The main advance by infantry from the XX Corps, began during the night of 8 March, by the 53rd (Welsh) Division with the 1st Light Horse Brigade (probably operating dismounted in the rough terrain — see map opposite), the 74th (Yeomanry) Division and the 10th (Irish) Division. On the right flank the 181st Brigade, 60th (2/2nd London) Division, which took part on the first day only, was to secure the line of the Wadi el Auja in and just above the Jordan Valley and guard it and the open right flank of the 53rd (Welsh) Division against an attack. The 60th (2/2nd London) Division pushed Ottoman units back from high ground on the north bank of the Wadi Auja, well beyond the valuable water supply in the river. The XX Corps began its advance during the night of 8 March at the same time as the Ottoman XX Corps began to arrive on the Auja. The wadi was across but only deep and the 2/22nd and 2/21st Battalion, London Regiment crossed the wadi in the plain without incident before 05:00. The 2/24th and 2/23rd Battalions, London Regiment in the hills had difficulties and a gap of developed where an Ottoman division had given the defences an unexpected strength. Meanwhile, infantry from the 53rd, 74th and 10th Divisions advanced north up both sides of the Jerusalem to Nablus road from Kefr Malik to Nebi Saleh cutting off all tracks and roads leading to the lower Jordan Valley. The 53rd (Welsh) Division's objective; the capture of Tell 'Asur, was assigned to the 158th Brigade. The Tell was a very valuable observation post with views extending north to the hills of Galilee with Mount Hermon in the background away, in the east and south-east to Gilead, Moab and most of the Dead Sea, in the south over the Mount of Olives to the heights of Hebron and west to the Mediterranean from south of Jaffa to north of Caesarea. It was captured by the 5th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers about 09:30 after a heavy bombardment by the 91st Heavy Battery but the position was far from secure being subjected to a successful counter-attack shortly after, but the 6th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers, drove them off. Four unsuccessful attempts by Ottoman forces were made to regain this hill. Infantry from the 74th (Yeomanry) Division's attack was made astride the Jerusalem to Nablus road; the