100 Years Ago - Palestine

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/past-six-days/2017-11-06/register/general-allenbys-success-2j3q6cjnv


november 6, 1917

General Allenby’s success

Following up the success against the extreme Turkish right, we engaged his opposite flank last night, capturing all our objectives including strong trench systems and redoubts. This part of the Turkish line had been subjected to rough treatment by the artillery during the past six days, but what preceded must have seemed child’s play compared with the drumfire which burst forth at 11 at night. Bombardments of this intensity may be regarded as normal on the Western Front, but here they are without precedent. Even at the Dardanelles the Turks never experienced such a deluge of fire as was concentrated upon Umbrella Hill, a strongly organized position 500 yards from our lines on Samson’s Ridge, south-west of Gaza.
There was little organization left when our men swept upon it, and they met with little opposition. They were assisted in their task by several Tanks. These Leviathans were not entirely at home amid the shifty sand dunes, but nevertheless nosed their way into the enemy lines, making themselves as obnoxious as they best know how. With supreme indifference to machine-gun and rifle fire, they lumbered over the entanglements, parapets, and trenches, contributing greatly to the capture of El Arish Redoubt, and Beach Post, which latter is stated to be heaped with corpses. The moonlight exaggerating their huge and seemingly unwieldy bulk, the Turks must have regarded them as veritable sons of Eblis. Our bag included one mortar, many machine guns, and over 300 prisoners.

Our Flying Corps collaborated with the infantry with conspicuous success and helped to silence many enemy guns by bombing. The enemy guns were caught in the open yesterday by our heavies, which demolished both guns and crews. Nor must the work of the Navy be overlooked. We have several monitors and destroyers in position before Gaza, and their fire played a valuable part in the bombardment, as the position enables them to enfilade a good part of the Turkish lines, and their accuracy is appreciatively recognized. They are also doing valuable work in shelling Turkish communications in the rear. Meanwhile, on our right we have secured the hills to the north of Beersheba, where we are consolidating our new positions.


https://www.thetimes.co.uk/past-six-days/2017-11-04/register/how-beersheba-was-captured-pr5dtdlt9

November 4, 1917

How Beersheba was captured

By a rapid, well-delivered surprise blow General Allenby’s army has smashed the eastern end of the Turks’ entrenched line in Southern Palestine, and has wrested one of the most ancient Biblical towns from the enemy. In the early moonlight hours of last night Beersheba, where Abraham dug the well of the oath, was occupied by Australian mounted troops and British infantry after a stern, day-long fight.
Although meeting with strong resistance, nothing went wrong and the story of the day will add to the military glory of the soldiers from the English cities and shires and from Australia and New Zealand. The splendid British infantry made long night marches, and attacked with such determination that they tore down wire entanglements with their hands, and just as the moon rose over the Judea Hills the Australian Horse charged, mounted, against the strongly-held trenches, with fixed bayonets, overwhelming the Turks and galloping, cheering, into the town.

The Turks held on desperately, and time would not permit more than an hour’s bombardment to cut the wire. Our infantry made rushes across the open, heeding neither the enfilade fire of the guns nor the spasmodic machine-gun fire. In a few places shells had broken down the wire. Into these the bombers dashed, while others tore down the wire from the iron supports with their hands and were in upon the Turks before they realized that resistance was futile. This onslaught on the south-western trenches only served to whet their appetite. Resting awhile, they crossed the rough pebbly bed of the wadi Sheba and reduced the chain of holes and trenches on the western side of Beersheba. The cavalry work was equally meritorious: many horsemen rode 310 miles before getting into action. A brigade of Australians had to capture Sakaty, a high hill six miles north-east of Beersheba. With their usual elan, these big Australians stopped at nothing, and rounded up every Turk on the hill by 1 o’clock.
Everywhere in Beersheba today was evidence of the Turks being taken completely by surprise. Yesterday was a great day for the Army in Palestine: the staff work was admirable, the moral of the troops never higher.