Battle of Jaffa (1917): Difference between revisions
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The British official history described the battle;<blockquote>The passage of the Auja has always been regarded as one of the most remarkable feats of the Palestine campaign...its chief merits were its boldness — justifiable against troops known to be sluggish and slack in outpost work and already shaken by defeat — its planning, the skill of the engineers;the promptitude with which unexpected difficulties in the bridging the river were met; finally, the combined discipline and dash of the infantry which carried out the operation without a shot being fired and won the works on the right with the bayonet.<ref>Bruce 2002, p. 168</ref></blockquote> |
The British official history described the battle;<blockquote>The passage of the Auja has always been regarded as one of the most remarkable feats of the Palestine campaign...its chief merits were its boldness — justifiable against troops known to be sluggish and slack in outpost work and already shaken by defeat — its planning, the skill of the engineers;the promptitude with which unexpected difficulties in the bridging the river were met; finally, the combined discipline and dash of the infantry which carried out the operation without a shot being fired and won the works on the right with the bayonet.<ref>Bruce 2002, p. 168</ref></blockquote> |
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The British units involved in the battle were awarded the distinct [[battle honour]] '''Jaffa'''.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=19 January 2012|publisher=Western Front Association|title=Battle honours of the Scottish regiments|url=http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-on-land/general-interest/89-battle-scottish-1914.html}}</ref> This was one of the last actions the Lowland Division fought in this campaign. In March 1918, they were ordered to move to the the [[western Front (World War I)|western Front]] in France.<ref>Chappell 1994, p.17<> |
The British units involved in the battle were awarded the distinct [[battle honour]] '''Jaffa'''.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=19 January 2012|publisher=Western Front Association|title=Battle honours of the Scottish regiments|url=http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-on-land/general-interest/89-battle-scottish-1914.html}}</ref> This was one of the last actions the Lowland Division fought in this campaign. In March 1918, they were ordered to move to the the [[western Front (World War I)|western Front]] in France.<ref>Chappell 1994, p.17</ref> |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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===Bibliography=== |
===Bibliography=== |
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*Bruce, Anthony (2002). The Last Crusade: The Palestine Campaign in the First World War. London: John Murray Ltd. ISBN 9780719554322. |
*Bruce, Anthony (2002). The Last Crusade: The Palestine Campaign in the First World War. London: John Murray Ltd. ISBN 9780719554322. |
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*{{cite book|last=Chappell|first=Mike|title=Scottish Divisions in the World Wars|volume=Volume 56 of Elite series|publisher=Osprey Publishing|year=1994|location=Oxford|isbn=9781855324695}} |
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*Erickson, Edward J. (2001). Ordered to Die A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War: Forward by General Hüseyiln Kivrikoglu. No. 201 Contributions in Military Studies. Westport Connecticut: Greenwood Press. OCLC 43481698 |
*Erickson, Edward J. (2001). Ordered to Die A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War: Forward by General Hüseyiln Kivrikoglu. No. 201 Contributions in Military Studies. Westport Connecticut: Greenwood Press. OCLC 43481698 |
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*{{cite book|last=Grainger|first=John D|title=The battle for Palestine 1917|publisher=Boydell Press|year=2006|location=|isbn=9781843832638}} |
*{{cite book|last=Grainger|first=John D|title=The battle for Palestine 1917|publisher=Boydell Press|year=2006|location=|isbn=9781843832638}} |
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Revision as of 11:41, 12 February 2012
See Battle of Jaffa for the Richard the Lionhart battle in 1192
| Battle of Jaffa | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Middle Eastern theatre of World War I | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Great Britain |
 Ottoman Empire German Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Major General John Hill | Jarved Pasha[1] | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| 52nd (Lowland) Division | Eighth Army | ||||||
The Battle of Jaffa was an engagement fought during the First World War during the Sinai and Palestine campaign, between the forces of the British Empire on one side and the Ottoman and German Empire's on the other.
The port of Jaffa had been occupied by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade on the 16 November, as a result of the victory gained by that brigade and the 1st Light Horse Brigade at the Ayun Kara two days before, but the Ottoman forces were only 3 miles (4.8 km) away across the Auju River (Yarkon River) (the mouth of which river is known as the Nahr-el-Auja), which was between 40 to 50 feet (12 to 15 m) wide and 10 feet (3.0 m) deep.
Over the night of the 20–21 December 1917, the 52nd (Lowland) Division carried out an assault river crossing and forced the Ottoman defenders to withdraw 5 miles (8.0 km).
Background
The British commander Geneal Edmund Allenby needed to establish a defensive line running from the Mediterranean Sea which could be held with reasonable security once his right flank was secured on the Dead Sea.[2] In order to consolidate a strong British line, it was necessary to push the 3rd and 7th Divisions of the Ottoman Eighth Army back away from the Nahr el Auja 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Jaffa on the Mediterranean coast.[3] The first attack across the Nahr el Auja was made on 24 to 25 November by two infantry battalions of the 54th (East Anglian) Division and the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade.[4][5][6] The outnumbered British force, were driven back by the Ottoman defenders, as they recaptured the bridgeheads and restored the tactical situation.[7]
Prelude
Three infantry divisions of the XXI Corps began moving their units into position on the coastal plain on 7 December. The 75th Division was on the right with the 54th (East Anglian) Division in the centre and the 52nd (Lowland) Division on the left at the coast.[8] The 162nd (East Midland) Brigade, relieved the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade in the front line on 11 December and the mounted riflemen, who had been heavily involved in the earlier attempt to capture the Nahr el Auja, moved back to bivouac near Ayun Kara.[9]
British military operations resumed a fortnight after the surrender of Jerusalem with the final attack of this phase of the operations.[10] But preparations were complicated by the sodden state of the low and swampy ground on the southern banks of the Nahr el Auja where the attack would be launched. Rain on the 19 and 20 December had swollen the river. From Mulebbis to the sea the river is between 40 to 50 feet (12 to 15 m) wide and 10 feet (3.0 m) deep except for the ford at the mouth of the river known as Sheik Muanis. To the north of the river two prominent spurs run down to the river from a series of sandy ridges. These overlooked the damaged stone bridge at Khurbet Hadrah to the east and the village of Sheik Muannis, near Jerisheh to the west where a mill dam bridged the stream.[11] The Ottoman Eighth Army held strong commanding positions covering all the places captured during the first attack in November. They held both spurs in addition to a post opposite the ford at the mouth of the Nahr el Auja. They also held a line extending east of Khurbet Hadrah which crossed to the south bank of the river to include Bald Hill and Mulebbis.[12]
British attack
It had been planned for a heavy artillery bombardment to proceed the attack, However Major General in command of the Lowland division, suggested they instead try a surprise attack without the artillery bombardment. However in the days preceding the attack the artillery did conduct several engagements, mostly to suppress Ottoman patrol activity and registrar the guns on targets, in case they were needed in the coming assault.[13]
Prior to the attack the division's Royal Engineers, formed pontoons and canvas coracle boats, that were large enough to accommodate twenty men.[14] Over the night of 20–21 December in heavy rain the division carried out an assault river crossing, using pontoon bridges and boats.[14] The 155th (South Scottish) Brigade would cross over east of Jerisheh, and then turn right to attack the Turkish position. The 156th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade and the 157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade would cross the river west of Jerisheh.[14]
The first unit to cross about a 1 mile (1.6 km) from the river mouth was a company of the 7th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).[15] Several of the flimsy boats collapsed, and the men were forced to wade across the chest deep river.[14] Once across they established a bridgehead on the Ottoman bank of the river. When they were secure the engineers started building a pontoon bridge, for the main force to cross.[16] By 23:00 almost three of teh division's battalions had crossed the river. The 8th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 7th Battalion Highland Light Infantry and the 4th Battalion, Royal Scots.[13]
By midnight the 156th Brigade had crossed the river attacked the position on a hill at Sheikh Muannis, which overlooked the river and all the other Ottoman positions in the area.[13]
The 157th Brigade were not as fortunate, when they were crossing the river they were targeted by an Ottoman artillery barrage. However by 01:30 two battalions the 6th Highland Light Infantry and the 5th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders had crossed the river and secured the high ground overlooking the crossing point by 03:30.[17] The 157th also secured the northern bank of a ford to assist the crossing.[18]
The 155th Brigade mounted two distraction attacks to cover their real attempt by the 5th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers who use rafts to cross the river. By dawn the brigade had crossed the river and secured the heights at Khirbet Hadra.[17]
The whole division crossed the river in darkness, and all Ottoman resistance was overcome by British troop using their bayonets and no shots were fired.[11] The attack completely surprised the Ottoman defenders and their front line were forced back 5 miles (8.0 km).[18][19] By dawn the British held a line from Hadrah to Tel el Rekkeit, around 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the river.[14] It had been intended for the ANZAC Mounted Division, to cross the river and pursue the retreating Ottomans. However the rain fall over the preceding days and the damp boggy ground, prevented them from following the retreating Ottoman survivors, who escaped unhindered.[20]
The next day the British position was made even more secure when the 54th (East Anglian) Division captured Bald Hill to the right of the 52nd.[14] With the northern river bank in British hands, the divisions engineers constructed bridges to allow their artillery to cross the river. On 23 December the advance continued with the 52nd and 54th divisions advancing a further 5 miles (8.0 km) into the Ottoman territory. At times supported by naval gunfire the 52nd Division reached Arsurf, 8 miles (13 km) north of Jaffa.[21]
Aftermath
The battle was a success for the British, with over 300 Ottoman prisoners taken and ten machine guns captured.[11] The battle was mentioned in General Sir Edmund Allenby's despatch;
the passage of the Nahr El Auja on the night of 21–22 December 1917 by the Division's three Brigades "reflects great credit on the 52nd (Lowland) Division. It involved considerable preparation, the details of which were thought out with care and precision. The sodden state of the ground, and, on the night of the crossing, the swollen state of the river, added to the difficulties, yet by dawn the whole of the infantry had crossed. The fact that the enemy were taken by surprise, and, that all resistance was overcome with the bayonet without a shot being fired, bears testimony to the discipline of this division. The operation, by increasing the distance between the enemy and Jaffa from three to eight miles, rendered Jaffa and its harbour secure, and gained elbow-room for the troops covering Ludd and Ramleh and the main Jaffa-Jerusalem road."[22]
The British official history described the battle;
The passage of the Auja has always been regarded as one of the most remarkable feats of the Palestine campaign...its chief merits were its boldness — justifiable against troops known to be sluggish and slack in outpost work and already shaken by defeat — its planning, the skill of the engineers;the promptitude with which unexpected difficulties in the bridging the river were met; finally, the combined discipline and dash of the infantry which carried out the operation without a shot being fired and won the works on the right with the bayonet.[23]
The British units involved in the battle were awarded the distinct battle honour Jaffa.[24] This was one of the last actions the Lowland Division fought in this campaign. In March 1918, they were ordered to move to the the western Front in France.[25]
Notes
Citations
- ^ Grainger 2006, p.221
- ^ Allenby to Robertson 7 December 1917 in Hughes 2004 pp. 102–3
- ^ Erickson 2001 p.173
- ^ Kinloch 2007, pp. 229-231
- ^ Bruce 2002, pp. 158–9
- ^ Moore 1920, p. 95
- ^ Erickson 2001, p. 173
- ^ Bruce 2002, p. 166
- ^ Powles 1922, p. 170
- ^ Wavell 1968, p. 162
- ^ a b c Bruce 2002, p. 167
- ^ Wavell 1968, p.169
- ^ a b c Grainger 2006, p.219
- ^ a b c d e f Gullett, p.527
- ^ Grainger 2006, p.218
- ^ Grainger 2006, pp.218–219
- ^ a b Grainger 2006, p.220
- ^ a b Rickard, J (3 September 2007). "Battle of Jaffa, 21-22 December 1917". History of War. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
- ^ Baker, Chris. "52nd (Lowland) Division". The Long Long Trail. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
- ^ Grainger 2006, p.221
- ^ Bruce 2002, p. 167–168
- ^ Allenby, Edmund. "A brief record of the advance of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force". HMSO. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
- ^ Bruce 2002, p. 168
- ^ "Battle honours of the Scottish regiments". Western Front Association. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
- ^ Chappell 1994, p.17
Bibliography
- Bruce, Anthony (2002). The Last Crusade: The Palestine Campaign in the First World War. London: John Murray Ltd. ISBN 9780719554322.
- Chappell, Mike (1994). Scottish Divisions in the World Wars. Vol. Volume 56 of Elite series. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781855324695.
{{cite book}}:|volume=has extra text (help) - Erickson, Edward J. (2001). Ordered to Die A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War: Forward by General Hüseyiln Kivrikoglu. No. 201 Contributions in Military Studies. Westport Connecticut: Greenwood Press. OCLC 43481698
- Grainger, John D (2006). The battle for Palestine 1917. Boydell Press. ISBN 9781843832638.
- Gullet HS (1941). Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 - Volume Vol7 -Volume VII – The Australian Imperial Force in Sinai and Palestine, 1914–1918 (10th edition, 1941)
- Hughes, Matthew, ed (2004). Allenby in Palestine: The Middle East Correspondence of Field Marshal Viscount Allenby June 1917 – October 1919. Army Records Society. 22. Phoenix Mill, Thrupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing Ltd. ISBN 9780750938419.
- Powles, C. Guy; A. Wilkie (1922). The New Zealanders in Sinai and Palestine. Official History New Zealand's Effort in the Great War, Volume III. Auckland: Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd. OCLC 2959465
- Wavell, Field Marshal Earl (1968). E.W. Sheppard. ed. The Palestine Campaigns. A Short History of the British Army (3rd ed.). London: Constable & Co..