more planes bomb Jacks.  
Water very scarce. 
Collected some souvenirs. 
A great charge across the Planes of the Philistines on to enemy. Thoroughly demoralized them. Turks thought we were going to attack via Hebron. Now only 21 miles from Jaffa and 17 from Jerusalem.
(Insert from 9 December 1917): This was absolutely our best day. We sighted over a thousand Turks crossing a level plain. It was a great place for a cavalry charge and we quickly seized the opportunity. The whole Brigade took part in the charge and Abdul absolutely threw up the sponge when we thundered down on top of them. In fact my old horse galloped over a couple of them before I could pull her up. They scattered in all directions crying out to Allah to save them. By jove it was great. 
The same day we charged a battery of guns and captured them, but we had to kill their crews. They stuck to their posts and fired their guns until the horses were right on top of them. We also charged two villages but before we got into them properly, the Turks came streaming into the streets frantically waving white flags.
Well I think that’s enough about the fighting. Its uninteresting enough reading at the best of times and we’ve had such a dose of it this time that if I attempted to describe it to you there would be a famine of paper at this end.
J.A.Graham

Attacking Abdul. 
We capture two field guns (1 gun by 7 LH) and many prisoners. 30 of our planes came over and bombed Jacks. Jacks counter attacks. Reinforced by Yeomany. We expect to be relieved for a spell and to get rations 27 more planes bomb Jacks.
(Insert from 9 December 1917): Soon after the fall of Sharia the troops operating on our left occupied Gaza and the whole line was ours. The Turks began a general retreat and it was from now on that the cavalry came into great prominence. 
The pursuit was so swift that the Turks hadn’t time to take anything with them and whenever they got time they used to set fire to their dumps. One must give the Turk credit for the great rearguard action he fought for well over 50 miles. 
Our Brigade did great work right thru and we alone captured huge quantities of stores and ammunition including 200,000 rounds of big gun shells, 2000 rifles, two aeroplanes, 103 transport wagons and teams fully laden, motor cars and lorries, 13 guns, several machine guns, 3 anti aircraft guns 2 railway trains and about 2000 prisoners. The other Brigades in our Division also got great hauls.
(Insert from 9 December 1917): The air service put in some great work during the offensive. Batches of 30 planes used to leave our lines and drops tons of bombs on the enemy and then swoop down and mow them down with their machine guns.  
​J. A. Graham

Behind Sharia three boys wounded and Hammond and I ride to BHQ for Ambulance. 
Got lost on way back and wandered into Turkish lines.

(Insert from 9 December 1917): After a couple of days skirmishing we came into the vicinity of Hebron and the Turks had a great force waiting for us, apparently thinking we were going to attack but as soon as it got dark we retraced our steps and came into the rear of Sharia, where the slaughter was great. 
The whole place was a mass of shell holes and their redoubts were smashed to the ground.
​
(Insert from 9 December 1917): I had a very unpleasant experience behind Sharia. 
A mate and I went back one night to bring the ambulance to the firing line. On the way back we got lost and after wandering about for several hours we came to the gully we thought our troops were occupying.  Presently we heard voices and they were certainly not English voices. It dawned on us then, that we were in the Turkish lines, so we dismounted and sneaked back until I knew we were outside their outposts again.  The moon rose and from it I got my bearings, but before we left (I might say we left at the gallop) there was one man less in the Turco Army. We couldn’t resist having a shot. The sentry was standing on top of a hill with the moon right behind him, and only about 150 yards off. 
​J. A. Graham  

Same position on mountain crags. 
Heavily shelled 9 casualties OR and 40 hours to take up fresh position. 
Supporting the NZ’s. 
A big ride in front of us. 
​J.A.Graham

Sheikh of Mecca forces operation 9 on our right. 
Account for 400 Turks still attacking. 
​J.A.Graham

Again behind enemy force. 
We should make a good capture. 
Now only a few miles from Hebron.
​J.A.Graham

Held up by enemy in Judean Hills. We are to try and cut him off. 
Extremely mountainous country.
(Insert from 9 December 1917): The Turkish retreat began and we moved up into the tablelands of Judea and along the Hebron and the Old Roman road. 
The country was very rough and our horses had to imitate the goat in picking their way across the limestone ridges. 
​J.A.Graham