How Jerusalem Was Won: Being the Record of Allenby's Campaign in Palestine — John Shaqi
How Jerusalem Was Won: Being the Record of Allenby's Campaign in PalestineMassey, W. T. (William Thomas)
History
How Jerusalem Was Won: Being the Record of Allenby's Campaign in Palestine
Massey, W. T. (William Thomas)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Palestine
Brigade and two battalions of the 53rd Division held the ground to
the north of the wadi Saba to a point where the remainder of the 53rd
Division watched for the approach of any enemy force from the
north, while the 10th Division about Shellal protected the line of
communications east of the wadi Ghuzze, and the Yeomanry Mounted
Division was on the west side of the wadi Ghuzze in G.H.Q. reserve.
The XXth Corps' losses were 7 officers killed and 42 wounded,
129 other ranks killed, 988 wounded and 5 missing, a light total
considering the nature of the works carried during the day. It was
obvious that the enemy was taken completely by surprise by the
direction of the attack, and the rapidity with which we carried his
strongest points was overwhelming. The Turk did not attempt anything
in the nature of a counter-attack by the Beersheba garrison, nor did
he make any move from Hareira against the 53rd Division. Had he done
so the 10th Division and the Yeomanry Mounted Division would have
seized the opportunity of falling on him from Shellal, and the Turk
chose the safer course of allowing the Beersheba garrison to stand
unaided in its own defences. The XXth Corps' captures included 25
officers, 394 other ranks, 6 guns, and numerous machine guns.
The Desert Mounted Corps met with stubborn opposition in their
operations south-east and east of Beersheba, but they were carried
through no less successfully than those of the XXth Corps. The mounted
men had had a busy time. General Ryrie's 2nd Australian Light Horse
Brigade and the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade had moved southwards
on October 2, and on them and on the 1st and 2nd Field Squadrons
Australian Engineers the bulk of the work fell of developing water and
making and marking tracks which, in the sandy soil, became badly cut
up. On the evening of October 30 the Anzac Mounted Division was at
Asluj, the Australian Mounted Division at Khalasa, the 7th Mounted
Brigade at Esani, Imperial Camel Brigade at Hiseia, and the Yeomanry
Mounted Division in reserve at Shellal. The Anzac Division commanded
by General Chaytor left Asluj during the night, and in a march of
twenty-four miles round the south of Beersheba met with only slight
opposition on the way to Bir el Hamam and Bir Salim abu Irgeig,
between five and seven miles east of the town. The 2nd Australian
Light Horse Brigade during the morning advanced north to take the high
hill Tel el Sakaty, a little east of the Beersheba-Hebron road, which
was captured at one o'clock, and the brigade then swept across
the metalled road which was in quite fair condition, and which
subsequently was of great service to us during the advance of one
infantry division on Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The 1st Australian Light
Horse Brigade commanded by General Cox, and the New Zealand Mounted
Rifles Brigade under General Meldrum, moved against Tel el Saba, a
1000-feet hill which rises very precipitously on the northern bank
of the wadi Saba, 4000 yards due east of Beersheba.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account