Third Transjordan attack

Third Transjordan attack (1918)
Part of Battle of Nablus (1918) Battle of Megiddo (1918) Sinai and Palestine Campaign
group of riders in landscape Ziza by Septimus H. Power
Date 19–25 September 1918 Location Jordan Valley, Jisr ed Damieh, Es Salt, Amman and the Hejaz railway Result British Empire victory
Belligerents
British Empire British India Australia New Zealand British West Indies Arab Revolt	Ottoman Empire German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Edmund Allenby Edward Chaytor	Otto Liman von Sanders Mustapha Kemal Pasha Mohammed Jemal Pasha
Units involved
Chaytor's Force Anzac Mounted Division 20th Indian Brigade British West Indies Regiment Royal Fusiliers	Seventh Army Fourth Army

The Third Transjordan attack took place from 19 to 25 September 1918 beginning with attacks against the Ottoman 53rd Division, Seventh Army holding the Jisr ed Damieh bridge, by sections of Chaytor's Force on the west bank of the Jordan Valley. Following the capture of the bridge on 22 September, as the retreating Seventh Army and remnants of the Eighth Army were still in the process of crossing the bridge, Chaytor's Force proceeded to attack eastwards against the Fourth Army to capture Es Salt and Amman. These British Empire victories against the Ottoman Empire formed part of the Battle of Nablus which began with fighting against the Asia Corps and sections of the Seventh Army in front of Nablus during the afternoon of 19 September. This battle was subsidiary to the main Battle of Sharon which began in the early morning. Together these two battles have become known as the Battle of Megiddo and were among the final operations of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War, resulting in the capture of the equivalent of one Ottoman army and a many miles of territory and forcing the retreat of the remnants of two armies in some disarray.

While the main attack by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) commanded by General Edmund Allenby on the Mediterranean coast by the XXI Corps against the Eighth Ottoman Army and the breakthrough by Desert Mounted Corps were in progress, the XX Corps held their right flank in the Judean Hills against the Seventh Ottoman Army and Chaytor's Force held the extreme right flank in the Jordan Valley against the Fourth Ottoman Army. Once it had become apparent that the initial attacks and breakthrough were succeeding, the XX Corps began their attack in the Judean Hills towards Nablus and Chaytor's Force began their attacks northwards in the Jordan Valley, to capture the Jisr ed Damieh bridge across the Jordan River.

After leaving a detachment to hold the Jisr ed Damieh bridge and two other fords against any further retreating columns, and following two unsuccessful attacks across the Jordan River in March and April 1918 by the EEF, Chaytor's Force proceeded to advance eastwards to firstly attack and capture the garrisons at Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt. They went on to Amman, where they attacked and captured a strong Ottoman rearguard of the Fourth Army which fought a determined action, before capturing the Fourth Army's II Corps, which had garrisoned the Hejaz Railway south from Amman, at Ziza, which effectively ended military operations in the area.

Background

See also: Battle of Sharon (1918), Capture of Afulah and Beisan § Jordan River gap closed, Battle of Nablus (1918), Battle of Megiddo (1918), First Transjordan attack on Amman, Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt, Sinai and Palestine Campaign, World War One, Capture of Jericho (1918), Occupation of the Jordan Valley (1918), and Sinai and Palestine Campaign § Preparations for Northern Palestine Campaign

After the Ottoman defeats at Beersheba, Gaza and the retreat to the Judean Hills and defeat at Jerusalem at the end of 1917, several Ottoman army commanders in Palestine were replaced. The Yildirim Army Group's German commander, General Erich von Falkenhayn was replaced by the German General Otto Liman von Sanders. The commander of the Eighth Army, Friedrich Freiherr Kress von Kressenstein, was replaced by Djevad Pasha; and Cemal appointed Cemal Kucjuk Pasha to command the Fourth Army. Mustafa Kemal resigned his command of the Seventh Army in 1917 but had returned by early September 1918.

Following the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918, which ended the war on the Eastern Front between Imperial Russia and Imperial Germany, the main focus of the Ottoman Army turned to the Anatolian provinces and territories lost in the Russo-Turkish War. The Ottoman Army embarked on a series of territorial conquests in the Caucasus, beginning in northern Persia. Erzerum which had been captured by the Russians in 1916, was retaken on 24 March 1918, followed by Van on 5 April and later Batum, Kars and Tiflis. Reoccupation of these former possessions, brought little strategic advantage to the Ottoman Empire, compared with the potential benefits of military success in Palestine.

Major offensive operations in Palestine also became a low priority for the British Army in March; being postponed because of the Spring Offensive in France. By July it was clear that the German offensive on the Western Front had failed, resulting in a return to the battle of attrition in the trenches. This coincided with the approach of the campaign season in Palestine. In July Allenby had been "very anxious to make a move in September" when he expected to capture, Tulkarm and Nablus, and the Jisr ed Damieh bridge across the Jordan River. He considered, "The possession by the Turks of the road Nablus–Jisr ed Damie–Es Salt is of great advantage to them; and, until I get it, I can't occupy Es Salt with my troops or the Arabs." He hoped the capture of this important Ottoman line of communication from Nablus along the Wadi Fara to the Jordan River at Jisr ed Damieh and on to Es Salt, would "Another reason for moving to this line is that it will encourage both my own new Indian troops and my Arab Allies."

Front lines

Before the Battle of Megiddo began on 19 September, the front line held by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force commanded by General Edmund Allenby, began at a point on the Mediterranean coast about 12 miles (19 km) north of Jaffa; to the north of Arsuf, ran about 15 miles (24 km) south east across the Plain of Sharon, then east over the Judean Hills for about 15 miles (24 km) rising from sea level to a height of 1,500–2,000 feet (460–610 m) before falling to 1,000 feet (300 m) below sea-level in the Jordan Valley, where it continued for about 18 miles (29 km) to the Dead Sea. Chaytor's Force held the right flank from their junction with the XX Corps in the Judean Hills 8 miles (13 km) north west of Jericho, across the Jordan Valley and then southwards through the Ghoraniye and Auja bridgeheads to the Dead Sea. This area garrisoned by Chaytor's Force was overlooked by well sighted enemy long range guns.

The Ottoman front line which had been strengthened after the Second Transjordan attack began in the south, where Ottoman cavalry guarded tracks to Madaba and continued with strongly wired entrenchments with advanced posts extending from the foothills opposite the ford across the Jordan River at Makhadet Hijla to about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the Jericho to Es Salt road (cut at the Ghorianyeh Bridge) in the vicinity of Shunet Nimrin. From 8,000 yards (7,300 m) north of Shunet Nimrin, a wired line of redoubts and trenches ran across the Jordan Valley to the Jordan River. They faced south 1,000 yards (910 m) south of the Umm esh Shert ford. The line was continued by a series of wired single redoubts overlooking open ground, then a series of trenches and redoubts along the northern or left bank of the Wadi Mellaha. These were followed by strongly wired sangars and posts which extended into the Judean Hills to Bakr Ridge to the west of the salient at El Musallabe held by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. The Ottoman front line, was supported by entrenched positions on Red Hill beside the Jordan River, which was also the site of their main artillery observation point.

Prelude

Cutlack's Map 6 The Dead Sea section of the Hejaz Railway in 1918

While the main attacks by the XXI Corps and the breakthrough by Desert Mounted Corps were in progress on 19 September, it was necessary to deploy a sufficiently strong force to defend the Jordan Valley against the Ottoman Fourth Army, which covered the Jordan Valley with long range guns deployed in the foothills.

Chaytor's Force

This composite force under the command of Major General Edward Chaytor the commander of the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division (Anzac Mounted Division), was a "force nearly equivalent to two divisions", or a small corps.

"Chaytor's Force" consisted of the -

Anzac Mounted Division (less 1 squadron with Desert Mounted Corps) commanded by Chaytor

1st Light Horse Brigade commanded by Brigadier General C. F. Cox

2nd Light Horse Brigade commanded by Brigadier General G. de L. Ryrie

New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade commanded by Brigadier General W. Meldrum

20th Indian Brigade commanded by Brigadier Geneal E. R. B. Murray

Alwar Imperial Service Infantry

Patiala Imperial Service Infantry

Gwalior Imperial Service Infantry

110th Mahratta Light Infantry

1st Battalion British West Indies Regiment

2nd Battalion British West Indies Regiment

38th Battalion Royal Fusiliers

39th Battalion Royal Fusiliers

86th [or 36th?] Machine Gun Squadron

A/263 or 75th Battery Royal Field Artillery (RFA)

195th Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA)

10th Indian Mountain Brigade

29th and 32nd Indian Artillery 2.75" Mountain Batteries (from 10th Divisional Artillery)

No. 6 (Medium) Trench Mortar Battery

96, 102, 103 Section Anti–aircraft Guns Royal Artillery (RA)

35th AT Company Royal Engineers (RE)

2 Sections captured Turk 75mm

1 Section captured Turk 5.9mm.

The Anzac Mounted Division did not carry swords, choosing instead to remain mounted rifles and mounted infantry. In addition to a greatcoat and a water–proof sheet, troops of the division carried two days' rations and one emergency ration for the man, and two days feed for the horse.

Jordan Valley deployments

Chaytor took command of the Jordan Valley garrison on 5 September 1918. The right sector under the command of Brigadier General G. de L. Ryrie, was held by the 2nd Light Horse Brigade and the 20th Indian Infantry Brigade. The left sector under the command of Brigadier General W. Meldrum, was held by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, the 38th Battalion Royal Fusiliers and the 1st and 2nd Battalions British West Indies Regiment supported by a field artillery battery, and an Indian mountain battery. The 39th Royal Fusiliers formed the sector reserve, while the 1st Light Horse Brigade was in Force reserve.

Medical support

In addition to the Anzac Mounted Division's medical units, the 1/1st Welsh and the 157th Indian Field Ambulances, the Anzac Field Laboratory and a new operating unit formed from personnel of the 14th Australian General and the 2nd Stationary Hospitals was attached to Chaytor's Force.

A Receiving Station was formed from the immobile sections of light horse and mounted rifles brigades' field ambulances, a section from the 1/1st Welsh and the 157th Indian Field Ambulances with an operating unit, the Anzac Field Laboratory and a detachment from an Egyptian hospital. This Receiving Station, which took over the site near Jericho occupied by the main dressing station during the two Transjordan attacks, could accommodate 200 patients in mud huts, 400 patients in tents and 700 patients, in the abandoned Desert Mounted Corps headquarters.

Air support

File:AWMB02114HandleyPage.jpg

Handley–Page 0/400 aircraft and Bristol Fighter aircraft at Australian Flying Corps aerodrome was frequently piloted by Captain Ross Macpherson Smith

On 18 September the Royal Air Force's 5th (Corps) Wing headquartered at Ramle deployed one flight of No. 142 Squadron RAF to Chaytor's Force operating from Jerusalem. These aircraft were responsible for cooperation with artillery, contact patrols and tactical reconnaissance up to 10,000 yards (9,100 m) in advance of Chaytor's Force.

No. 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps (AFC) of Bristol Fighters, was to carry out bombing and strategical reconnaissance, provide general oversight of the battlefield, and report all developments. Nos. 111 and 145 Squadrons of S.E.5.a aircraft, were to patrol over Jenin aerodrome all day, bombing and machine gunning all targets in the area, to prevent any aircraft taking off. No. 144 Squadron of D. H. 9 aircraft, was to bomb Afulah telephone exchange and railway station, the Messudieh Junction railway lines and the Ottoman Seventh Army headquarters and telephone exchange, at Nablus. The newly arrived Handley–Page bomber (armed with 16 112 pounds (51 kg) bombs) and piloted by the Australian, Ross Smith was to support No. 144 Squadron's bombing of Afulah.

Preliminary operations

The Australian commander of Desert Mounted Corps, Lieutenant General Sir Henry G. Chauvel's instructions to Chaytor's Force were for no advances "for the present," but the Ottoman forces should be closely watched, during active 24-hour patrolling, when any abandoned enemy position was to be immediately occupied.

Beginning on 16 September, close touch was continually kept with the Ottoman front line to monitor any movement, while the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade and the British West Indies Regiment's infantry battalions, carried out demonstrations to the north on the western side of the Jordan River. Chaytor's Force was prepared to exploit any withdrawal by the Fourth Ottoman Army, including a second attack on Amman, and a third occupation of Es Salt.

Chaytor's Force closely patrolled the Ottoman front line and during the nights of 17 and 18 September, demonstrations against the Ottoman defences, were made by the 1st Light Horse Brigade and a regiment of 2nd Light Horse Brigade, which rode out from the bridgeheads in the Jordan Valley. These operations were followed by the Ottoman "heavy high-velocity gun," being fired on Jericho and Chaytor's headquarters in the Wadi Nueiame to the north of the town.

Plan

Chaytor’s Force was to continue the occupation of the Jordan Valley, and as soon as possible advance northwards, to capture the bridge at Jisr ed Damieh and cut a main line of retreat and break the line of communication, between the Ottoman Seventh and Eighth Armies west of the Jordan River with the Ottoman Fourth Army holding the eastern side of the Jordan Valley to Amman. By 21 September, only the Fourth Army remained intact after the successful attacks by the XXI Corps, the Desert Mounted Corps and XX Corps. The destruction of this army became Allenby's next priority. As the Fourth Army began to retreat, Chaytor's Force was to advance eastwards to capture Es Salt, Amman and intercept and capture the 4,600 strong southern Hejaz garrison.

Yildirim Army Group

In August 1918, the Yildirim Army Group had consisted of 40,598 front line infantrymen, armed with 19,819 rifles, 273 light and 696 heavy machine guns. This high number of machine guns, reflected the Ottoman Army's new tables of organization, and the machine gun component of the German Asia Corps. The infantry were organised into twelve divisions and deployed along the 90 kilometres (56 mi) of front line from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea; the Eighth Army from the coast into the Judean Hills, the Seventh Army in the Judean Hills and towards the Jordan, with the Fourth Army east of the Jordan River.

A reserve at operational level was formed from the 2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division in the Eighth Army area, and the 3rd Cavalry Division in the Fourth Army area.

Fourth Army

The Ottoman Fourth Army consisting of 6,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry supported by 74 guns, was commanded by General Mohammed Jemal Pasha. With headquarters at Amman, the army held the line across the Jordan Valley and southwards along the Hejaz railway. This army was composed of the VIII Corps' the 48th Infantry Division, the Composite Division of a German battalion group, the Caucasus Cavalry Brigade, the division sized Serstal Group, the 24th and 62nd Infantry Divisions, with the 3rd Cavalry Division in reserve. There were 6,000 Ottoman soldiers with 30 guns, in the II Corps (known as the Seria Group or Jordan Group) scattered from Ma'an southwards towards Mecca, garrisoning the Hejaz railway line.

Deployment

At Baghalat, 6 miles (9.7 km) west north west of Umm esh Shert, the Seventh and Fourth Armies touched; both sides of the Jordan River were defended by the 24th Infantry Division and the 3rd Cavalry Division, and both sides of the Ghoraniyeh to Es Salt Road was held by the VIII Corps's 48th Division with the Composite Division on their left, while the Caucasus Cavalry Brigade and the Mule-Mounted Infantry Regiment held outposts extending southwards towards the Dead Sea. The II Corps was responsible for some 200 miles (320 km) of the Hejaz Railway, a strong detachment of about seven battalions at Ma'an and about eight battalions between Ma'an and Amman. The Fourth Army's reserve was formed by the German 146th Regiment, the 3rd Cavalry Division, and part of the 12th Regiment at Es Salt.

The Fourth Army strongly garrisoned Shunet Nimrin, the entrenched area in the foothills which had twice repulsed attacks in April; first by Chetwode on 18 April and later in the month during the Second Transjordan attack. The Fourth Army also held substantial forces at Amman and guarding "vital tunnels and viaducts" on the Hejaz railway near Amman.

Liman von Sanders escape

Otto Liman von Sanders, the commander of the Yildirim Army Group was forced out of his headquarters at Nazareth on the morning of 20 September by elements of the 5th Cavalry Division. He drove via Tiberias and Samakh, to arrive at Deraa on the morning of 21 September, on his way to Damascus. At Deraa Liman received a report from the Fourth Army, which he ordered to withdraw to the Deraa to Irbid line without waiting for the troops, which garrisoned the southern Hejaz.

Asia Corps retreat

Until the afternoon of 20 September, when Liman reached Samakh, he had been out of contact with his three armies. As soon as he was able, he placed the 16th and 19th Infantry Divisions, Asia Corps Eighth Army, under his direct orders. These divisions found touch with von Orpen the commander of Asia Corps to the west of Nablus during the morning of 21 September, when Asia Corps was reorganised. The remnants of the 702nd and 703rd Battalions (Asia Corps) were amalgamated into one battalion, while the 701st Battalion remained intact.

At 10:00 von Oppen was informed that the Egyptian Expeditionary Force was approaching Nablus and the Wadi Fara road was blocked. He decided to retreat via Beit Dejan 7 miles (11 km) east south east of Nablus down to the Jordan at Jisr ed Damieh, but shortly after found this way blocked by Chaytor's Force. He then ordered a retreat via Mount Ebal, leaving behind all guns and baggage. By the evening of 21 September Asia Corps bivouaced at Tammun with the 16th and 19th Divisions at Tubas, unaware that Desert Mounted Corps had already occupied Beisan.

During 22 September von Oppen's battalions and about 700 German and 1,300 Ottoman soldiers in the 16th and 19th Infantry Divisions were moving northwards towards Beisan, when he learned it had already been captured. He decided to continue his retreat during the night of 22 September, to Samakh where he correctly guessed, Liman would order a strong rearguard action. However, Jevad, the commander of the Eighth Army ordered von Oppen to cross the Jordan River. Following his commander's orders von Oppen succeeded in getting all the German and some of the Ottoman soldiers, across the Jordan River before the 11th Cavalry Brigade attacked and closed that line of retreat. Those who had not got across the river were captured.

Battle 19–20 September

Transjordan theatre of operations 21 March to 2 April; 30th April to 4th May and 20th to 29th September 1918

During the first days of the Battle of Megiddo the Fourth Army remained in position while Chaytor's Force carried out active demonstrations against it. The expectation was that when the attacks at Sharon by the XXI and Desert Mounted Corps were beginning to prove successful, and the Battle of Nablus had begun, the Fourth Ottoman Army would be forced to begin withdrawing northwards along the Hejaz railway.

Chaytor's Force which continued to vigorously patrol their front line, were opposed by the Ottoman 53rd Division, Seventh Army and units of the Fourth Army, which touched at Baghalat. Pre-dawn patrols on 19 September by the Auckland and Wellington Mounted Rifle Regiments, north from the Wadi Aujah and west of Baghalat were "compelled to withdraw," by heavy artillery and machine gun fire. During the afternoon, as a consequence of progress made by the 160th Brigade, (British Empire 53rd Division, XX Corps) in the Judean Hills, one of its mountain batteries was able to direct fire at the Ottoman front line position on Bakr Ridge. At 15:25, supported by this 160th Brigade's battery, three companies of the 2nd Battalion British West Indies Regiment, Chaytor's Force, drove in outposts and captured a ridge to the south of Bakr Ridge, despite intense enemy artillery and machine gun fire. Although heavily shelled they dug in and held their position.

The British West Indies advances towards Bakr Ridge were consolidated and continued at dawn on 20 September when their 2nd Battalion captured Bakr Ridge. An attack by the 38th Battalion Royal Fusiliers at Mellaha, was not as successful, being opposed by machine gun and rifle fire. By 07:00 the 1st and 2nd Battalions, British West Indies Regiment had advanced to capture Grant Ridge, Baghalat and Chalk Ridge. To the west of the Jordan River a large Ottoman force was seen south of Kh. Fusail in the late morning, and by 19:00 the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade had begun its advance towards Tel sh edh Dhib. Jericho was shelled again in the mid-afternoon.

Also on 20 September, the 2nd Light Horse Brigade and Patiala Infantry, Chaytor's Force, advanced eastwards across the Jordan Valley in the direction of the strongly entrenched Shunet Nimrin position and Derbasi on the Ottoman left flank. The 6th and 7th Light Horse Regiments with a company of Patiala Infantry, were shelled by guns from El Haud in the foothills of Moab as they moved across the valley. Positions east of the Jordan River including the Mellaha bank continued to be strongly held by Ottoman Fourth Army units.

Aircraft reconnaissance during a second dawn patrol on 20 September over the Jordan Valley, reported the whole area from Jisr ed Damieh bridge north to Beisan, and from the Jisr ed Damieh bridge east to Es Salt, quiet. Between Khurbet Ferweh (at the Wady Fara elbow) and Nablus, 200 vehicles were seen withdrawing from Nablus which were subsequently attacked by Bristol Fighters. The last aerial reconnaissance of the day reported a brigade of Desert Mounted Corps' cavalry was seen entering Beisan on the Esdrealon Plain, three large fires were burning at Nablus railway station, with fires also at the Balata dumps, while the whole Ottoman line from El Lubban to the Jordan, appeared to be "alarmed."

Capture of Kh Fasail on 21 September

Detail of Falls Sketch Map No. 24 showing Jericho, Wadi Nueiame, Wadi el Auja, Wadi el Mellaha, El Musallabe, Bakr Ridge, El Baghalat, Kh Fasail, Meteil edn Dhib, El Musetter, and the fords from El Ghoraniye, to Umm esh Shert, Mafid Jozele and Jisr ed Damieh with the entrenched Shunet Nimrin position to the east overlooked by El Haud to the north east

The Seventh and Fourth Armies having begun to retreat, before dawn on 21 September Chaytor ordered the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment to advance and capture Kh Fasail, 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Baghalat on the road to Jisr ed Damieh. The regiment supported by one section of Machine Gun Squadron and two guns from 29th Indian Mountain Battery, advanced along an old Roman road on the western bank of the Jordan River, with patrols pushed towards Jisr ed Damieh and Umm esh Shert. They successfully capture Kh Fusail and Tel es edh Dhiab, along with 26 prisoners and two machine guns. Shortly afterwards, the regiment discovered an Ottoman defensive line stretching from the ford at Mafid Jozele on the Jordan River to El Musetterah 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to the north west, which covered the Jisr ed Damieh bridge. Units of the Seventh Army were also seen, retreating along the Wadi el Fara road from Nablus towards the Jisr ed Damieh bridge. Later in the morning, at 08:05 this new Ottoman front line was reported to be strongly held, but movement in the rear began to be apparent and by 16:15 in the afternoon, a report by the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment described enemy withdrawing from Mafid Jozele.

At 20:30 the remainder of the New Zealand Mounted Brigade (commanded by Brigadier General W. Meldrum) and the Machine Gun Squadron, with mounted sections of the 1st and 2nd British West Indies Regiment, the 29th Indian Mountain Battery and Ayrshire (or Inverness) Battery RHA, (known as Meldrum's Force), concentrated east of Musallabeh and at 21:00 advanced to Kh. Fusail, arriving at 23:30. At the same time the artillery commander pushed guns forward into Mellaha to attack Ottoman guns on Red Hill, while the 1st Light Horse Brigade took over the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade position at Madbeh.

Kh. Fusail was about half way to the Jisr ed Damieh bridge, and as soon as the dismounted sections of Meldrum's Force arrived, the consolidated force advanced to attack Jisr ed Damieh leaving behind the 2nd Battalion, British West Indies Regiment at Kh. Fusail. This battalion was to garrison the place, occupy a position at Talat Armah to protect Meldrum's right flank and rear, and if necessary block the track from Mafid Jozele. Aerial reconnaissances had confirmed in the evening of 21 September, that Shunet Nimrin in the rear of Meldrum's Force, was still strongly garrisoned and that the roads and tracks running west from Amman, were carrying normal traffic.

Battle on 22 September

Approaching Jisr ed Damieh bridge

Chaytor ordered Meldrum to cut the Wadi el Fara road from Nablus west of the Jordan River, occupy the headquarters of the Ottoman 53rd Division at El Makhruk and capture the Jisr ed Damieh bridge over the Jordan River on the Nablus to Es Salt road.

Meldrum's Force left Kh Fusail at midnight on 22 September with the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment as vanguard. They were followed at 01:30 by the 1st Battalion British West Indies Regiment which had just arrived at Kh Fasail. The battalion was ordered to move "at once," towards Jisr ed Damieh, dumping their kits and blankets. The battalion were to arrive south of Ain Jozele, at 05:00.

The Auckland and Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiments advanced along the Roman road across a narrow plain hemmed in by the Judean Hills to the west and exposed to enemy artillery firing from the eastern side of the river. The objective of the Auckland regiment was to capture the Jisr ed Damieh bridge from the north east while the Wellington regiment's objectives were to make a frontal attack on El Makhruk, capture the headquarters of the Ottoman 53rd Division and cut the Nablus road.

The Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, with one Section of Machine Gun Squadron attached, reached the Nablus to Jisr ed Damieh road early on the morning of 22 September and by 07:00, after a "sharp fight" had captured Abd el Kadyr and El Makhruk, located further up the Wadi el Fara road. They also captured 600 prisoners, the commander of the Ottoman 53rd Division and his staff, as well as a great deal of war material in the division's dump.

Meanwhile, the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment arrived at Ain Jozele, 1 mile (1.6 km) north west of the Jisr ed Damieh bridge just after an Ottoman column had passed, which was in the process of crossing the Jordan River by the bridge.

Battle for the bridge

The Auckland and Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiments, supported by the 1st Battalion, British West Indies Regiment, advanced to attack the Ottoman garrison holding the bridge at Jisr ed Damieh. A "hot fight" by the infantry and mounted riflemen, finally forced the defenders to retreat in disorder, when the intact bridge was captured.

In the pre-dawn, under cover of darkness the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment attacked the strongly defended bridge, while a large Ottoman column of retreating soldiers, remained in close proximity. The mounted riflemen commanded by Colonel McCarroll were heavily counterattacked from the bridgehead and pushed back about 100 yards (91 m). Meldrum sent the 1st Squadron Canterbury Regiment and one company of the 1st Battalion, British West Indies Regiment to reinforce the Auckland regiment. During this fighting the Ottoman defenders attempted to turn the Auckland regiment's right flank. However, the mounted riflemen managed to fight their way to a position across the Wadi el Fara road and overlooking the bridge at Jisr ed Damieh.

At 07:00, a second column of about 500 Ottoman Seventh Army soldiers with two mountain guns, was seen advancing down the Wadi el Fara road from Nablus towards the bridge, while the first group of about 1,200 Ottoman soldiers which had finished crossing the bridge, was threatening to cut off Meldrum's Force. This Ottoman force was moving to the east of Red Hill towards Mafid Jozele, while another Ottoman force was attacking Talaat Amrah which was defended by units of the 2nd Battalion, British West Indies Regiment. To this already difficult situation was added the further threat of two battalions of Ottoman infantry only 3–4 miles (4.8–6.4 km) away, retreating towards the Jisr ed Damieh bridge along the Wadi el Fara road from the direction of Nablus. To face the threat from the approaching columns on the Wadi el Fara road, General Meldrum reinforced the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment with the 10th Squadron of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment. The mounted riflemen attacked the column of 500 Ottoman troops on the Wadi el Fara road, forcing them back into the hills. This Ottoman force remained in the area for the rest of the day, "intermittently shell[ing] the Wellington Regiment."

Meanwhile, by 08:15 on 22 September the 1st Light Horse Brigade with the Inverness Battery joined the 2nd Battalion British West Indies Regiment at Kh. Fusail. This force, under the command of Brigadier General C. F. Cox was ordered by Chaytor, to clear the broken ground on the western bank of the Mafid Jozele ford, while one regiment of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade was to move towards Madaba, to protect the flank of Meldrum's Force attacking Jisr ed Damieh.

At 10:50 a general advance began on the strongly held bridge at Jisr ed Damieh, by the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment with a squadron of Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment and a company of the 1st Battalion British West Indies Regiment. Under cover of two batteries and machine guns they carried out a bayonet charge against the Ottoman garrison holding the bridge. They broke through the Ottoman position after hand to hand fighting, to capture the Jisr ed Damieh bridge, while Meldrum's machine guns inflicted many casualties to the escaping survivors. The 11th Squadron or a troop of the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment crossed the bridge mounted, to pursue these enemy for some distance, capturing many prisoners. One squadron of Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment followed, crossing on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, to clear the roads.

Meldrum's Force captured 786 prisoners, six guns, including two HAC 18 pounders captured from the 4th Light Horse Brigade during the Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt, nine machine guns and 200 tons of ammunition and stores. During these operations and the preceding three days, Chaytor's Force suffered 72 casualties and 400 sick. All were evacuated by camels and motor ambulances to the divisional receiving station at Jericho.

According to an RAF report, only about 600 soldiers from the Seventh Army escaped across the Jordan River at Jisr ed Damieh before it was captured. The success of Meldrum's Force in capturing this important tactical point, contributed to the success of the third Transjordan operations, as well as to the encirclement operations of the Battle of Megiddo, by cutting a main Ottoman line of retreat. The remaining 20 miles (32 km) gap north from the Jisr ed Damieh bridge to Beisan was closed on 24 September, by the 4th Cavalry Division advancing southwards from Beisan.

The New Zealanders held the Jisr ed Damieh bridgehead on the east bank for the night of 22/23 September, with one company of 1st Battalion British West Indies Regiment holding a protective line to the south, and the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment to the north and west.

Capture of Umm esh Shert and Mafid Jozele fords

At 03:00 on 22 September, as a consequence of the Ottoman position at Mellaha weakening, the 38th Royal Fusliers advanced to occupy trenches overlooking the ford at Umm esh Shert, which was captured shortly afterwards.

Despite being strongly resisted at Mellahet umm Afein, and a number of Ottomans retreating across the ford at Mafid Jozele, the 2nd Battalion British West Indies Regiment, reinforced by the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, 1st Light Horse Brigade, "drove in" the Ottoman rearguard covering the Mafid Jozele ford. By 05:50 on 23 September Mafid Jozele was captured along with 37 prisoners, but the bridge had been destroyed at the ford.

As a result the last of the Ottoman defences on the western bank of the Jordan had been captured, although most of the Ottoman defenders of these two ford, had managed to escape. Captures included 105 prisoners, 4 machine guns, 4 automatic rifles, transport, horses and stores.

Air support on 22 September

On the morning of 22 September, No. 1 Squadron (AFC) patrols found the Shunet Nimrin garrison still in place, but Rujm el Oshir camp had been broken up, and fires were burning west of Amman railway station. Ain es Sir camp was found to be full of Ottoman troops but about midday the Ottoman garrison at Es Salt was seen to be packing in haste. By between 15:00 and 18:00 Australian airmen reported the whole area east of the Jordan, on the move towards Amman, when two Bristol Fighters bombed a mass of traffic at Suweile, half-way between Es Salt and Amman, and fired nearly 1,000 machine-gun rounds.

Battle on 23 September

Transjordan theatre of operations 21 March to 2 April; 30th April to 4th May and 20th to 29th September. Detail shows advance to Amman

Fourth Army retreat

During the first three days of fighting west of the Jordan River, beginning on 18 September with the preliminary attack in the Judean Hills by XX Corps, the Ottoman Fourth Army remained in position. Initial moves by units of the Fourth Army began to be made towards the Hejaz railway at Amman.

On 21 September, while at Deraa during his retreat from Nazareth to Damascus, Liman ordered the Fourth Army to retreat without waiting for the II Corps, which had also begun retreating north from Ma'an and the southern Hejaz railway. By 22 September the army was in general retreat northwards from Amman, along the railway towards Deraa following Liman's orders to form a rearguard line from Deraa to Irbid.

The retreat of the Fourth Army became known to the EEF at 23:35 on 22/23 September, when orders were issued for an attack on Shunet Nimrin, Kabr Mujahid and Tel er Ramr. This was to be carried out by the 2nd Light Horse Brigade with the mobile sections of the 20th Indian Brigade, consisting of 1,500 rifles, 3 sections of machine guns and 40 Lewis guns. This force was to move eastwards along the main Ghoranyeh to Es Salt road towards Shunet Nimrin, while the immobile section was to remain in defence in the right sector of the Jordan Valley occupied by the EEF. The corps Royal Artillery was to support this advance by targeting Shunet Nimrin.

At dawn the Ottoman army was seen by aerial reconnaissance aircraft retreating from Amman towards Deraa, while Ottoman units in the hills to the south west and a column of all arms, were seen retreating from the Es Salt area towards Amman. This column was bombed and machine gunned, before the aircraft flew back to Ramleh, to report.

The Turks East of Jordan are retreating North; and I am sending all available troops from the Jordan Valley after them, via Es Salt. I've been going round hospitals today. All the sick and wounded are very cheerful and content. I've told them that they've done the biggest thing in the war – having totally destroyed two Armies in 36 hours! The VII and VIII Armies, now non–existent, were the best troops in the Turkish Empire; and were strongly backed by Germans and Austrians ... I have just heard that my cavalry have taken Haifa and Acre, today. They had a bit of a fight, at Haifa; but I have no details yet. I think my Jordan troops will probably reach Es Salt tomorrow; but they won't catch many Turks there. However, my aeroplanes have been pulverising the retreating Turks in that locality.

— Allenby, letter to Lady Allenby 23 September 1918

Advance towards Es Salt

Before Haifa was captured by the 14th Cavalry Brigade on 23 September, Chaytor's Force had crossed the Jordan River to climb to the Plateau of Moab and Gilead on their way to capture Es Salt during the evening.

Chaytor's Force in three columns entered the hills of Moab on a 15 miles (24 km) front. The northern most, the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, leaving one squadron and the 1st Battalion British West Indies Regiment to hold the Jisr ed Damieh bridge, advanced south east along the road from the bridge 8 miles (13 km) across the Jordan Valley to the foothills of Moab with patrols to the east and north to make the 3,000 feet (910 m) climb to Es Salt. The 1st Light Horse Brigade advanced at 09:10 in the centre across the Jordan River at the Umm esh Shert ford and without meeting any opposition, rode up the Arseniyet track (also known as the Wadi Abu Turra track) to arrive at Es Salt at midnight. To the south the 2nd Light Horse Brigade moved round the southern flank of the Shunet Nimrin position, captured Kabr Muahid at 04:45 before beginning their climb to Es Salt via the village of Ain es Sir. All wheeled transport vehicles moved along the Shunet Nimrin road to Es Salt.

File:IWM MH33946JerichoJane.jpeg

Capture of "Jericho Jane" in the Wadi Nimrin

At 14:28 Chaytor's Divisional headquarters moved to Ghoraniyeh; the crossing of the Jordan River on the main road from Jericho via Shunet Nimrin to Es Salt, and by the evening; at 18:15 the 20th Indian Brigade was in Shunet Nimrin with a squadron of the 2nd Light Horse as advance guard. Here they saw "Jericho Jane" (also known as "Nimrin Nellie,") the 150-mm long-range naval gun abandoned on its side in a gully beside the road. Patterson's Column, which had been formed at 15:00 on 22 September by the 38th and 39th Battalions Royal Fusiliers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Patterson, concentrated at the Auja bridgehead, ready to follow the 20th Indian Brigade to Shunet Nimrin.

Capture of Es Salt

Shortly after entering the foothills of Moab, the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade was opposed by a line of outposts; "the advanced guard pushing forward without checking" to capture them. Later a strong Ottoman redoubt located 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the town was attacked and outflanked by the advance guard; the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment. The regiment attacked this strongly wired redoubt situated across the main Jisr ed Damieh to Es Salt road and defended by nine officers and 150 other ranks with rifles and machine guns. All defenders were captured and at 16:20 on 23 September, Es Salt was captured by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade. After establishing outpost lines and searching for prisoners and records etc. the brigade bivouaced for the night at Suweileh to the east of Ain Hummar on the north western road to Amman. The brigade's total captures for the day were 538 prisoners, four machine guns, two automatic rifles, two 4.2 Howitzers, one 77mm gun along with supplies of stores and ammunition. They were reinforced by the 1st Light Horse Brigade which reached Es Salt at 24:00 while Patterson's Column less the 38th Royal Fusiliers approached Shunet Nimrin.

For the third time in six months units of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force had captured Es Salt; the 3rd Light Horse Regiment (1st Light Horse Brigade) on 25 March and the 8th Light Horse Regiment (3rd Light Horse Brigade) on 30 April.

Air support on 23 September

At dawn on 23 September, aircraft "observed a column of fairly orderly traffic of all arms streaming down the road from Es Salt to Amman," which they bombed and machine gunned. Groups of retreating Ottoman soldiers were also seen moving from the hills to the south-west towards Amman. Shortly after 07:00 bombing formations attacked these columns with 48 bombs and 7,000 machine gun rounds; eight direct hits on lorries and wagons blocked the road, when the retreat became a disorderly rout.

About the same time airmen reported camps at Samakh and Deraa were being burnt, and long trains "with steam up [were] facing east" and north, but because the railway lines were cut they "would never arrive anywhere." The retreating German and Ottoman forces from Nablus were seen approaching Deraa. "And this was the refuge towards which the Fourth Army from Amman was making in headlong retreat!"

Consolidation of Chaytor's Force at Es Salt

During the night of 23/24 September, GHQ instructed Chaytor's Force to continue harassment of the Fourth Army, cut off their retreat north from Amman, gain touch with the Arab Army and maintain the detachment guarding the Jisr ed Damieh bridge.

File:Powles p.249aDamaged road.jpg

Horse artillery negotiating blocked road

The main road from Jericho to Es Salt, along which all wheeled transport and supplies for Chaytor's Force travelled, had been severely damaged by the retreating Fourth Army. The 20th Indian Brigade which had been marching up this road, was ordered to send working parties to repair the road. These were completed by 08:50 on 24 September when the 20th Indian Brigade continued their march to Es Salt, where they took over garrison duties in the town, from the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade.

Meanwhile the 2nd Light Horse Brigade continued their advance to Es Salt up the Wadi Jeria and Wadi Sir, reaching Ain es Sir at 10:30 with forward patrols to the cross roads and north east of the village. During this advance the brigade was fired on by two Ottoman 77mm guns located near Sueifiye. After firing 16 shells, the guns were withdrawn as light horse patrols approached. The brigade bivouacked for the night on the road from Ain es Sir to Ain Hummar when a strong picquet line was maintained throughout the night. (See Falls Sketch Map 24 Amman detail) During the afternoon of 24 September most of the land to the west of Amman was cleared of enemy forces and by the evening Chaytor's Force less the 2nd Light Horse Brigade, the 38th Royal Fusiliers at Shunet Nimrin and the Jisr ed Damieh detachment, was concentrated at Es Salt with mounted troops at Suweileh.

Raid on railway between Amman to Deraa

During the night of 24/25 September, a successful raid from Suweileh on the railway north of Amman, was carried out by four officers and 100 men from the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment. This force, carrying nothing but tools and weapons, advanced 12 miles (19 km) to the railway, where they took out a section of the Hejaz line 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Amman near Kalaat ez Zerka station. They "returned next morning without the loss of a man" to rejoin their regiment eleven hours and 20 miles (32 km) later.

Battle of Amman 25 September

Gullett's Map 35 shows positions on 2 May 1918 during the Second Transjordan attack, also shows the Naaur and Ain es Sir tracks to Amman

Amman was the site of an important railway station, through which had come all the Ottoman army's supplies and reinforcements for the force which had faced the EEF garrison which had occupied the Jordan Valley; which twice attacked the Fourth Army in the hills to Amman, Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt. Now it was on the main line of retreat for the Fourth Army Ma'an garrison and the southern Hejaz railway garrison.

Orders were issued for the New Zealand Mounted Rifles and the 2nd Light Horse Brigades to advance to Amman beginning at 06:00 on 25 September, with the 1st Light Horse Brigade following at 06:30; while the 1st Battalion British West Indies Regiment was to march to Suweileh to replace the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade garrison by 07:00. If the attackers found Amman was lightly held, they were to strongly assault the defenders, but if Amman was held in strength, only the outlying or forward trenches were to be attacked, artillery was to fire on the town, all lines of retreat northwards, were to be cut, and the assault on the town deferred until the infantry arrived. Aerial bombing of Amman was requested.

The defences at Amman had been greatly strengthened, since the First Transjordan attack on Amman in March 1918 by the construction of a series of redoubts, which were reinforced by machine guns. In addition, "the natural difficulties of the broken country made Amman a very hard nut to crack." Now in the early autumn, the approach had become hard and favoured a rapid mounted attack; a vast improvement from the boggy ground which limited movement during the first attack in March.

File:Powles p.210amman.jpg

Amman in foreground, Hill 3039 behind

At 06:00 on 25 September, Chaytor's mounted brigades began their advance on Amman; the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade from Suweileh in the north west with their right on the main Es Salt to Amman road, the 2nd Light Horse Brigade from Ain es Sir in the west along the road from Ain es Sir to Amman with the 1st Light Horse Brigade in reserve guarding the northern flank. An hour and three quarters later, by 07:45 divisional headquarters had been established on Hill 3040 and at 08:30 the New Zealand Mounted Brigade were fired on by 200 Ottoman soldiers armed with rifles and machine guns, holding a ridge to the north west of Amman. Movement was observed behind Amman, on Hill 3039 and two batteries of small guns and a number of machine guns opened fire, while the 2nd Light Horse Brigade attacked and captured several Ottoman posts 4 miles (6.4 km) from the town, together with 106 prisoners and four machine guns.

Leading the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment with one section of machine guns and one section of the 29th Indian Mountain Battery attached, came under machine gun and artillery fire. They were fully engaged when, at 09:00 touch was gained with the 2nd Light Horse Brigade on the right. At 10:00 one regiment of the 1st Light Horse Brigade was sent to reinforce the left flank of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade and came under Meldrum's command. Half an hour later, the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment advanced on the right of the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment with the 2nd Light Horse Brigade on their left. Although the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade reported being ready to gallop part of the defences at 11:10, the only way forward was between two hills, held by machine guns. The attack on the Ottoman advance posts continued to be pressed by both brigades, closely supported by the mountain guns, eventually forcing the Ottoman front line defenders to retire back to the main line of defence, which was also strongly supported by machine guns.

The 1st Light Horse Brigade ordered its 1st Light Horse Regiment, to circle round the left flank of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade and advance towards the railway, while a squadron of the 7th Light Horse Regiment (2nd Light Horse Brigade) captured some Ottoman sangars on the right of the leading regiment; the 5th Light Horse Regiment (2nd Light Horse Brigade). At noon the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment advanced towards "the main entrance to Amman" but they were stopped by fire from concealed machine guns. By 13:30 the 5th Light Horse Regiment had entered the southern part of the town when "street fighting" occurred, while the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment was continuing a steady advance. At 14:30 a second regiment of 1st Light Horse Brigade was ordered to reinforce the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade's left. The Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment advanced to a position "from which they enfiladed the Turks in the Citadel," and shortly afterwards the 10th Squadron with a troop of the 8th Squadron attacked and "stormed" the Citadel, capturing the commander of the 146th Battalion, his staff of 19 officers and 100 other ranks with six machine guns.

File:Powles p.205amman.jpg

Powles Sketch map shows the first attack of Hill 3039 on 30 March during the First Transjordan attack on Amman

By 15:00 the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment "held the town" and, with the 5th Light Horse Regiment, were in the process of "hunting out snipers and capturing prisoners." The Auckland and Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiments continued their advance pushing towards the Wadi Amman, where they were reinforced by the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment, advancing from the town centre. At the Wadi Amman, 1,700 prisoners surrendered and when the railway station was captured at 16:39, many more prisoners, a wireless station and great quantities of stores and war material were captured. After finding the town had been captured, the 2nd Light Horse Brigade continued its advance east of the Citadel, across the Wadi Amman, and up on to Hill 3039 which they occupied. Meanwhile, the 1st Light Horse Brigade, advancing along the railway to the north of Amman captured several guns along with hundreds of prisoners, attempting to retreat.

By 16:30 on 25 September "the place was taken" by the Anzac Mounted Division along with 2,500/2,563 prisoners, 300 sick, ten guns of which three were heavy and 25 machine guns. The attacking force's systematic methods of "galloping to points of vantage and bringing fire to bear on the flanks of such machine gun nests" combined with quick outflanking of machine guns eventually won all obstacles and opposition was finally broken.

The 1st Light Horse Brigade held the Amman railway station area, the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade held the area to the south, while the 2nd Light Horse Brigade bivouacked on the western slope of Hill 3039. A squadron from the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment was sent to Madaba where they captured a number of prisoners and a very large amount of grain. Emergency rations were supplemented by food bought from the inhabitants. The 20th Indian Brigade along with the 18th RHA Bde and 1st Battalion British West Indies Regiment were ordered to march to Amman, leaving the 39th Royal Fusiliers at Suweileh to take over the defence of Es Salt.

Chaytor’s Force suffered 139 casualties; 27 killed, 7 missing, 105 wounded in battle. Of these the Anzac Mounted Division suffered 16 men killed, 56 wounded and the 2nd Battalion British West Indies Regiment suffered 41 casualties. They captured 10,322 prisoners, 57 guns and 147 machine guns.

I have your HW wire and that from Troopers proposing a Cavalry raid to Aleppo. I don't think Aleppo possible; but am sending 3 Divisions of Cavalry, as soon as I can, to Damascus. Chaytor's Division of Anzac Light Horse is about Amman now, and will deal with enemy coming from the South. Prisoners number well over 40,000 and are still coming in. I have Australian mounted troops at the S. end of Lake Tiberias, and they are pushing to Tiberias. If I get Damascus, Beirut falls to us certainly; and I hope to push troops, Northwards, thither, by the coast–road from Haifa, feeding from the sea, stage by stage.

— Allenby to Wilson CIGS War Office, 25 September 1918

Aftermath

Allenby wrote to Henry Wilson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) at the War Office regarding his plans for the Anzac Mounted Division: "I shall leave one cavalry division in the Amman area to operate against and cut off the enemy retreating Northwards from Ma'an, and thereafter it will proceed to Damascus and rejoin Desert Mounted Corps."

Capture of Ottoman units north of Amman

Gullett's Map 43 shows Ziza and Jericho to Semakh and Deraa with positions of the 4th Light Horse Brigade at Samakh, the 4th Cavalry Division, retiring Ottoman forces, the Ottoman Fourth Army headquarters at Deraa and Chaytor's Force at Amman on 25 September

Only the rearguard of the Ottoman Fourth Army was captured at Amman, the remainder of the garrison had already retreated northwards following orders received from Liman on 21 September, four days before Chaytor's attack. Those who had escaped by train northwards from Amman, before the line was cut by the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment's force during the night of 24/25 September, would have been forced to detrain as they approached Deraa, where the line had been cut by Arab attacks before the Battle of Megiddo began.

In the early morning of 25 September, others were seen at Mafrak retreating northwards from Amman in a column of 3,000 infantry and cavalry, 300 horse transport and guns, and 600 camels. Between 06:00 and 08:00, ten Australian aircraft bombed Mafrak, several dumps in the area, and the railway station and a long train were destroyed, resulting in the railway being completely blocked. A number of trains continued to arrive at Mafrak from Amman during the day, each one being attacked by aircraft; No. 1 Squadron bombed the place three times, altogether dropping four tons of bombs and firing almost 20,000 machine gun rounds. Only a few thousand of men on foot or horse, forced to abandon their wheeled-transport, managed to escape and retreat towards Deraa and Damascus.

The Wadi el Hamman 10 miles (16 km) from Amman held the nearest water for the retreating Ottoman force, and the 1st Light Horse Brigade was ordered to move north to the wadi to deny it to retreating columns. A regiment of the brigade also captured Kalaat ez Zerka railway station 12 miles (19 km) north east of Amman, "after a short action," on 26 September. Here they captured 105 prisoners and one gun.

On 27 September the 1st Light Horse Brigade attacked Ottoman units north of the Wady el Hamman, with the cooperation of aircraft, which directed the light horsemen to the location of the Ottoman force. The aircraft subsequently machine gunned the enemy, while the successful light horsemen attack, captured 300 prisoners and two machine guns. By evening, the 1st Light Horse Brigade held the water at Wady el Hamman with a regiment at Kalaat ez Zerka.

On 28 September, the 1st Light Horse Regiment advanced to Qalat el Mafraq 30 miles (48 km) north north east of Amman, where several trains, one a Red Crescent train full of wounded, were captured along with 10 officers and 70 other ranks found sick at Kh es Samra. The Red Crescent train found at Qalat el Mafraq was reported to have been looted and all the sick and wounded killed.

In all some 6,000 or 7,000 fugitives from the three Ottoman armies, but mostly from the Fourth Army, escaped towards Damascus.

Capture of Ottoman units south of Amman

Some of the 4,500 prisoners captured by 2nd Light Horse Brigade

Chaytor's Force halted at Amman, blocking the road and railway, and prepared to intercept the retreating Ottoman II Corps of the Fourth Army, (also known as Southern Force) which was retreating north from Ma'an. This large Ottoman force, which had garrisoned the towns and railway stations on the southern Hejaz Railway, was advancing quickly north towards Chaytor's Force; reported to be 30 miles (48 km) south of Amman on the evening of 25 September.

The II Corps/Southern Force consisting of Ottoman, Arab and Circassian soldiers, had three options; to attack the light horse at Amman, pass to the east of Amman along the Darb el Haj direct to Damascus, although water would be a problem in that dry region, or they could try to get to the Jordan Valley. In case they moved towards the Jordan Valley, Patterson was ordered to entrench Shunet Nimrin, Es Salt and Suweileh, while the 2nd Light Horse Brigade closely guarded the country to the south in particular, the Madaba to Naur to Ain Hummar road across the plateau, with a strong detachment occupying Ain es Sir. About midday on 26 September, the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade sent a detachment to investigate a report of Ottoman and German soldiers with guns at Er Rumman but none were found. They subsequently sent a second detachment east of Amman to watch the Darb el Haj. After dark on 26 September the 20th Indian Infantry Brigade arrived to take over administration of Amman from Chaytor's Force.

In order to delay the movement north of the Ottoman force and make it as difficult as possible, the 2nd Light Horse Brigade was ordered to blow up the railway line, as far to the south as they could; eventually cutting the railway line just north of Ziza Station. By 08:30 on 27 September, they had captured some Ottoman soldiers south of Leban Station 12 miles (19 km) to the south of Amman, one of whom informed the brigade that the advanced guard of the 6,000 strong retreating column had reached Kastal 15 miles (24 km) south of Amman.

At 06:55 on 28 September the Ottoman Southern Force was located by aircraft at Ziza about 20 miles (32 km) south of Amman, where three trains were in the station. At 15:15 a message was dropped calling on them to surrender; that all water north of Kastal was in British Empire hands and they would be bombed the next day if they refused to surrender.

No answer had been received by 08:45 on 29 September and arrangements were made for the bombing to be carried out in the afternoon. Meanwhile, the 5th Light Horse Regiment reached 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Ziza at 10:30, where an Ottoman officer delivered a letter from the commander of the Ottoman II Corps. At 11:40, the 5th Light Horse regimental commander was informed by 2nd Light Horse Brigade headquarters, that unless the Ottoman force surrendered they would be bombed at 15:00. Negotiations for a surrender began at 11:45 and the 5th Light Horse Regiment moved across the railway, to within 700 yards (640 m) of the Ottoman force which was surrounded by Bedouin. By 12:45 reports were received that the Ottoman force at Ziza was surrendering, the bombing raid was cancelled, and the remainder of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade was ordered to "make a forced march" from Amman to Ziza while the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade was to follow at dawn the next day. The 7th Light Horse Regiment (2nd Light Horse Brigade) arrived at Ziza late in the afternoon.

The remainder of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade less details and patrols left Amman at 13:45, at first moving slowly through hilly and stony country between Amman and Leban after which the brigade trotted to Ziza where they arrived at 17:20. They found the Bedouin force surrounding the Ottoman column were Beni Sakhr Bedouin Arabs who demanded the Ottoman force be handed over to them. This was refused, and after the arrival of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade, the Beni Sakhr force became openly hostile.

Chaytor arrived at about 17:00 and informed the Ottoman commander that his soldiers were to "be prepared to defend" themselves for the coming night. The Ottoman commander Colonel Kaaimakan Ali Bey Whahaby agreed to be a hostage in exchange for the cooperation of his men with Chaytor's force and left for Amman, with Chaytor at 17:30. The 5th and 7th Light Horse Regiments (2nd Light Horse Brigade) galloped through the encircling Arabs into the Ottoman position and placed troops in position at intervals in the Ottoman line until the morning. Before dark two small collisions between Beni Sakhr Arabs and Ottomans occurred, but after the arrival of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade a cordon was put round the Ottoman force and the Beni Sakhr warned to keep back though they attempted to raid the hospital. During the night several attacks by the Beni Sakhr Arab force were driven off by Ottoman machine gun fire and light horse rifles.

The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade arrived at 05:30 on 30 September and took over the position and 534 sick, 14 guns, 35 machine guns, two automatic rifles, three engines, 25 trucks, lorries and large amounts of ammunition and stores. After being assured by General Ryrie that the sick and wounded Ottoman soldiers would be cared for, the Ottoman force concentrated at dawn near Ziza railway station, except those necessary for continuing defence against the Arabs, and the 5th Light Horse Regiment marched between 4,068 and 4,082 prisoners including walking wounded north to Amman followed by 502 sick. Two Anatolian battalions remained armed in case of Bedouin attack during the march; while the bolts were taken from Ottoman rifles by the light horsemen.

All prisoners were mustered, sick walking cases being collected under shelter of the station buildings and cot cases transferred to 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance cacolets. At 07:15 the prisoners escorted by 5th Light Horse Regiment less 1 squadron at Amman, with 1 squadron 7th Light Horse attached, moved off to Amman. All arms and equipment was collected and put in railway trucks. This task was finished by 15:30. The Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment remained to guard the sick until transport was organised when 100 sick walking cases were sent on to Amman in New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade transport wagons and the 2nd Light Horse Brigade commenced its return journey to Amman arriving there at 21:00, leaving the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade in charge at Ziza.

Total captures by Chaytor's Force from the beginning of operations to 30 September were 10,322 prisoners, 57 guns including one 5.9 gun, three 5.9 howitzers, one anti aircraft gun, ten 10cm guns, 32 77mm guns, six 75mm guns, two 3" guns and two 13 pounder HAC guns, 147 machine guns including 132 machine guns, 13 automatic rifles one Hotchkiss rifle one Lewis gun, two wireless sets, 11 railway engines, 106 railway trucks and carriages, 142 vehicles and great quantities of shell, SAA and other material.

"The Anzac Mounted Division here ended a very fine fighting record. It had taken a gallant part in practically every engagement since the EEF had set out from the Canal two and a half years previously."

Medical support

Following their brigades to Es Salt, the mobile sections of the field ambulances with their camel transport, travelled up the Umm esh Shert and Jisr ed Damieh tracks, leaving their wheeled transport to follow by the Shunet Nimrim road.

File:Powles p.254 Amman.jpg

Roman Amphitheatre at Amman

A divisional collecting station was established at Suweileh, by the immobile section of the 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance and the Anzac (No. 7) Sanitary Section, during the attack on Amman. Both these units arrived early on 25 September from Jerusalem following the wheeled supply vehicles on the Shunet Nimrin road. After the capture of Amman a dressing-station was opened in the ruins of the Roman amphitheatre, where 268 sick and wounded light horsemen were admitted up to 30 September, by the 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance and evacuated from Amman by motor ambulance waggons. Two Ottoman hospitals in the town were found to be holding 480 patients which quickly grew to more than 1,000. These patients and the Ottoman medical staff and were evacuated to Jerusalem by motor lorries. In addition there were 1,269 British and Indian sick evacuated from Amman in the ten days between 30 September and 9 October.

These large numbers of evacuations to Jericho, eight to ten hours away mostly traveled in motor lorries, motor ambulances being reserved for the most severe cases. The trip was broken about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Es Salt where the Welsh Field Ambulance fed the patients and rested them for two hours before continuing on to Jericho. One group of motor ambulances drove between Amman and the Welsh Field Ambulance, and a second group drove from the Welsh Field Ambulance to Jericho. From the Anzac Mounted Division receiving station near Jericho, motor lorries and some cars of No. 35 Motor Ambulance Convoy evacuated the sick to the casualty clearing station at Jerusalem.

Sick

A hospital and camp in the hills of Moab, Jordan

The 2nd Light Horse and New Zealand Mounted Brigades began their return march to Deiran near Ramleh on 1 October, leaving the 1st Light Horse Brigade in and around Amman. These returning troops on their way back to Jerusalem, and those left behind in Amman, were all struck by a heavy outbreak of disease.

After garrisoning the malarial Jordan Valley at about 1,000 feet (300 m) below sea level, many for more than six months; from February 1918, the troops at Amman were now some 3,000 feet (910 m) above sea level in a very different climate from the hot humidity of the valley floor to where the nights were cold. With malaria dormant in their blood the change of climate brought with it many cases of malaria fever attacks.

Between 19 September and 3 November, 6920 men in Chaytor's Force were listed as sick. In the Anzac division, 1088 men were sick in September; the number trebled in the following month ... In some regiments, riderless horses were let loose and herded down into the valley like a mob of cattle.

In the last three weeks of September the Anzac Mounted Division evacuated more than 3,000 men sick, 2700 of these were cases of malignant malaria. On 30 September the divisional collecting station was brought forward from Suweileh treating at one time as many as 246 cases, the majority seriously ill. During the seven days following 28 September, the 1st Light Horse Brigade evacuated 126 cases and by 10 October, 239 cases; the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade evacuated 316 cases, the 2nd Light Horse Brigade had 57 cases, many frequently suffering a high fever of 105° to 106°F. In the course of the first 12 days of October there were more than 700 cases of malaria, mostly malignant, admitted; the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade losing about one third of its strength. Of the approximately 5,000 New Zealanders about 3,000 were either in hospital or convalescent depots, mostly with malaria.

On September 21st the NZMR Brigade, the 1st LH Brigade, and the 1st and 2nd BWIs moved forward into the Jisr ed Damieh area, swampy ground [previously held by Ottoman forces] in which no attempt had been made to cope with the mosquito menace. The air was full of hordes of peculiarly aggressive and blood–thirsty mosquitoes, laden with as subsequent events proved the parasites of malignant malaria. It was here that a great deal of infection was incurred, for the 2nd BWI Battalion which remained in this area when the rest of Chaytor's Force moved eastward into Moab, suffered severely. By October the 19th, seven officers, 719 other ranks of this unit (practically the whole strength), were evacuated with malignant malaria. Malaria began to appear in the mobile force in Moab on September 28th. The 1st LH Brigade were the first to experience the epidemic, evacuating 126 cases during the week. The NZMR Brigade almost simultaneously commenced to evacuate large numbers of men acutely ill with the disease. The incidence reached a climax on October the 4th, when the 3rd LH Regiment evacuated 62, 1st LH Regiment 58 and the NZMR Regiment 145. Many dramatic incidents occurred on the march back into Judea. There were cases of one man leading as many as eight horses, all his mates having been stricken down, and many men fell from their saddles in high fever. This exceptionally high rate of malignant malarial cases was experienced until October the 9th when the numbers fell abruptly. Additional proof that the Jisr ed Damieh area was responsible for the majority of the infections is supplied by the 2nd LH Brigade which moved directly from the protected area [the area of the Jordan Valley occupied by the EEF which had been mostly cleared of mosquito breeding areas] into the hills. Their evacuation from malaria during the period September 21st to October the 10th were 57 as compared with 239 cases in the 1st LH Brigade and 316 in the NZMR Brigade for the same period. It has been truly said that the last phase of the Palestine Campaign was fought and won in the incubation period of malignant malaria which is 10 to 14 days. To people accustomed to ordinary benign tertian malaria the serious and dramatic nature of the malignant type was most alarming. The men attacked were suddenly prostrated in high fever, 105° and 106°F. being frequently reported, they were often delirious and occasionally maniacal. Unless treated immediately and efficiently with quinine the mortality was high.

— C. Guy Powles

Care of horses

With so many men sick it became common to see one man in charge of eight horses. At this time, as a result of giving the horses newly threshed barley, 15 deaths and 160 cases of serious illness were suffered by horses in Chaytor's Force.

Return to Richon le Zion

File:Powles p.263 Leaving JValley.jpg

Leaving the Jordan Valley for the last time. Jericho in middle distance with hills of Moab in the background

Between 1–2 October, the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade had returned from Ziza to Amman, then on to Ain es Sir on 3 October and back to the Jordan Valley the next day. At Ain es Sir, the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment captured a number of Circassians "suspected of involvement in the May attack and escorted them to Jerusalem for trial."

After three days at Jericho the brigade left the Jordan Valley, bivouacing at Tallat ed Dumm on 8 October. At midday 9 September they paused at the Mount of Olives near Bethany, then "rode down into the Valley of Jehosophat for the last time, past the Garden of Gethsemane, up round the old walls and then through the streets of Jerusalem, past the Jaffa Gate, on to the Hebron road." After resting a few days near Jerusalem the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade returned to Richon le Zion on 14 October to rest and recuperate.

References

• Baly, Lindsay (2003). Horseman, Pass By: The Australian Light Horse in World War I. East Roseville, Sydney: Simon & Schuster. OCLC 223425266.
• History of the Great War Based on Official Documents Veterinary Services. London: H.M. Stationers. 1925. OCLC 460717714. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)
• Bou, Jean (2009/2010). A History of Australia's Mounted Arm. Australian Army History. Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-19708-3. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
• Bruce, Anthony (2002). The Last Crusade: The Palestine Campaign in the First World War. London: John Murray Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7195-5432-2.
• Carver, Michael, Field Marshal Lord (2003). The National Army Museum Book of The Turkish Front 1914–1918: The Campaigns at Gallipoli, in Mesopotamia and in Palestine. London: Pan Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-283-07347-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• F. M. Cutlack (1941). "The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War, 1914–1918". Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 Volume VIII (11th ed.). Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
• DiMarco, Louis A. (2008). War Horse A History of the Military Horse and Rider. Yardley Pa: Westholme Publishing. OCLC 226378925.
• 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. (2007). Ottoman Army Effectiveness in World War I: A Comparative Study. No. 26 of Cass series: military history and policy. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-203-96456-9. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)
• Falls, Cyril (1930). Military Operations Egypt & Palestine from June 1917 to the End of the War. Official History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Vol. 2 Part II. London: HM Stationary Office. OCLC 256950972. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Australia in Palestine. Sydney: Angus & Robertson Ltd. 1919. OCLC 224023558. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |editors= ignored (|editor= suggested) (help)
• Hill, A. J. (1978). Chauvel of the Light Horse A Biography of General Sir Harry Chauvel, GCMG, KCB. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press. OCLC 5003626.
• Hughes, Matthew, ed. (2004). Allenby in Palestine: The Middle East Correspondence of Field Marshal Viscount Allenby June 1917 – October 1919. Army Records Society. Vol. 22. Phoenix Mill, Thrupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7509-3841-9. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
• Keogh, E. G. (1955). Suez to Aleppo. Melbourne: Directorate of Military Training by Wilkie & Co. OCLC 220029983. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Kinloch, Terry (2007). Devils on Horses in the Words of the Anzacs in the Middle East,1916–19. Auckland: Exisle Publishing. ISBN 978-0-908988-94-5.
• Maunsell, E. B. (1926). Prince of Wales’ Own, the Seinde Horse, 1839–1922. OCLC 221077029. {{cite book}}: Text "published by the Regimental Committee" ignored (help)
• Moore, A. Briscoe (1920). The Mounted Riflemen in Sinai & Palestine The Story of New Zealand's Crusaders. Christchurch: Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd. OCLC 561949575.
• Powles, C. Guy (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. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Preston, R. M. P. (1921). The Desert Mounted Corps: An Account of the Cavalry Operations in Palestine and Syria 1917–1918. London: Constable & Co. OCLC 3900439.
• Pugsley, Christoper (2004). The Anzac Experience New Zealand, Australia and Empire in the First World War. Auckland: Reed Books. ISBN 9780790009414.
• Wavell, Field Marshal Earl (1968). E.W. Sheppard (ed.). The Palestine Campaigns. A Short History of the British Army (3rd ed.). London: Constable & Co.
• Woodward, David R. (2006). Hell in the Holy Land World War I in the Middle East. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0-8131-2383-7.

External links

• "2nd Light Horse Brigade War Diary". First World War Diaries AWM4, 10-2-45. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. September 1918.
• "New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade Headquarters War Diary". First World War Diaries AWM4, 35-1-41. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. September 1918.
• "Anzac Mounted Division General Staff War Diary". First World War Diaries AWM4, 1-60-31PART2. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. September 1918.
• F. M. Cutlack (1941). "The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War, 1914–1918". Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 Volume VIII (11th ed.). Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
• R. M. Downes (1938). "The Campaign in Sinai and Palestine". Gallipoli, Palestine and New Guinea of Official History of the Australian Army Medical Services, 1914–1918 Part II in Volume 1 (2nd ed.). Canberra: Australian War Memorial. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |series author= ignored (help)