Battle of Abu Tellul
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Abu Tellul (also known as the Affair of Abu Tellul) was fought on 14 July 1918 during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
of World War I
between German
and Ottoman
Empire forces which attacked the front line of the British Empire
garrison protecting their occupation of the Jordan Valley
. The valley had been occupied by a regiment of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force
(EEF) from February 1918 when Jericho was captured. Following the two unsuccessful Egyptian Expeditionary Force's Transjordan attacks in March
and in April
the valley became the responsibility of the commander of the Desert Mounted Corps
.
A German and Ottoman force attacked light horsemen
defending the heights at Mussallabeh and Abu Tellul on the edge of the Judean Hills, while a German force attacked light horsemen defending the Wadi Mellaha midway between Abu Tellul and the Jordan River. As these attacks were taking place on the western bank of the river, on the eastern side the Ottoman Caucasus Cavalry Brigade deployed two regiments, to attack the bridgeheads at the fords of El Hinu and Makhadet Hijla. This Ottoman formation was successfully overwhelmed before it could launch its attack by a regiment of the British Indian Army
, two regiments of Imperial Service Troops
Lancers and a regiment of Yeomanry
. These attacks were all defeated by units of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force
. They were to be the last attacks launched by German and Ottoman units against British Empire forces in this campaign.
in the British defensive line in the Jordan valley
. A number of defensive posts were constructed by the Australian and New Zealand garrison which were often between 400 yards (365.8 m) and 1000 yards (914.4 m) apart, consisting of either dug or built up stone sangars, while the ravines in between were covered with barbed wire
. The British batteries were concealed close behind the front line just south of the ridge.
El Mussallabeh had been attacked on 11 April between the first
and second
Transjordan attacks. The attack had been launched by a composite force of Ottoman four infantry battalions and several batteries. Subsequently defensive work was carried out.
From early May, when the withdrawal of the forces involved in the second Transjordan attack
was complete, the occupation
of the Jordan Valley by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force was unchallenged, except for the attacks on 14 July and shelling by long-range Ottoman and German artillery.
This Ottoman and German attack occurred on the front line protecting the garrison in the valley; the main focus being a salient
in the wilderness to the north north west of the Wadi el Auja on the western side of the Jordan River. They sought to cut off the British Empire force in the Jordan Valley from the infantry holding the front line in the Judean Hills by creating a wedge between the right of the infantry and the mounted force in the valley. Such an action would, if successful, have destabilised British control of the Jordan and Dead Sea area, effectively end the threat of a third Transjordan attack by pushing Chauvel's forces back out of the Jordan Valley. If the attack succeeded, the front line stretching from the Mediterranean Sea would have been considerably shortened and potentially destabilised. The Ottoman 8th Army defending the coastal sector, the 7th Army defending the Judean Hills and the 4th Army defending the east would have been able to strengthen their considerably shorter line to threaten Allenby
's right flank making the attacks in September at Megiddo
very difficult if not virtually impossible.
troops were dispatched to form part of the Ottoman force operating in the Sinai and Palestine, and following this they participated in all the major engagements of the campaign including the Transjordan operations
in 1918. The first German formation, which was known as "Pasha I", consisted of an infantry battalion along with supporting machine-gun and artillery units, and was present at the Battle of Romani
, which took place in August 1916. Later, a second contingent, "Pasha II", which was a more rounded fighting unit consisting of 10,000 men made up of front line infantry along with machine guns, artillery, cavalry, full supporting units and greatly increased fighter squadrons, arrived during 1917 and 1918.
On 13 July the section of the front line which passed through the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea was commanded by Lieutenant General Chauvel, Desert Mounted Corps. The Ghoraniyeh bridgehead and the area of the valley stretching south towards the Dead Sea was held by the 2nd Mounted Division (later the 5th Cavalry Division) with two Indian infantry battalions. While the Anzac Mounted Division
held the Auja and Mellaha areas including the Abu Tellul salient. This salient was difficult to defend, as the posts and sangars were isolated owing to the hillocky terrain interspersed by rocky crevasses. Under orders a series of posts and sangars were constructed at Abu Tellul and Mussallabeh which were designed for all-round defence. Work to strengthen these defences included heavily wiring all the posts which were kept supplied with water, ammunition and food.
After a few relatively cool days, around 7 August the temperature began to rise steadily and it was noticed that the Ottoman forces had increased their activities, in particular the shelling of Abu Tellul had greatly increased. On 14 July the maximum shade temperature was recorded at 115 °F (46.1 °C).
(Anzac Mounted Division); the 2nd Light Horse Regiment held four posts; "Mussallabeh", "Maskera" "The Bluff" and "Vyse" while the 3rd Light Horse Regiment held the "Vale", "View", "Vaux", "Zoo" and "Zeiss" posts which surrounded the high plateau of Abu Tellul where the "Abu Tellul East" and "Abu Tellul West" posts were separated by a gully. Before the attacks began, the commander of the 3rd Light Horse Regiment was asked if he thought the front line could stop a determined attack at Abu Tellul –
The 1st Light Horse Regiment formed the brigade reserve. The defence of these Mussallabeh and Abu Tellul positions was supported by the Notts Battery RHA, "B" Battery HAC, C/301 and C/303 Howitzer Batteries (60th Infantry Division), the 11th Mountain Battery and the Hong Kong Mountain Battery.
The British artillery in the sector between the river and the villages of Abu Tellul and Mussallabeh were the 11th Mountain Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
and Hong Kong and Singapore Mountain Battery of the 10th (Irish) Division. These and other British artillery stationed south of the river also took part in supporting the Australian Light Horse counterattack, which regained all that had initially been lost before the day's end. Hard close quarter fighting earned battle distinctions for Captain Boyd, Lieutenant Macansh and Second Lieutenant Byrnes.
The 2nd Light Horse Brigade
(Anzac Mounted Division) held the Wadi Mellaha which flowed from the north, southwards into the Wadi el Auja, some 3000 yards (2,743.2 m) to the east; approximately half way between the Abu Tellul – Mussallabeh positions and the Jordan River. The 4th Light Horse Brigade (Australian Mounted Division) formed part of corps reserve south of the Auja while the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, armed with one Hotchkiss gun for every 35 men, was in divisional reserve 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Mussallabeh on the Wadi Nueiameh.
The fords on the Jordan River at Makhadet Hijla and El Hinu were held by the Mysore and Hyderabad Lancer Regiments while the Ghoraniyeh bridgehead was garrisoned by the Alwar and Patiala Infantry Battalions and the 14th and 15th Cavalry Brigades of 2nd Mounted Division (later 5th Cavalry Division). Riding out to attack the massing Ottoman cavalry were the Jodhpur and Mysore Lancer Regiments (15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade), the Poona Horse and the Sherwood Rangers Regiments (14th Cavalry Brigade). [See Falls' Sketch Map 29]
and forced the brigade to retreat. [Falls 1930 Vol. 2 Part II p. 438]
At 03:30 the Mussallabeh salient protecting the Wadi el Auja was attacked by 1,250 Germans in two and a half battalions. Just before the attack began, the regimental commander of 2nd Light Horse Regiment withdrew his headquarters, located just behind Vale position, which was the first position attacked, narrowly escaping capture to Abu Tellul West where they established and maintained their position throughout the attack. The 2nd Light Horse regimental commanding officer observed from his new position on Abu Tellul West, just before dawn, a large body of troops coming up the hill towards his 12 man post. At first he assumed they were some of his own men retiring from the outer posts, but when they reached the wire and began to cut it, he at once gave the order to open rapid fire.
The German battalions forming the centre of the attacking force made a considerable advance circling over the Vale position and across Abu Tellul; establishing a post on Abu Tellul East and then pushing on to eastern side; to The Bluff where they occupied a post with their backs to Kh al Beiyudak. This move cut off all the Light Horse posts at Vyse and on Mussallabeh as well as those on The Bluff and Abu Tellul East, all were without communication to regimental or brigade headquarters. Despite being isolated, heavily attacked and in a number of cases surrounded, they held their ground. They were able to successfully defend their sangars and posts from whatever direction the attack came. Only the troop at Vale and Maskera posts were forced to retire, while one trench on Mussallabeh was captured for a short period before being retaken, and one sangar on Abu Tellul East held by a troop of the 2nd Light Horse Regiment was captured after all the garrison was killed or wounded.
The German force found themselves caught in numerous cross fires from front, flank and rear from the all-round defenders, while the Ottoman forces deployed on their left and right flanks were unable to strongly support the Germans attack.
On the left flank of the main attack the Ottoman 32nd Regiment made a frontal attack on Mussallabeh and captured a post which was retaken shortly after. Three attempts were made by the left of the attacking force on Mussallabeh, but were driven back each time with heavy loss by well placed machine gun fire leaving about 200 dead. The whole position was completely restored and 380 German and about 200 Ottoman prisoners were sent back to headquarters.
On the right flank Ottoman units from the Ottoman 58th Regiment climbed a cliff to attack View post but a sentry shot the leaders; one of whom must have been carrying incendiary bombs as he burst into flames. By the light of this human torch the remaining would-be attackers were shot; the result so severe a reversal that the remaining Ottoman soldiers at the bottom of the cliff did not make another attack. The Ottoman 163rd Regiment attack on Vaux post continued for some considerable time.
When the alarm had first been raised, the commander of the 1st Light Horse Brigade had sent forward one squadron of the reserve regiment; with four machine guns to reinforce the 2nd Light Horse Regimental headquarters on Abu Tellul West and at 03:40 sent a second squadron forward which attacked Abu Tellul East.
At the foot of Abu Tellul an artillery officer found two officers and 12 men of the reserve regiment of the 1st Light Horse Brigade, who were on their way to counterattack the Bluff and ordered the fire of the battery to support their attack. The 13-pounder High Explosive shells burst among the rocks of the German position causing 40 Germans to quickly surrender. These prisoners were disarmed, and put in charge of two of the Australians, while the counterattack; now reduced to seven Australians, moved forward again. Another group of Germans was discovered occupying the end part of Abu Tellul and again the battery opened fire, and after a few minutes, six officers and 80 men surrendered to seven light horsemen; the two groups of prisoners being quickly taken to the rear.
While the outer light horse posts had been surrounded, they had all held out, and turned their machine guns on the enemy force and by this stage reinforcements of the 1st Light Horse Regiment and the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, were pushing along both sides of the Abu Tellul Ridge, to quickly drive out the remainder of the enemy, and restored the position. The Germans were caught scattered and disorganised; the Light Horse posts had prevented them digging in and they were quickly swept from their position retreating back into the valley to the north where they were fired on from Mussallabeh posts.
The Germans still held their position at The Bluff as did the Australians and when, at 08:00, the 1st Light Horse Regiment retook the position just three men in The Bluff sangars out of 20 remained unwounded; while 100 Germans were captured here. Meanwhile the Ottoman 163rd Regiment's attack on Vaux post continued until they were strongly counterattacked by the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment and driven back; the mounted riflemen capturing 61 prisoners.
A troop from the 5th Light Horse Regiment (2nd Light Horse Brigade), twice left their lines with bombs, attacking an enemy force many times their number. On the first occasion, a large group in front of Star Post near the centre of the line was reconnoitred by an officer and 14 men. They got to within 20 yards (18.3 m) of a group of about 150 enemy combatants, who threatened to completely surround the small group; before being attacked by the light horsemen who captured 15 prisoners. Two hours later at 08:00 the same officer went forward with 20 men to within bombing distance and charged the enemy throwing bombs and bayoneting many. One officer and two light horsemen were slightly wounded, while they killed 25, wounded 30 and captured 30 – 45, the remainder escaping to their rear position 1000 yards (914.4 m) behind.
In the rear of the attacking force the Ottoman 3rd Cavalry Division waited in vain for an opportunity to exploit any successes and link up with the attack on Abu Tellul.
At 03:30 a squadron of the Jodhpore Lancers crossed the Jordan at the El Hinu ford and a squadron of the Mysore Lancers crossed at Makhadet Hijla to discovered the Ottoman cavalry force on a 2 miles (3.2 km) long front with its right flank just north of the Wadi er Rame 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Makhadet Hijla.
This force, made up of the Ottoman 9th and 11th Cavalry Regiments with one squadron of the 7th Cavalry Regiment (Caucasus Cavalry Brigade), was advancing towards the El Hinu ford; their squadrons forming a wide front while one squadron of the 7th Cavalry Regiment was in reserve in the rear. These squadrons attacked the outposts of the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade on the right of the Sherwood Rangers. Two armoured cars of No. 1 Australian Light Car Patrol supported the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade in their successful counterattack.
At 10:30 two squadrons of the Jodhpore Lancer Regiment crossed the Jordan River at the El Hinu ford and moved 2.5 miles (4 km) east northeast to a ford over the Wadi er Rame, which flowed from the east at right angles into the Jordan River, at Ain el Garaba. Here they were to attack the Ottoman cavalry while the Mysore Lancers and Sherwood Rangers Regiments would be in support. When the two squadrons of Jodhpore Lancers were in position south of the Ottoman flank, they charged in extended order two horses' lengths apart. As they came under fire, they swung left-handed in column of troops and galloped due north with a machine gun subsection covering this advance. The Jodhpore Lancers charge crashed into the enemy cavalry spearing a number with their lances before advancing to the ford, capturing 50 prisoners and a large number of horses. Here they came under heavy machine gun fire from the right bank of the Wadi er Rame and suffered 28 casualties out of the 125 men who were in the attack.
After seeing the advance of the Jodhpore Lancers, at 13:15 the Sherwood Rangers and Mysore Lancers Regiments advanced on the enemy cavalry; the Mysore Lancers attacking and spearing about 30 Ottoman soldiers before retiring from the open ground to the bank of the Wadi er Rame.
At 14:30 the Poona Horse Regiment moved out of the Ghoraniyeh bridgehead and galloped through shellfire to get in touch with the Sherwood Rangers who were deployed in front of Ain el Garaba. Here their leading troop attacked straight towards the Ottoman trenches suffering six casualties and at 17:30 the Sherwood Rangers and Poona Horse attacked the same position, causing the Ottoman force to retreat under cover of machine gun fire.
The Jodhpore and Mysore Lancers and the Poona Horse Regiments commanded by Major General H.J.M. Macandrew took 100 prisoners, killing more than 90 Ottomans with the lance, but suffered the loss of 80 troopers. And 9 men from the Alwar and Patiala Infantry defending the Ghoraniyeh bridgehead were wounded by artillery fire. The Ottoman prisoners included six officers, four squadron leaders and 86 other ranks.
Between 14 and 15 July the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance evacuated a total of 278 men; 85 of whom were wounded and 44 sick Light Horsemen, 24 were wounded Lancers, 111 were wounded German prisoners and 14 were wounded Ottoman prisoners.
Many casualties came in to the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance soon after the long-range artillery shelling commenced; the numbers increasing when bombing and machine gun attacks by the aircraft followed. Stretcher bearers collected the wounded from the front line and brought them to waiting ambulances which transported them back to the tent division of the field ambulance. At the tent division all wounded were attended, receiving emergency treatment from the medical officers and hospital staff before being loaded on the ambulances again by the stretcher bearers and evacuated by road to the casualty clearing stations in Jerusalem. Cars and extra men came from the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance to help the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance as speedy evacuation was of major importance.
In the afternoon, German and Ottoman prisoners were brought in to the field ambulance, but they had to be separated to stop them fighting and abusing each other. The Germans blamed the Ottomans for letting them down and the Ottomans hated the Germans for their arrogance and envied them their equipment. The Ottomans had practically no kit, wore ragged clothes and had rags round their feet instead of boots while the German soldiers were in good uniforms and boots and their kit in their haversacks included a supply of quinine, for prophylactic use against malaria, as well as water bottles.
The defeat was a severe blow to German prestige. German prisoners captured at Abu Tellul claimed they had been betrayed by their Ottoman allies who should have more strongly supported their flanks. Von Sanders
, their commander in chief, knew that these same regiments had fought well, just a few months before, during the two Transjordan attacks in March and April. He later wrote that "Nothing had occurred to show me so clearly the decline in the fighting capacity of the Turkish troops as the events of the 14th July."Written in hindsight and probably after the defeat at Megiddo, von Sanders ignores the difficulties of the terrain the Ottoman infantry were faced with in making their attacks on the flanks, the all-round nature of the light horse defences, the strength of those positions and the determination of the defenders.
An Ottoman artillery attack began at 01:00 on Tuesday 16 July and the 1st Light Horse Brigade, still in position on Abu Tellul and Mussallabeh, was heavily shelled. Over 1500 shells were fired at their positions, causing heavy casualties, especially among the horses, who were not well protected against shell fire or bomb attacks. The accuracy of the Ottoman artillery was enhanced by spotter planes and accurate distance observation posts. In the afternoon when the 3rd Light Horse Brigade moved to relieve the 1st Light Horse Brigade; their advance guard was so heavily shelled that the main body of brigade did not take over until after dark.
During the day gas drills were carried out and funk holes dug. Just two months later on 19 September, the Battle of Megiddo
, which finished the war in this theatre, began.
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
between German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
and Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Empire forces which attacked the front line of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
garrison protecting their occupation of the Jordan Valley
Jordan Valley (Middle East)
The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi...
. The valley had been occupied by a regiment of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force
Egyptian Expeditionary Force
The Egyptian Expeditionary Force was formed in March 1916 to command the British and British Empire military forces in Egypt during World War I. Originally known as the 'Force in Egypt' it had been commanded by General Maxwell who was recalled to England...
(EEF) from February 1918 when Jericho was captured. Following the two unsuccessful Egyptian Expeditionary Force's Transjordan attacks in March
First Transjordan attack on Amman (1918)
The First Transjordan attack on Amman was part of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. Between 21 and 30 March 1918, three separate engagements occurred which together form the First Transjordan attack...
and in April
Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt (1918)
Officially known by the British as the Second attack at Es Salt and by the Germans as the Second Battle of the Jordan, the Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt was fought between 30 April and 4 May 1918 in the Middle East during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
the valley became the responsibility of the commander of the Desert Mounted Corps
Desert Mounted Corps
The Desert Mounted Corps was a World War I Allied army corps that operated in the Middle East during 1917 and 1918.Originally formed on 15 March 1916 as the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division under the command of Major General Harry Chauvel The Desert Mounted Corps was a World War I...
.
A German and Ottoman force attacked light horsemen
Mounted infantry
Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot . The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry...
defending the heights at Mussallabeh and Abu Tellul on the edge of the Judean Hills, while a German force attacked light horsemen defending the Wadi Mellaha midway between Abu Tellul and the Jordan River. As these attacks were taking place on the western bank of the river, on the eastern side the Ottoman Caucasus Cavalry Brigade deployed two regiments, to attack the bridgeheads at the fords of El Hinu and Makhadet Hijla. This Ottoman formation was successfully overwhelmed before it could launch its attack by a regiment of the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
, two regiments of Imperial Service Troops
Imperial Service Troops
The Imperial Service Troops were forces raised by the princely states of the British Indian Empire. These troops were available for service alongside the Indian Army when such service was requested by the British government...
Lancers and a regiment of Yeomanry
Yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
. These attacks were all defeated by units of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force
Egyptian Expeditionary Force
The Egyptian Expeditionary Force was formed in March 1916 to command the British and British Empire military forces in Egypt during World War I. Originally known as the 'Force in Egypt' it had been commanded by General Maxwell who was recalled to England...
. They were to be the last attacks launched by German and Ottoman units against British Empire forces in this campaign.
Background
Abu Tellul was a strategically important ridge located near the west bank of the Jordan river which, together with another ridge to the north called Mussallabeh, formed a salientSalients, re-entrants and pockets
A salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. The salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops occupying the salient vulnerable. The enemy's line facing a salient is referred to as a re-entrant...
in the British defensive line in the Jordan valley
Jordan Valley (Middle East)
The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi...
. A number of defensive posts were constructed by the Australian and New Zealand garrison which were often between 400 yards (365.8 m) and 1000 yards (914.4 m) apart, consisting of either dug or built up stone sangars, while the ravines in between were covered with barbed wire
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
. The British batteries were concealed close behind the front line just south of the ridge.
El Mussallabeh had been attacked on 11 April between the first
First Transjordan attack on Amman (1918)
The First Transjordan attack on Amman was part of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. Between 21 and 30 March 1918, three separate engagements occurred which together form the First Transjordan attack...
and second
Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt (1918)
Officially known by the British as the Second attack at Es Salt and by the Germans as the Second Battle of the Jordan, the Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt was fought between 30 April and 4 May 1918 in the Middle East during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
Transjordan attacks. The attack had been launched by a composite force of Ottoman four infantry battalions and several batteries. Subsequently defensive work was carried out.
From early May, when the withdrawal of the forces involved in the second Transjordan attack
Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt (1918)
Officially known by the British as the Second attack at Es Salt and by the Germans as the Second Battle of the Jordan, the Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt was fought between 30 April and 4 May 1918 in the Middle East during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
was complete, the occupation
Occupation of the Jordan Valley (1918)
The British Empire's occupation of the Jordan Valley occurred during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I, beginning after the Capture of Jericho in February when the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment began patrolling an area near Jericho at the base of the road from Jerusalem...
of the Jordan Valley by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force was unchallenged, except for the attacks on 14 July and shelling by long-range Ottoman and German artillery.
This Ottoman and German attack occurred on the front line protecting the garrison in the valley; the main focus being a salient
Salient
Salient may refer to:* See Salients, re-entrants and pockets for the battlefield feature* Salient , part of a discrete territory projecting out of the main portion, bordered by foreign territory on three sides, into which it projects...
in the wilderness to the north north west of the Wadi el Auja on the western side of the Jordan River. They sought to cut off the British Empire force in the Jordan Valley from the infantry holding the front line in the Judean Hills by creating a wedge between the right of the infantry and the mounted force in the valley. Such an action would, if successful, have destabilised British control of the Jordan and Dead Sea area, effectively end the threat of a third Transjordan attack by pushing Chauvel's forces back out of the Jordan Valley. If the attack succeeded, the front line stretching from the Mediterranean Sea would have been considerably shortened and potentially destabilised. The Ottoman 8th Army defending the coastal sector, the 7th Army defending the Judean Hills and the 4th Army defending the east would have been able to strengthen their considerably shorter line to threaten Allenby
Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby
Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby GCB, GCMG, GCVO was a British soldier and administrator most famous for his role during the First World War, in which he led the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the conquest of Palestine and Syria in 1917 and 1918.Allenby, nicknamed...
's right flank making the attacks in September at Megiddo
Battle of Megiddo (1918)
The Battle of Megiddo took place between 19 September and 1 October 1918, in what was then the northern part of Ottoman Palestine and parts of present-day Syria and Jordan...
very difficult if not virtually impossible.
Deterioration of German-Ottoman relations
Bad feelings between these two allies arose when it was believed by sections of the Ottoman Army in Palestine that some German units had been withdrawn and sent to the Caucasus. In fact, no units of the Ottoman Army were withdrawn from Palestine to support the Trans–Caucasian campaigns, one infantry division and an infantry regiment were sent to eastern Anatolia in 1918 but from Constantinople. Indeed considerable reinforcements arrived in Palestine from Caucasia in 1918 including the 2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division and the 37th Infantry Division. The cordial relations developed between Ottomans and Germans during three years of war in the Sinai and Palestine were, however, seriously undermined in May 1918 when Enver violated the Treaty of Brest–Litovsk and aggressively expanded the Ottoman presence in Georgia.Comparisions with the Western Front
British officers and men who had been transferred to the Palestine campaign after service on the Western Front in France came with an air of superiority. "In Palestine," they said, "you have been having a nice easy little war with the Turks. Wait till you strike the Germans." The size of the casualty lists in France strongly supported this attitude. In March 1916, however, German Asia KorpsAsia Korps
The Asia Corps or Asia Korps was a detachment of the German Army, sent to assist the Ottoman Army during World War I.-Pasha I:...
troops were dispatched to form part of the Ottoman force operating in the Sinai and Palestine, and following this they participated in all the major engagements of the campaign including the Transjordan operations
Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt (1918)
Officially known by the British as the Second attack at Es Salt and by the Germans as the Second Battle of the Jordan, the Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt was fought between 30 April and 4 May 1918 in the Middle East during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
in 1918. The first German formation, which was known as "Pasha I", consisted of an infantry battalion along with supporting machine-gun and artillery units, and was present at the Battle of Romani
Battle of Romani
The Battle of Romani was fought east of the Suez Canal, near the Egyptian town of Romani and the site of ancient Pelusium on the Sinai Peninsula during the First World War...
, which took place in August 1916. Later, a second contingent, "Pasha II", which was a more rounded fighting unit consisting of 10,000 men made up of front line infantry along with machine guns, artillery, cavalry, full supporting units and greatly increased fighter squadrons, arrived during 1917 and 1918.
Prelude
By June work was continuing on the defences and the men worked hard to complete sangars, digging and wiring although the area was overlooked by the enemy and much of the work had to be done at night. Early in July the 1st Light Horse Regiment was in reserve while the 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Regiments held Vyse and Zeiss posts.On 13 July the section of the front line which passed through the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea was commanded by Lieutenant General Chauvel, Desert Mounted Corps. The Ghoraniyeh bridgehead and the area of the valley stretching south towards the Dead Sea was held by the 2nd Mounted Division (later the 5th Cavalry Division) with two Indian infantry battalions. While the Anzac Mounted Division
Anzac Mounted Division
The ANZAC Mounted Division was a mounted infantry and mounted rifles division formed in March 1916 in Egypt during World War I following the Battle of Gallipoli when the Australian and New Zealand regiments returned from fighting dismounted as infantry...
held the Auja and Mellaha areas including the Abu Tellul salient. This salient was difficult to defend, as the posts and sangars were isolated owing to the hillocky terrain interspersed by rocky crevasses. Under orders a series of posts and sangars were constructed at Abu Tellul and Mussallabeh which were designed for all-round defence. Work to strengthen these defences included heavily wiring all the posts which were kept supplied with water, ammunition and food.
After a few relatively cool days, around 7 August the temperature began to rise steadily and it was noticed that the Ottoman forces had increased their activities, in particular the shelling of Abu Tellul had greatly increased. On 14 July the maximum shade temperature was recorded at 115 °F (46.1 °C).
Attacking force
The force consisted of the German 702nd and 703rd Battalions with one battalion of the 146th Regiment, the Ottoman 24 and 53 Infantry Divisions, one company of the 11th Jäger Regiment (German light infantry), the Ottoman Caucasus Cavalry Brigade's 2nd (not engaged), the Ottoman 32nd, 58th and 163rd Regiments and two regiments of 3rd Cavalry Division. Included in this force was a group of 100 Germans who were armed with 42 automatic rifles.Defending force
The Abu Tellul sector was held by two regiments of the the 1st Light Horse Brigade1st Light Horse Brigade
The 1st Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force which served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. The brigade first saw action during the Dardanelles Campaign in the Battle of Gallipoli. After being withdrawn to Egypt in February 1916 they...
(Anzac Mounted Division); the 2nd Light Horse Regiment held four posts; "Mussallabeh", "Maskera" "The Bluff" and "Vyse" while the 3rd Light Horse Regiment held the "Vale", "View", "Vaux", "Zoo" and "Zeiss" posts which surrounded the high plateau of Abu Tellul where the "Abu Tellul East" and "Abu Tellul West" posts were separated by a gully. Before the attacks began, the commander of the 3rd Light Horse Regiment was asked if he thought the front line could stop a determined attack at Abu Tellul –
The 1st Light Horse Regiment formed the brigade reserve. The defence of these Mussallabeh and Abu Tellul positions was supported by the Notts Battery RHA, "B" Battery HAC, C/301 and C/303 Howitzer Batteries (60th Infantry Division), the 11th Mountain Battery and the Hong Kong Mountain Battery.
The British artillery in the sector between the river and the villages of Abu Tellul and Mussallabeh were the 11th Mountain Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
Royal Garrison Artillery
The Royal Garrison Artillery was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege...
and Hong Kong and Singapore Mountain Battery of the 10th (Irish) Division. These and other British artillery stationed south of the river also took part in supporting the Australian Light Horse counterattack, which regained all that had initially been lost before the day's end. Hard close quarter fighting earned battle distinctions for Captain Boyd, Lieutenant Macansh and Second Lieutenant Byrnes.
The 2nd Light Horse Brigade
2nd Light Horse Brigade
The 2nd Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force which served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. The brigade first saw action during the Dardanelles Campaign in the Battle of Gallipoli. After being withdrawn to Egypt in February 1916 they...
(Anzac Mounted Division) held the Wadi Mellaha which flowed from the north, southwards into the Wadi el Auja, some 3000 yards (2,743.2 m) to the east; approximately half way between the Abu Tellul – Mussallabeh positions and the Jordan River. The 4th Light Horse Brigade (Australian Mounted Division) formed part of corps reserve south of the Auja while the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, armed with one Hotchkiss gun for every 35 men, was in divisional reserve 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Mussallabeh on the Wadi Nueiameh.
The fords on the Jordan River at Makhadet Hijla and El Hinu were held by the Mysore and Hyderabad Lancer Regiments while the Ghoraniyeh bridgehead was garrisoned by the Alwar and Patiala Infantry Battalions and the 14th and 15th Cavalry Brigades of 2nd Mounted Division (later 5th Cavalry Division). Riding out to attack the massing Ottoman cavalry were the Jodhpur and Mysore Lancer Regiments (15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade), the Poona Horse and the Sherwood Rangers Regiments (14th Cavalry Brigade). [See Falls' Sketch Map 29]
Battle
The attack commenced with long-range artillery shelling from both sides throughout the night, then 17 German aircraft bombed the Jordan Valley garrison at 04:00 in the morning of Sunday 14 July, causing dozens of casualties.Attack on the Abu Tellul and Mussallebeh salient
Movements were heard between Vale and View posts defended by the 3rd Light Horse Regiment just after 01:00 when the regimental commander ordered an artillery barrage in front of Vale post. Ottoman artillery also started shelling Mussallabeh and Abu Tellul. This artillery bombardment ceased about 02:30 when the movement of many enemy units was again heard. These were the German 702nd and 703rd Battalions, one company of the 11 Regiment Jäger Battalion and one company of the 146th Regiment. This force was supported on the left by the 32nd Regiment attacking Mussallabeh, and on the right by the 163rd and 58th Regiments facing Abu Tellul, with 2nd Regiment forming a reserve in the rear.The Ottoman 32nd and 58th Regiments had, on 1 May, three months before strongly attacked the 4th Light Horse Brigade south of Jisr ed Damieh during the Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt (1918)Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt (1918)
Officially known by the British as the Second attack at Es Salt and by the Germans as the Second Battle of the Jordan, the Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt was fought between 30 April and 4 May 1918 in the Middle East during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
and forced the brigade to retreat. [Falls 1930 Vol. 2 Part II p. 438]
At 03:30 the Mussallabeh salient protecting the Wadi el Auja was attacked by 1,250 Germans in two and a half battalions. Just before the attack began, the regimental commander of 2nd Light Horse Regiment withdrew his headquarters, located just behind Vale position, which was the first position attacked, narrowly escaping capture to Abu Tellul West where they established and maintained their position throughout the attack. The 2nd Light Horse regimental commanding officer observed from his new position on Abu Tellul West, just before dawn, a large body of troops coming up the hill towards his 12 man post. At first he assumed they were some of his own men retiring from the outer posts, but when they reached the wire and began to cut it, he at once gave the order to open rapid fire.
The German battalions forming the centre of the attacking force made a considerable advance circling over the Vale position and across Abu Tellul; establishing a post on Abu Tellul East and then pushing on to eastern side; to The Bluff where they occupied a post with their backs to Kh al Beiyudak. This move cut off all the Light Horse posts at Vyse and on Mussallabeh as well as those on The Bluff and Abu Tellul East, all were without communication to regimental or brigade headquarters. Despite being isolated, heavily attacked and in a number of cases surrounded, they held their ground. They were able to successfully defend their sangars and posts from whatever direction the attack came. Only the troop at Vale and Maskera posts were forced to retire, while one trench on Mussallabeh was captured for a short period before being retaken, and one sangar on Abu Tellul East held by a troop of the 2nd Light Horse Regiment was captured after all the garrison was killed or wounded.
The German force found themselves caught in numerous cross fires from front, flank and rear from the all-round defenders, while the Ottoman forces deployed on their left and right flanks were unable to strongly support the Germans attack.
On the left flank of the main attack the Ottoman 32nd Regiment made a frontal attack on Mussallabeh and captured a post which was retaken shortly after. Three attempts were made by the left of the attacking force on Mussallabeh, but were driven back each time with heavy loss by well placed machine gun fire leaving about 200 dead. The whole position was completely restored and 380 German and about 200 Ottoman prisoners were sent back to headquarters.
On the right flank Ottoman units from the Ottoman 58th Regiment climbed a cliff to attack View post but a sentry shot the leaders; one of whom must have been carrying incendiary bombs as he burst into flames. By the light of this human torch the remaining would-be attackers were shot; the result so severe a reversal that the remaining Ottoman soldiers at the bottom of the cliff did not make another attack. The Ottoman 163rd Regiment attack on Vaux post continued for some considerable time.
Reinforcements
When it was found that the Germans had advanced between the 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Regiments and reached the centre of the advanced Light Horse position, the reserve; the 1st Light Horse (New South Wales) Regiment launched a counterattack at 04:30.When the alarm had first been raised, the commander of the 1st Light Horse Brigade had sent forward one squadron of the reserve regiment; with four machine guns to reinforce the 2nd Light Horse Regimental headquarters on Abu Tellul West and at 03:40 sent a second squadron forward which attacked Abu Tellul East.
At the foot of Abu Tellul an artillery officer found two officers and 12 men of the reserve regiment of the 1st Light Horse Brigade, who were on their way to counterattack the Bluff and ordered the fire of the battery to support their attack. The 13-pounder High Explosive shells burst among the rocks of the German position causing 40 Germans to quickly surrender. These prisoners were disarmed, and put in charge of two of the Australians, while the counterattack; now reduced to seven Australians, moved forward again. Another group of Germans was discovered occupying the end part of Abu Tellul and again the battery opened fire, and after a few minutes, six officers and 80 men surrendered to seven light horsemen; the two groups of prisoners being quickly taken to the rear.
While the outer light horse posts had been surrounded, they had all held out, and turned their machine guns on the enemy force and by this stage reinforcements of the 1st Light Horse Regiment and the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, were pushing along both sides of the Abu Tellul Ridge, to quickly drive out the remainder of the enemy, and restored the position. The Germans were caught scattered and disorganised; the Light Horse posts had prevented them digging in and they were quickly swept from their position retreating back into the valley to the north where they were fired on from Mussallabeh posts.
The Germans still held their position at The Bluff as did the Australians and when, at 08:00, the 1st Light Horse Regiment retook the position just three men in The Bluff sangars out of 20 remained unwounded; while 100 Germans were captured here. Meanwhile the Ottoman 163rd Regiment's attack on Vaux post continued until they were strongly counterattacked by the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment and driven back; the mounted riflemen capturing 61 prisoners.
Attack on the Wadi Mellaha
On the Wadi Mellaha the enemy shelled the 2nd Light Horse Brigade throughout the night; at dawn two German infantry companies from the 146th Regiment and two Ottoman battalions were seen at various points along the front digging trenches.A troop from the 5th Light Horse Regiment (2nd Light Horse Brigade), twice left their lines with bombs, attacking an enemy force many times their number. On the first occasion, a large group in front of Star Post near the centre of the line was reconnoitred by an officer and 14 men. They got to within 20 yards (18.3 m) of a group of about 150 enemy combatants, who threatened to completely surround the small group; before being attacked by the light horsemen who captured 15 prisoners. Two hours later at 08:00 the same officer went forward with 20 men to within bombing distance and charged the enemy throwing bombs and bayoneting many. One officer and two light horsemen were slightly wounded, while they killed 25, wounded 30 and captured 30 – 45, the remainder escaping to their rear position 1000 yards (914.4 m) behind.
In the rear of the attacking force the Ottoman 3rd Cavalry Division waited in vain for an opportunity to exploit any successes and link up with the attack on Abu Tellul.
Results of these German and Ottoman infantry attacks
The German and Ottoman attacks on Abu Tellul and Mussallabeh, were successfully counterattacked by the 1st Light Horse Brigade and the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, while the remainder of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade cleared the country for 1000 yards (914.4 m) in front of the original front line. After six and a half hours of fierce hand to hand fighting at Mussallabeh, Abu Tellul and on the Wadi Mellaha, a total of 425–448 prisoners were captured, 358–377 of whom were German while the Light Horse suffered 108 casualties. Six machine guns, 42 automatic rifles, 185 rifles and a large quantity of ammunition were captured.Ottoman cavalry attack
While the attacks on Mussallebeh and Abu Tellul on the western side of the Jordan River were in progress, an Ottoman cavalry force was seen massing for an attack on the east bank of the river. The cavalry were advancing towards El Hinu ford, between the Ghoraniyeh bridgehead and the Dead Sea. The Jodhpur and Mysore Lancer Regiments (Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade) galloped out from the fords, while the Sherwood Rangers and the Poonah Horse Regiments (14th Cavalry Brigade) moved out from the Ghoraniyeh bridgehead to attack the enemy cavalry.At 03:30 a squadron of the Jodhpore Lancers crossed the Jordan at the El Hinu ford and a squadron of the Mysore Lancers crossed at Makhadet Hijla to discovered the Ottoman cavalry force on a 2 miles (3.2 km) long front with its right flank just north of the Wadi er Rame 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Makhadet Hijla.
This force, made up of the Ottoman 9th and 11th Cavalry Regiments with one squadron of the 7th Cavalry Regiment (Caucasus Cavalry Brigade), was advancing towards the El Hinu ford; their squadrons forming a wide front while one squadron of the 7th Cavalry Regiment was in reserve in the rear. These squadrons attacked the outposts of the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade on the right of the Sherwood Rangers. Two armoured cars of No. 1 Australian Light Car Patrol supported the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade in their successful counterattack.
At 10:30 two squadrons of the Jodhpore Lancer Regiment crossed the Jordan River at the El Hinu ford and moved 2.5 miles (4 km) east northeast to a ford over the Wadi er Rame, which flowed from the east at right angles into the Jordan River, at Ain el Garaba. Here they were to attack the Ottoman cavalry while the Mysore Lancers and Sherwood Rangers Regiments would be in support. When the two squadrons of Jodhpore Lancers were in position south of the Ottoman flank, they charged in extended order two horses' lengths apart. As they came under fire, they swung left-handed in column of troops and galloped due north with a machine gun subsection covering this advance. The Jodhpore Lancers charge crashed into the enemy cavalry spearing a number with their lances before advancing to the ford, capturing 50 prisoners and a large number of horses. Here they came under heavy machine gun fire from the right bank of the Wadi er Rame and suffered 28 casualties out of the 125 men who were in the attack.
After seeing the advance of the Jodhpore Lancers, at 13:15 the Sherwood Rangers and Mysore Lancers Regiments advanced on the enemy cavalry; the Mysore Lancers attacking and spearing about 30 Ottoman soldiers before retiring from the open ground to the bank of the Wadi er Rame.
At 14:30 the Poona Horse Regiment moved out of the Ghoraniyeh bridgehead and galloped through shellfire to get in touch with the Sherwood Rangers who were deployed in front of Ain el Garaba. Here their leading troop attacked straight towards the Ottoman trenches suffering six casualties and at 17:30 the Sherwood Rangers and Poona Horse attacked the same position, causing the Ottoman force to retreat under cover of machine gun fire.
The Jodhpore and Mysore Lancers and the Poona Horse Regiments commanded by Major General H.J.M. Macandrew took 100 prisoners, killing more than 90 Ottomans with the lance, but suffered the loss of 80 troopers. And 9 men from the Alwar and Patiala Infantry defending the Ghoraniyeh bridgehead were wounded by artillery fire. The Ottoman prisoners included six officers, four squadron leaders and 86 other ranks.
Casualties
The total losses suffered by the German and Ottoman forces in the hills at Abu Tellul and Mussallabeh, at the Wadi Mellaha, and at the Wadi er Rame and Ain el Garaba defending the fords on the eastern bank of the Jordan, were 540 prisoners (377 German and 71 Ottoman) and up to 1,000 casualties while the British Empire forces suffered a total of 189 casualties.Between 14 and 15 July the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance evacuated a total of 278 men; 85 of whom were wounded and 44 sick Light Horsemen, 24 were wounded Lancers, 111 were wounded German prisoners and 14 were wounded Ottoman prisoners.
Many casualties came in to the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance soon after the long-range artillery shelling commenced; the numbers increasing when bombing and machine gun attacks by the aircraft followed. Stretcher bearers collected the wounded from the front line and brought them to waiting ambulances which transported them back to the tent division of the field ambulance. At the tent division all wounded were attended, receiving emergency treatment from the medical officers and hospital staff before being loaded on the ambulances again by the stretcher bearers and evacuated by road to the casualty clearing stations in Jerusalem. Cars and extra men came from the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance to help the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance as speedy evacuation was of major importance.
In the afternoon, German and Ottoman prisoners were brought in to the field ambulance, but they had to be separated to stop them fighting and abusing each other. The Germans blamed the Ottomans for letting them down and the Ottomans hated the Germans for their arrogance and envied them their equipment. The Ottomans had practically no kit, wore ragged clothes and had rags round their feet instead of boots while the German soldiers were in good uniforms and boots and their kit in their haversacks included a supply of quinine, for prophylactic use against malaria, as well as water bottles.
Aftermath
While the Egyptian Expeditionary Force had successfully demonstrated its attacking abilities at Gaza, Beersheba, Jaffa and Jerusalem, this victory by the Desert Mounted Corps' Australian Light Horse, British Yeomanry, Indian Lancers and New Zealand Mounted Rifles' brigades demonstrated their strength in defence in the face of determined German and Ottoman attacks. This had been the only occasion during the Sinai and Palestine campaign when German infantry attacked as stormtroopers and Chauvel commented on their crushing defeat, that it might improve the image of Australian troopers "in the minds of their detractors, who are many."The defeat was a severe blow to German prestige. German prisoners captured at Abu Tellul claimed they had been betrayed by their Ottoman allies who should have more strongly supported their flanks. Von Sanders
Otto Liman von Sanders
Generalleutnant Otto Liman von Sanders was a German general who served as adviser and military commander for the Ottoman Empire during World War I.-Biography:...
, their commander in chief, knew that these same regiments had fought well, just a few months before, during the two Transjordan attacks in March and April. He later wrote that "Nothing had occurred to show me so clearly the decline in the fighting capacity of the Turkish troops as the events of the 14th July."Written in hindsight and probably after the defeat at Megiddo, von Sanders ignores the difficulties of the terrain the Ottoman infantry were faced with in making their attacks on the flanks, the all-round nature of the light horse defences, the strength of those positions and the determination of the defenders.
An Ottoman artillery attack began at 01:00 on Tuesday 16 July and the 1st Light Horse Brigade, still in position on Abu Tellul and Mussallabeh, was heavily shelled. Over 1500 shells were fired at their positions, causing heavy casualties, especially among the horses, who were not well protected against shell fire or bomb attacks. The accuracy of the Ottoman artillery was enhanced by spotter planes and accurate distance observation posts. In the afternoon when the 3rd Light Horse Brigade moved to relieve the 1st Light Horse Brigade; their advance guard was so heavily shelled that the main body of brigade did not take over until after dark.
During the day gas drills were carried out and funk holes dug. Just two months later on 19 September, the Battle of Megiddo
Battle of Megiddo (1918)
The Battle of Megiddo took place between 19 September and 1 October 1918, in what was then the northern part of Ottoman Palestine and parts of present-day Syria and Jordan...
, which finished the war in this theatre, began.