Palestine 1917

Lt Col Wigan

From the British perspective 1917 began auspiciously with the realisation that the Turkish Forces had fully withdrawn from the Sinai Peninsular, thereby alleviating the immediate threat to Egypt and the Suez Canal. The thoughts of British High Command thus turned from the need for defence towards preparations for a general advance through Palestine against the Turkish forces and their German allies.

The start of the year found the Berkshire Yeomanry, as part of 6th Mounted Brigade, beside the Suez Canal co-located with the Buckinghamshire Yeomanry at Ayun Musa and with the Dorset Yeomanry at Geneffe. The Berkshire Yeomanry was commanded by Lt Colonel JT Wigan DSO with Major GM Wilder commanding A Sqn, Capt FG Strange commanding B Sqn and Major PMN Wroughton commanding D Sqn. The usual patrols and duties were carried out during the month of January and the Regiment, with a strength of 23 officers and 407 men, was in good health. Training continued and included taking part in combined field-firing schemes with live ammunition.

At the end of 1916 the British Army had decided that mounted divisions should reorganise their machine gun sections into specialist squadrons. In January 1917 the 17th Machine Gun Squadron was formed,. Drawn from each yeomanry regiment within 6th Mounted Brigade, the Squadron consisted of 6 sections, each of about 25 men, with two Vickers machine guns per section. In their place Yeomanry regiments were to be issued with the Hotchkiss machine gun. The two types of automatic weapon were quite different. The Hotchkiss was a gas piston operated, belt fed, bipod equipped, air-cooled light machine gun, very light and easily carried but not capable of sustained fire.

Signal Troop at Kantara

Two days later the Berkshire Yeomanry left Kantara, setting out across the northern part of the Sinai to reach El Arish on the Palestine Border. To El Arish was 90 miles of rolling sand dunes or stony tracts with little vegetation except a sprinkling of cacti or an occasional palm tree where there happened to be water. The Regiment joined the press of troops moving east along the age-old caravan route which armies have traversed since wars began.

The trek along the coast was to take 9 days with the Regiment averaging little more than 10 miles per day. At evening halts, lines were put down, blanket bivouacs erected and one Hotchkiss per squadron mounted for anti- aircraft defence.

As we crossed over the hill and descended in to the Khan Yunis valley, a veritable promised land met our view; below us lay a flourishing village, dominated by the ruins of an ancient crusader castle, and surrounded by tall trees and green fields, irrigated by running water and plentifully dotted with bright coloured flowers; and stretching away in the distance were the golden corn-fields of southern Palestine. On the rolling downs towards the sea many cattle and sheep were grazing. It was a scene of peace and plenty, and was a great contrast to the sandy wastes of the Sinai Peninsular.

Captain O Teichman (Worcs Yeo)

It became clear that the Turks had established a strong defensive position at Gaza. The British plan was for the 53rd Infantry Division to assault Gaza from the south whilst the mounted troops formed a screen north and east of Gaza so as to prevent reinforcement of the Turkish garrison. 54th Infantry Division was to support the mounted screen and 52nd Infantry Division was held in reserve.

On 25 March the British forces took up their preparatory positions for the battle. The Imperial Mounted Division moved out along the coast to Deir el Belah, 9 miles from Gaza and the nearest place where there was tree cover, essential because of the enemy’s air superiority. By evening British forces were assembled and ready to move on Gaza.

The night was very cold and still, with a frost in the air, when at 0315 hrs on 26 March the Berkshire Yeomanry moved out with the Imperial Mounted Division. With dawn a few hours later there rolled up a dense sea fog which lasted until 0700 hrs or so.

Sgt Sear

Crossing the Wadi Ghuzzi without difficulty in spite of the fog, and possibly assisted by the concealment it afforded, the mounted troops reached their allotted positions east of Gaza with little delay.

Despite the excessive heat, by midday the two cavalry divisions had completed their encirclement of Gaza. Clouds of light dust were evident in the direction of Beersheba and it was clear that enemy were moving to support their garrison at Gaza. Early afternoon reports also showed considerable enemy activity from the direction of Huj, northeast of Gaza. To speed up the assault, the ANZAC Mounted Division was ordered to join the attack on Gaza whilst the Imperial Mounted Division took over the entire covering screen.

By 1600 hrs the Berkshire Yeomanry had moved with 6th Mounted Brigade further northwards towards Huj. As this was happening the enemy advance became suddenly pronounced with a force of Turks, some 4,000 strong, marching from Huj towards Gaza. The ANZACs were still occupying Hill 403, directly in the enemy’s path, and came under intense pressure as the enemy tried to force them from the crest of the hill. The arrival of the Berkshire Yeomanry under Lt Colonel Wigan DSO, who took command of the action, had the desired effect of delaying the enemy advance.

Cpl Cyril Martin

During the day we hid in one of the many wadis which are practically dry river-beds, for directly you showed yourself in any number you got shelled, and that pretty accurately. Taubes [German aircraft] flew over us continually, bombing occasionally. One troop per squadron was told off to fire at them and so had many shots, but no luck sufficient to bring one down. Our patrols were fired on many times from Turkish positions and enemy patrols.
Cpl Cyril Martin

18 April was used by the infantry to consolidate and establish themselves firmly in their new positions and in preparation for the attack planned for the following day. For the mounted troops it was rather an uneventful day.

We were out on patrol, an officer, sergeant, corporal and fourteen men, nearly twenty of us all together. We went as ordered towards Beersheba and got within sight of the enemy and we heard a horn blowing, which was a signal for the Turks and meant enemy in sight. So we turned round, came back, and our officer said, “Extend to eight yards between each horse.” Going up, before this horn blew, we went past an old broken down truck and nobody took any notice of it, but when we came back, this bugger had a machine gun on the back of this car, pointing through the wheels. He plastered us with bullets as we retired but didn’t hit a horse or a man. I think he had the wind up.
Cpl Fred Marshall

19 April saw the attack launched in earnest. The British began an artillery bombardment at 0530 hrs and the main assault commenced at 0730hrs. The Imperial Mounted Division was to act dismounted against the Atawineh redoubt with a view to pinning the enemy to that place whilst the ANZAC Mounted Division covered its right flank against any attack from the direction of Abu Hereira.

For the advance on Atawineh the Imperial Mounted Division was organised with 4 ALH Bde on the left, 3 ALH Bde centre, 5th Mounted Bde right, and 6th Mounted Brigade in reserve. The advance was vigorously supported by the Division’s four horse artillery batteries. The front line advanced steadily for two miles under considerable artillery fire and soon came under rifle and machine-gun fire from the Atineweh redoubt which caused casualties and delayed progress. However by 0930 hrs 4 ALH Bde had reached its objective and occupied Sihan whilst 3 ALH Bde was approaching Atineweh itself. 5th Mounted Brigade had reached the approaches to Sausage Ridge and succeeded in driving the enemy off the lower slopes but their position remained precarious because the ground allowed for enfilading fire especially from Hairpin Redoubt. By midday accurate shelling from Austrian howitzers had knocked out two of the four guns supporting 5th Mounted Brigade which added further to the pressure on them.

By now the Turks had fallen back on their main line of defence and the most vigorous attacks could not shift them and British losses were piling up. At 1330 hrs the Turkish counter-attacks, which had been developing against the infantry outside Gaza, spread down the road and the enemy, in considerable strength and well supported by artillery, swept forward on to the whole front of the Imperial Mounted Division and fell with full force on the 4 ALH and 3 ALH Bdes. 3 ALH Bde incurred heavy casualties and was forced to retire. This left the 5th Mounted Brigade wholly exposed. The left flank of the Brigade rapidly reformed its front and fixed bayonets to meet the attack of the Turkish infantry which could be seen rapidly advancing through the standing corn. During the hand-to-hand fighting which ensued, one of the stretcher bearers, who owing to his duties had mislaid his rifle, was seen to lay a Turk out with a spade!

Watering at Tel el Jemmi before moving out

3 ALH Bde was ordered forward again and despite coming under terrible fire they pressed on to their original position and stood firm. The situation of the 5th Mounted Brigade remained very critical and an urgent message for help was sent to 6th Mounted Brigade to reinforce the line. Realising the urgency of the situation Lt Colonel Wigan moved off at once with A and D Sqns Berks Yeo and one Sqn of Bucks Yeo. The Squadrons galloped in troop columns as far as they could into the firing line, dismounted, and pressed on.

My word! What a ride. Talk about excitement, with shrapnel bursting all around. In ten minutes we had mounted, ridden two or three miles, dismounted and were in the firing line. What a din. Every available rifle and machine gun was going all out to cover our advance.
Cpl Cyril Martin

A few moments at rest

Overnight it became known that there were to be no further attacks on the Turkish positions. The Second Battle of Gaza was over, and had resulted in a serious check to the British arms. No fresh troops were at hand to restore the numerical balance, now heavily against the British, while the enemy, flushed with success, adopted a policy of aggression unusual for him. The Turks now resolved to hold Gaza indefinitely and were reinforced in April and May by three further divisions. It was obvious to turn them out now would require major British reinforcements particularly in infantry, artillery and aircraft.

In the evening we retired behind the lines leaving the infantry in position. Our rest was only for a few hours for we had to move to another bivouac and then go out on trench digging. We did not feel very much like the work but stuck to it. Returned just before dark. How pleased we were to hear that reveille was not until 0600 and still more pleased to learn that were going back to base for a bathe and change. Cpl Cyril Martin

Swimming in the Sea

Towards the end of June the mounted forces were reorganised into three divisions: The ANZAC Mounted Division, The Australian Mounted Division (formerly the Imperial Mounted Division) and the newly formed Yeomanry Mounted Divison. The Yeomanry Mounted Division comprised 6th Mounted Bde, 8th Mounted Bde and 22nd Mounted Bde. Whereas before there had been two mounted divisions each of four brigades, now there were three divisions each of three brigades. The three cavalry divisions were put on to a regular roster: one month in the front line, one month in support, and one month rest and training in camp by the sea. Both the forward and support divisions had to be ready to turn out at short notice.

On 29 June General Sir Edmund Allenby took command of the Eastern Force. Eschewing Cairo and the flesh pots of Egypt, he made his HQ in Palestine only a few miles behind the front line.The men were quick to learn of this change and when it became known that the new C-in-C was to be seen often on the front line their spirits rose a hundred per cent. Within a few weeks of his arrival many knew Allenby by sight. It was inspiring to watch him visiting the Yeomanry front line, his car dodging the enemy's shrapnel as it sped from post to post. Seldom in the course of military history has the personality of a new commander had such a marked effect on his troops.

Much time was spent in training. As well as musketry practice on the range and classes on the hotchkiss gun, or on bombing and signalling, several brigade and divisional schemes were carried out. To meet the possible need for infantry operations, an infantry-style battalion was organised within each brigade and regularly put through its paces. Guard duties were also frequent for the divisional supply dump and for the divisional water guard.

The morale of the troops is splendid. Allenby is a rattling good soldier, so that when he does hit, we are all confident that we will go right through and mess up the Turk properly. Lt WVR Sutton

Under Allenby practice turn outs were frequent and the time taken carefully noted down and they could be called at an awkward time too. Sometimes these turn outs were in light order but more often than not they were ordered for "continuous fighting" which meant taking every stitch and all transport.

By mid-August British and Imperial Forces had been much expanded allowing Allenby to reorganise the Eastern Force into three new army corps: the Desert Mounted Corps comprising the Anzac Mounted Division, the Australian Mounted Division, the Yeomanry Mounted Division and the Imperial Camel Corp Brigade; XX Corps (10th 53rd 60th and 74th infantry divisions) and XXI Corps (52nd 54th and 75th infantry divisions).

It became clear that during the day that the Turks were getting heavily reinforced. At 1100 hrs the enemy commenced to shell 6th Mounted Bde with some persistence, and continued at intervals until about 1330 hrs after which all was quiet except for a little sniping and patrol activity. Then a line of enemy infantry was observed advancing and at 1400 hrs B Sqn Berks Yeo came under heavy attack and was forced to retire.

By1500 hrs one machine gun section had moved to support the Berkshire Yeomanry and succeeded in delaying the enemy advance for half an hour. Both guns kept up fire until the enemy were within 500 yards. The Regiment then retired despite heavy enemy fire. We retired about 3:00 pm and had to get out as quick as we could. While retiring we were shelled heavily by shrapnel. Had some wounded through it. Harry Jones shot in the back and died in the saddle while being taken to ambulance. Sgt Will Sear

This had been an ambitious operation lasting 48 hours during which 80 miles were covered. Pte J Russell and Sergeant HG Weakford were both awarded the Military Medal. Each had rescued a wounded man and managed to get them back to British lines over a distance of some 15 miles despite coming under heavy fire for part of the journey. It was not until dawn the next day after a march of forty miles that all of the wounded had been safely collected and brought in. Total casualties were one soldier killed, eight wounded, and one missing with 11 horses killed and 10 wounded.

Today 26 August we are away out on the shelled area again, but on a widely different spot to yesterday. The day was quiet except for a few shots exchanged with a Turkish patrol when occupying my post. I had a splendid view of the Turks moving about on their main defence line and we watched them manning their redoubts just before dark. I could also discern the smoke of a train on the Gaza-Beersheba Railway, and away behind that piled up like a great wall were the hills of Judea, which one day soon we will be able to enter. Lt WVR Sutton

In September, to increase the mobility of the mounted divisions, a fixed scale of rations was laid down. Each man was supplied with a pair of side wallets, containing iron rations for three days and such spare clothing as was necessary. As it was the hot season, greatcoats and blankets were not permitted and it was essential to cut down the weight carried by the horses as far as practicable. Two nosebags were strapped to each saddle, containing 19lbs of grain , sufficient for two days' forage, and enough for a third day was brought up in wagons.

We are having things a bit easier just now after a couple of months’ rough time. We are quite close to the sea and expect to be here a month, although we have to be ready to move away up the line at half an hour's notice. Of course we don't carry much kit about with us; we have just what we stand up in (and change when we can). Sgt Will Bowyer

By October the Berkshire Yeomanry, commanded since May by Lt Col A M Pirie DSO with Capt H C Blyde MC commanding A Sqn, Major F G Strange commanding B Sqn and Capt W H Thomas commanding D Sqn, were camped at Tel el Marakeb

General Allenby’s plan was to break the current deadlock by attacking Beersheba, a strongly held Turkish outpost ten miles beyond the end of the Turkish lines. This would require a great deal of work to be carried out to create the necessary infrastructure but, if it could be done in secret, the plan would outflank the Turks and force them to abandon their position at Gaza.

The British put in place an elaborate deception operation and as the troops of the striking force moved to Beersheba, their camps were left intact at Gaza, well lit at night, while they remained hidden during the day. A major part of the deception was a genuine attack planned against Gaza. All this required a massive material effort: the cross-Sinai railway was doubled; extra branch lines constructed; and a 500,000 gallon reservoir was built to protect the water supply. New Bristol fighter aircraft were supplied to the RFC, winning back control of the air and preventing the Germans from flying low level reconnaissance.

In preparation for the planned advance, the Regiment spent much of October 1917 in training. This consisted of musketry, bayonet and bombing practice, Hotchkiss gun team training, anti-gas training and mounted troop drill. The Dismounted Company was practiced at company and battalion drill. Brigade tactical exercise schemes were carried out for officers.

British forces facing Beersheba numbered 47,500 infantry, 11,000 cavalry and 242 guns. The attack on Beersheba was launched on 31 October. Two infantry divisions attacked the strong south-west defences of the town whilst the cavalry attacked from the east, seizing the town after a dramatic cavalry charge by the Australian Light Horse.

Throughout the day the Yeomanry Mounted Division covered the 30 mile gap between the British forces attacking Beersheba and those amassed at Gaza. A line of outposts was established and each Brigade took its turn in manning them. Similar activities took place over the next three days with little enemy activity in the Division’s area of responsibility. Sgt Will Sear wrote “Holding a line and dug in. The battle is going very well with 2000 prisoners and 19 guns captured to date”. Occasional patrols were sent out to engage enemy cavalry detachments who hastily withdrew.

Beyond Beersheba. 

After the capture of Beersheba the British launched their attack on Gaza on the night of 1 November. There the British forces numbered 35,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry and 218 guns. The Turks were forced to bolster the defences around Gaza, but to their credit they still managed to mount ever increasing counter-attacks towards Beersheba in an effort to relieve the pressure on Gaza.

Sgt Rogers

Gaza fell to the British on 7 November and by 8 November further progress had been made north of Beersheba, enabling the British to make use of the water at Sheria. There had been hard fighting there, the corpses of friend and foe and of dead horses lying all around.

The Yeomanry Mounted Division were now ordered westwards in order to cut off the Turks retreating northwards from Gaza. After watering at Sheria the Division continued its march in a westward direction through country still difficult and waterless. Three days' marching - and long days they were - brought the Division to the sea coast. The water problem was acute and the poor horses and mules suffered severely, while hot days increased the hardship for both men and animals. By the irony of fate everyone got soaked to the skin that night by a thunderstorm and made tea with the dirty water lying in puddles on the ground.

"In the morning we found pools of water about, which we speedily put into our dixies and made tea with. You would hardly believe how nice it tasted. if we hadn't had that rain there would have been no tea because the wasn't a drop of water left in the Regiment." Sgt John Rogers

By 9 November it became clear that the attempt to cut off the whole of the enemy forces had failed. Most Turkish rearguards had been disposed of by the ANZAC and Australian Mounted Divisions but sturdy resistance, coupled with the delay and scarcity of water, had afforded time for Gaza garrison to make good their escape. Thus the role of the cavalry changed to a direct pursuit of the enemy.