With the British Army in The Holy Land

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With the British Army in The Holy Land, by

Henry Osmond Lock This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: With the British Army in The Holy Land
Author: Henry Osmond Lock
Release Date: November 16, 2006 [EBook #19822]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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With the British Army in the Holy Land
BY
MAJOR H. O. LOCK
THE DORSETSHIRE REGIMENT
WITH MAPS
LONDON: ROBERT SCOTT ROXBURGHE HOUSE PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. 1919

CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
PAGE EGYPT AND THE SUEZ CANAL 1
Modern Egypt--Military Geography of Egypt--The Eastern Boundary--Outbreak of War, 1914--Invasion of Egypt by the Turks--The Dardanelles--Defence Problem at the Opening of 1916.
CHAPTER II
THE DESERT OF SINAI 10
Across the Canal--The Military Railway--The Pipe-line--Kantara--Oghratina, Katia and Dueidar--Romani--Bir-el-Abd--El Arish--Maghdaba--Magruntein and Rafa--Sea-borne Supplies--Khan Yunus--The Land of Promise--Personnel.
CHAPTER III
MESOPOTAMIA, THE CAUCASUS, AND THE HEJAZ 21
Landing in Mesopotamia--1915 Operations--Kut--Baghdad--Consolidation--Interdependence of Mesopotamia and Palestine--Caucasus--Collapse of Russia--The Yemen--Revolt of the Hejaz--Mecca--Medina--Maan--Arab Co-operation in Eastern Palestine.
CHAPTER IV
PALESTINE 28
General Idea--A Comprehensive View--The Sea--Sand Dunes--Coastal Plain--Jud?an Hills--Jordan Valley--Eastern Palestine--Armageddon--Climate--Railways--Population.
CHAPTER V
GAZA 37
History--Importance of Situation--Topography--First Battle of Gaza--Second Battle of Gaza--Reorganization of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force.
CHAPTER VI
TRENCH WARFARE 43
Fresh Arrivals--Journey to Railhead--Acclimatization--The Turkish Line--The British Line--Campaigning Conditions--Flies and Dust--Morale--Humorous Incidents--Spies--Raiding and Shelling--Defences at the Apex--Preparations for the Offensive.
CHAPTER VII
GAZA AND BEERSHEBA 51
General Plan of the Battle--Reasons--Water--Transport--Bombardment of Gaza--Capture of Beersheba--Infantry Attack on Gaza--Counter-attack at Khuweilfeh--Attack on Sheria--Evacuation of Gaza--Retreat of the Enemy--The Apex--Shelling and Raids.
CHAPTER VIII
FULL CRY 62
Flight of the Enemy--Cavalry Pursuit--Crossing No Man's Land--Infantry Pursuit--Water--Arak-el-Menshiyeh Demonstration--Mesmiyeh Engagement--Junction Station Captured--Naaneh--Gezer--Jaffa--Summary of the Situation.
CHAPTER IX
NEBY SAMWIL 71
Routes into the Hills--Bireh--Scheme of Operations--The Saris Pass--Contrast with Hill Fighting in India--Enab--Neby Samwil--The Key to Jerusalem--Consolidation and Reliefs.
CHAPTER X
JERUSALEM 79
The 20th Corps Movements--The New Line--Counter-attacks--Final Advance--Fighting round Jerusalem--The Enemy Outmanoeuvred--Surrender of the City--General Allenby's Entry and Proclamation.
CHAPTER XI
THE HOLY CITY 86
Sacred to the Jew, the Christian and the Moslem--The Kings--Nebuchadnezzar--Nehemiah--Alexander--Ptolemy I--Antiochus--The Maccabees--Pompey--Herod--Christ--Titus--Hadrian--Constantine--Chosroes-- Islam--The Crusaders--Saladin--Richard--The Kharezmians--Expulsion of the Crusaders--Tamerlane--The Ottomans--Napoleon--Mohammed Ali--Routes taken by the several Invaders.
CHAPTER XII
JUNCTION STATION AND LUDD 101
Chaos--Looting--Turkish Hospital--Prisoners of War--Vale of Sorek--Town Planning--Movements of Troops--Railway Development--Bridges--Armoured Train--Junction Station Superseded by Ludd--Development of Ludd--St. George.
CHAPTER XIII
THE JORDAN 109
Attempt to Retake Jerusalem--Winter in Palestine--Jericho--Advancing the Line--Crossing the Jordan--Raid on Amman--Raid on Shunat Nimrin.
CHAPTER XIV
THE WADI DEIR BALLUT 116
Crossing the Auja--Front Line Life in March--Musketry--Aircraft--Flowers--Wadi Deir Ballut--Capture of Deir Ballut Ridge.
CHAPTER XV
THE MOUNTAINS OF EPHRAIM 124
The New Line--Turkish Reinforcements--Method of Holding the Line--A Patrol Incident--Capture of Ikba.
CHAPTER XVI
RAFAT 130
Arara--Rafat--Three Bushes Hill--Collapse in France--Reorganization.
CHAPTER XVII
THE CROWNING VICTORY 135
Situation in September, 1918--The Terrain--Preparations--Mugheir--The Sweep from Rafat to the Sea--Cavalry--Deraa--The Turkish Rout--Eastern Palestine--Sea of Galilee--Damascus--Summary of Results.
CHAPTER XVIII
CONCLUSION 143
Pursuit--Beyrout--Aleppo--Armistices--Close of the War--Cross and Crescent--Résumé.
SKETCH MAPS PAGE
I RAILWAYS IN 1914 1
II GAZA AND BEERSHEBA 51
III COUNTRY ROUND JERUSALEM 79
IV RAILWAYS IN 1918 101
V COUNTRY ROUND RAFAT 117

NOTE
My aim in compiling this little book has been to provide a short account of the Palestine campaign, illustrated from the experiences of one who was present.
The manuscript was written on active service, soon after the occurrence of the events recorded. It may, on this account, be sketchy, but, it is hoped, not the less interesting.
My acknowledgments are due to the Official Despatches and publications, and also to the writings of Mr. W.T. Massey, Official Correspondent with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force.
H. O. L.
IN THE FIELD, 1918.
[Illustration]

WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE HOLY LAND
CHAPTER I
EGYPT AND THE SUEZ CANAL
The Holy Land has been the scene of war since the dawn of History. Long before Belgium became the cock-pit of Europe, Palestine was the cock-pit of the known world. Here, on the high road between Asia and Africa, were fought the great wars of Egyptians and Assyrians, Israelites and Canaanites, Greeks and Romans, Saracens and Crusaders. With these few square miles are associated the names of the world's greatest soldiers no less than that of the Prince of Peace. None can fail to be interested in the latest campaign in this Land of Armageddon.
To understand the causes and events that led up to the campaign in Palestine of 1917-1918, we must first summarize, as shortly as possible, the modern history of Egypt. That country had for many centuries formed an integral part of the Turkish Empire. But she had been rapidly slipping from the grasp of the Turk. Early in the nineteenth century Mohamed Ali had effectually thrown off the Turkish yoke. True, the Turkish suzerainty remained; but that authority was little more than nominal and was represented by an annual money tribute paid to the Porte by the Khedive out of the revenues of Egypt.
Both France and England had large financial interests in Egypt, especially after the