LCC index
CHAPTER X.
Egypt and Palestine.
At the outbreak of war with Turkey it was estimated that about 140,000 troops
were concentrated at Damascus, and it was anticipated that a part of these would
be used for an attempt upon the Suez Canal. It was true that to reach the canal
the enemy would have to cross the Sinai Peninsula, a waterless desert 120 miles
wide, and that failure would be disastrous. On the other hand the enterprise, if
successful, would sever a vital link in the British communications with India
and the East, and such a possibility, however remote, had to be guarded against.
At the end of January, 1915, a Turkish column reached El Arish, passed through
Wadi-el-Arish, and on 3rd February endeavoured to cross the Canal south of
Ismalia. Our troops, fully warned, easily repulsed the attack, killed large
numbers of the enemy and took 600 prisoners.
The British now pushed forward a railway from Kantara, and early in 1916 Qatia
was reached. In April the Turks tried to interfere with the work but were driven
off. In July an expedition of 18,000 men, hugging the coast, made some progress,
but, bombarded from British monitors at sea, and harried by mounted troops on
its left and rear, it was completely defeated on 4th/5th August with the loss of
half its number in casualties and prisoners.
The Senussi of Sollum.
Trouble also arose with the Senussi on the western frontier. These were Arabs,
nominally subject to the Turks, and, as they acknowledge in a loose way the
religious authority of the Sultan, they were easily aroused against the Infidel.
Early in December, 1915, a composite force, which included the 2/7th and 2 /8th
Middlesex, occupied Matruh midway between the Nile and the western frontier and
defeated the enemy several times in the neighbourhood. A defeat in February, 19
16, at Agagiya, sixty miles to the west, drove them back to Sollum where they
were dispersed, with the loss of all their equipment, by armoured cars. Some of
the fugitives fled 500 miles to the south-east along the oases which form a
rough natural boundary between the desert plateau to the west of the Nile, and
the Libyan Desert, and eventually reached the Dakhla oasis, near Upper Egypt.
They were driven out in October, 1916, and a remnant which reached the Siwa
oasis, 150 miles from Sollum, was defeated in February, 1917.
Palestine.
As a preliminary to the invasion of Palestine the Turks in January, 19 17, were
driven out of El Arish and Rafah and the Qatia railway was continued to the
latter place. Anticipating an attack they strongly fortified Gaza, Beersheba and
the district between the Wadi Ghuzze and the Wadi es Sheria. In March our
assault was launched. A few cavalry entered Gaza on the 26th but were cut off
and, although the 53rd and part of the 54th Divisions surrounded the town, they
were withdrawn a day or so later. On 17th April the attack was renewed, the 53rd
Division attacking along the coast with the 52nd and 54th on their right. The
assault seems to have been even less successful than the earlier attempt and,
after two days' hard fighting, our men were withdrawn.
It was probably in this fighting that Co.-Sergeant-Maj. (afterwards Lieut.) W.
A. Trumble (7th Essex, Arch.) was awarded the D.C.M. for his " marked ability
and courage in handling his section in two engagements."
R. H. Lunn (Essex, Educ.) was killed near Gaza on 26th March, and M. T. Lucas
(2/10th Middx., Educ.) near the same place on 19th April. Lieut. H. J. Payne,
(4th Suss., Comp.) and F. A. Toseland (Highd. L.I., Asylums) on their way to
Egypt were drowned on 4th May, 1917, when the transport Transylvania was
torpedoed in the Mediterranean.
Capture of Gaza and Beersheba.
The Turks took the opportunity to strengthen their defences which were held by
ten divisions. General Sir Edmund Allenby, now in command, determined to assault
a point to the west of Beersheba where the country was so rugged that the enemy
considered elaborate fortifications to be unnecessary. The preparations, which
included the construction of many miles of roads and branch railways, the laying
of rabbit wire on long stretches of sand so as to provide passable tracks for
traffic, and the formation of depots for stores and munitions, occupied three
months.
By October all was ready and on the 27th Gaza was heavily bombarded from the
land and the sea, while a sortie from the town was beaten off. The enemy's
attention being thus concentrated upon the right of his line, the 6oth and 74th
Divisions advanced by a night march, and at dawn on the 31st attacked the sector
west of Beersheba, By the early afternoon the defences had been breached, and
later in the day the town, with 2,000 prisoners, was seized by Australian Horse
which had made a wide detour to the east. On 1st November Tuweil-abu- Jerwal, a
commanding height north of the town, was occupied by the 53rd Division, and the
Tel-Kuweilfe pass, still further to the north, was blocked. Turning west the
10th and 60th Divisions on the 6th captured a sector of the defences towards
Gaza, and the 60th at Sheria also cut the railway leading to Jerusalem. The
Turks had been held in Gaza by the 52nd Division, which advanced before dawn on
the 2nd, but the situation was now desperate and they retreated in disorder
along the coast. The town was occupied on the 7th. Thus in one week Gaza and
Beersheba were captured, and the enemy was driven out of the whole of the very
formidable positions between those two towns. Some 9,000 prisoners and 80 guns
were captured.
Corp. G. Kirkby (1st Co. of London Yeo., Educ.) was awarded the D.C.M. for
gallantry and devotion to duty at Gaza. " He rendered splendid service during
two actions, and on many other occasions, under the most difficult conditions."
C. J. Hitchcock (M.G.C , Educ.) died of wounds on 28th October near Beersheba,
John McGrath (2/15th London, Estates and Valn.) was killed near the same place
on the 31st, W. J. Howes (10th London, Tram.) near Gaza on 2nd November, Lieut.
F J. Miles (R.F.A., Educ.) near Sheria on the 6th, and Bomdr. W. C. Hygate
(R.F.A., Tram.) near Sheria on the 7th. P. C. Bernard, wounded on 4th November,
died in hospital on 5th March, 1918.
Fall of Jerusalem and Jericho.
The Turks next attempted to make a stand at El Kubab on high ground guarding
Jerusalem and the railway thereto, but were driven out by the 52nd Division.
Ramleh was seized on the 15th and Jaffa on the 16th, the latter forming a useful
base for supplies by sea. The enemy were now hemmed in on the high ground to the
east and south-east of Jerusalem. Avoiding any frontal attack on this main
position. General Allenby on the 20th seized the Nebi Samwal ridge north of
Jerusalem by means of the 75th Division. On 8th December the 53rd Division
advanced from the south and east and the 60th and 74th from the west, east and
north. Next day the city surrendered and on the 11th it was entered by our
victorious troops.
Fresh enemy troops advancing towards the city were driven off on 27th December
by yeomanry and the 10th Division and, following up this success, our troops
next day pushed the enemy back some miles. Several weeks of rain caused
hostilities to be suspended and time was thus given for putting roads and
railways into repair. Towards the end of February, 1918, fighting commenced
again, and the 60th Division with Anzac horse fought their way towards Jericho
which was entered on the 21st.
C. E. West (2/14th London, Educ), wounded on 8th December in the advance upon
Jerusalem, died on 28th March, W. J. Templeman (R.F.A., Tram.) died at Cairo on
7th December of malaria or enteric, Lieut. A. E. Pragnell (2/2 1st London,
Educ.) was drowned on the 30th when the transport Aragon was torpedoed in the
eastern Mediterranean, A. H, B. Barnard (2/15th London, Educ.) was killed on
20th February, 1918, to the north of Jerusalem, C. J. F. Dockett (2/15th London,
Comp.) died of wounds on the 21st, and F. B. Neate (2/24th London, Parks) was
killed on 9th March.
Raids across the Jordan.
Early in the war many Arab tribes in Hejaz, to the east of the Red Sea, threw
off the Turkish suzerainty, which for long they had barely acknowledged, and a
force under Feisal, son of the King of Hejaz, in addition to protecting the
right flank of Allenby's advance, also attacked various posts between the Red
Sea and the Dead Sea and harried the Turkish lines of communication along the
railway from Damascus to Mecca. To assist these columns the 60th Division
and Anzacs on 21st March, 1918, forced the passage of the Jordan and pushed on
to Es Salt which was occupied on the 25th. Attempts during the next few days to
reach the railway in strength failed, but small raiding parties cut it in
several places and on 2nd April the troops were withdrawn. On the 30th the
attack was renewed when mounted troops again occupied Es Salt and the Goth
Division assaulted positions to the south-west. A Turkish counter-attack upon
the left flank of the expedition was successful and forced our men to retire
with the loss of nine guns. As a set-off nearly one thousand Turks were
captured.
Capt. F. V. Harris (10th London, Solr.) won the M.C. on 26th March but no
details are available. Co.-Sergeant-Maj. B. C. Hales (2/23rd London, Educ.) was
awarded the D.C.M. for his gallantry during the first raid. " He took command of
his company, when all the officers had been wounded. Under intense rifle and
machine-gun fire he moved fearlessly about, encouraging and organising his much
depleted company. Afterwards, he was placed in command of the left of the
battalion line, when his courage and resource under heavy fire materially
assisted in beating off two strong counter-attacks."
Co.-Sergeant-Maj. S. T. Watson (2/23rd London, Educ.) ' The fighting in the
Hejaz cannot be gone into in detail, but the British gave some assistance, and
for continuous and consistent good service whilst commanding an armoured car
from April 1917, onwards Lieut. E. H. Wade (M.G.C, Tram.) was awarded the M.C.
was killed near Es Salt on 28th March, Sergeant A. A. Clements (R.A.V.C, Educ.)
near Jericho on 2nd April, and Corp. A. Symons (2/2oth London, Educ),
Lance-Corp. H. Osborn (2/i6th London, Educ.) and J. W. H. Woodward (2/2oth
London, Comp.) on the 30th.
Battle of Megiddo.
The success of the German offensives in France from March onwards led to the
recall of the 52nd and 74th and the bulk of the 60th Divisions, their place
being taken by Indian troops, chiefly from Mesopotamia. Large Turkish forces
were detached for service in Persia and elsewhere, so that for once the Allies
had the advantage in numbers. As soon as his new troops were properly
incorporated in the army General Allenby decided to seize the opportunity for
overwhelming the enemy in this part. Accordingly on 18th September the 10th and
53rd Divisions made a feint on the right of our line to the north of Jerusalem,
and next day the main attack was launched against the enemy's positions on the
coastal plain north of Jaffa. This was completely successful; two important
lines of defence were overrun, and on the 20th three cavalry divisions, pushing
forward through the gap thus formed and wheeling eastward, cut the enemy's lines
of retreat at El Afuleh and Beisan and seized the crossings over the Jordan.
Liman von Sanders, the German commander-in-chief, narrowly escaped capture at
Nazareth, his headquarters. Under attacks by the 10th and 53rd, aided by several
Indian divisions, from the south and west the enemy now turned and fled, and, as
the main outlets were already held by our troops, escape was possible only for
small scattered bodies using the rough and narrow hill tracks. The
disorganisation was completed by the airmen who dispersed the fugitives with
bombs and machine-gun fire. Such of the enemy as escaped were relentlessly
pursued, and Damascus surrendered on 1st October and Beirut on the 7th. In less
than three weeks from the opening of the attack 75,000 prisoners (including
3,000 Germans and Austrians) and 300 guns were captured ; out of three Turkish
armies only some 17,000 escaped death or capture.
The advance still continued and, as the enemy offered little resistance,
progress was rapid. Tripoli surrendered on 13th October and Horns on the 16th,
while on the 26th Aleppo and Muslimie, the latter an important railway centre,
were captured after a brisk skirmish with enemy rearguards. General Townshend,
who had been taken prisoner at Kut, was now released with the request that he
would arrange an immediate armistice. This was signed on the 30th when the Turks
agreed to open the Dardanelles and Bosphorus, to surrender all prisoners, to
demobilise their army and to transfer to the Allies the control of all railways.
During this fighting no members of the Council's staff were killed, but Lieut.
W. A. Trumble, D.C.M. (6th Essex, Arch.) died in Egypt on 9th October, and W.
Jackson (2/22nd London, Educ.) near Jerusalem of malaria on the 13th, and Corp.
E. M. Stiller (R.F.A., Tram.) died in hospital at Alexandria of pneumonia on
14th December.