After taking Jebel Mazar on 27 JUne 1041

The Australians had taken Jebel Mazar by 4:30am on 27 June 1941. The sun was just rising, and they could start to see. They surveyed the area and saw that there were actually two high points on the peak. They put men on both. As Captain Murchison was inspecting the area, the French officer who had been the artillery observer stood up from a small trench. He started talking with Murchison in English. The Australians could see significant French forces to the west. An artillery observer was to join them on the peak, but had not arrived. The observer finally arrived at 7am but he had left his radio a thousand feet below. Murchison sent him down to get the radio, but he never returned. Later in the morning, more men arrived. Some of the attackers had lost their way in the dark, and only now were rejoining. They had also picked up more men along the way. Among them were a sergeant and 17 men from the Queen's battalion. The sergeant had been sent to take the ridge beyond Jebel Mazar, but the ridge was strongly held by a French battalion. This is based on the account in Vol.II of the Australian Official History.