Part 1
AUSTRALIA IN PALESTINE
AUSTRALIA IN PALESTINE
SYDNEY ANGUS & ROBERTSON LTD. 89 CASTLEREAGH STREET 1919
_Nineteenth Thousand_
Printed by W. C. Penfold & Co. Ltd., 183 Pitt Street, Sydney London Agents: The Oxford University Press
TO THE MEMORY OF FALLEN COMRADES
Editors’ Note
This book owes its publication to the warm interest taken in its initiation by a Committee comprised of the G.O.C., A.I.F., in Egypt; the G.O’s.C. Anzac and Australian Mounted Divisions and Brigades, and a number of other senior A.I.F. officers; and, later, to the generosity of the many contributors of paintings, sketches, photographs, verse and prose.
“Australia in Palestine” is in no sense intended as a complete picture of the Australians’ part in the Great Campaign. It is merely a Soldiers’ Book, produced almost entirely by soldiers in the field under active service conditions to send to their friends in Australia and abroad. An edition has also been published for sale to the general public, and any profits derived from it will go to one of the A.I.F. funds.
Thanks are due to our many contributors, and in particular to Mr. James McBey, the Official British Artist in Palestine, for his fine portrait of General Allenby (specially drawn for this book) and other sketches; to Captain Hodgkinson, British Press Officer, for permission to use many British official photographs; to Mr. Jeapes, British Official Cinema Photographer, for the loan of many snapshots; and to Sergeant E. A. Hodda, A.I.F., who took charge of the business arrangements, and to whose keen interest and ability our obligation is substantial.
We have also to thank Major N. D. Barton, 7th A.L.H. Regiment, and Messrs. H. M. Somer and Sydney Ure Smith for the valuable assistance they have given as Committee of Publication in Australia.
H. S. GULLETT } Editors. CHAS. BARRETT }
DAVID BARKER, Art Editor.
CONTENTS
Page Preface (Lieut.-Gen. Sir H. G. Chauvel) xiii.
Fighting for Palestine (H. S. Gullett) 1
Anthem Bells (“Gerardy”) 60
Palestine Poppies (Charles Barrett) 61
Farming in Arcady (H. S. G.) 64
Standing To (Brentomman) 69
A Waler’s Story (E. L. D. Husband) 71
The Horses Stay Behind (“Trooper Bluegum”) 78
One Too Many (“Anon”) 79
The Light That Failed (“Sarg”) 83
A Night March (“Aram”) 87
A Gloomy Outlook (“Aram”) 90
Reconciliation (“Gerardy”) 91
Mail Day (“Wil Cox”) 92
A Day Over The Lines (H. Bowden Fletcher) 94
Mounts and Remounts (“Acrabah”) 99
Concerning Medical Blokes (“Larrie”) 102
The Signal Service (“Ack-Vic-Ack”) 109
Battle Song (“Gerardy”) 114
The Little Bint of Wady Hanein (“Camp Follower”) 115
Algy, Misfit (“Billzac”) 121
Palestine (“Trooper Bluegum”) 123
The Camel Brigade (“Trooper Bluegum”) 125
Resting (“Tralas”) 132
The Mukhtar’s Goats (“2469”) 137
The Batman (W. M. W.) 139
Damascus (H. W. D.) 140
Malaria (“Koolawarra”) 144
Fall Out The 1914 Men (“Bataggi”) 145
Old Horse o’ Mine (T. V. B.) 149
Concerning Machine Guns (“Sarg”) 150
Delivered! (“Gerardy”) 153
ILLUSTRATIONS
COLOUR PLATES
Page General Sir Edmund H. H. Allenby, G.C.B., G.C.M.G. iii.
Jerusalem, from below the Mount of Olives 4
Romani. Mount Royston in the distance 14
Magdhaba, showing the Wady Bed about one mile from Turkish buildings 26
The Road to Jericho 38
The Dead Sea (Sunrise) 42
Australians on the Road to Jerusalem 30
An Australian Flying Squadron in Palestine 50
Jaffa 54
Australians prior to the fight for Nalin 54
Anzac Ridge, Gaza 56
National Types 70
Evening amongst the Judean Hills 78
A Camp in the Desert 78
Got Him Cold 94
The End of the Scrap 96
Convalescent 106
A Signal Office in the Field 110
Some Souvenir 124
Buying Oranges, Jaffa 138
PHOTOGRAPHS, Etc.
Lieut.-General Sir H. G. Chauvel, K.C.B., K.C.M.G. xv.
Jaffa 4
Map of Ottoman Empire 6–7
A Brief Halt Richly Earned 9
Jerusalem from the Air 9
Damascus from the Air 10
3rd L.H. Camp at Belah 10
In a Village Street 14
Map of Northern Sinai 18–19
Turks marching out of Jerusalem (1914) 23
Gaza 23
The Mount of Temptation 24
All the World Over 24
Turkish Prisoners at Beersheba 29
Street Market, Jerusalem 29
Jericho, showing garden oasis 29
Light Horse crossing Jordan 29
In the Jordan Valley 30
Spring Water, Clear and Cold 30
Map of Palestine 34–35
Ismailia 38
In the Jordan Valley 41
Shopping in Jericho 41
“Baksheesh” 42
A Meal outside the Bivvies 42
Scotties on a Route March 42
Major-Gen. Chaytor receives Arab Chiefs 46
Jerusalem 46
Map of Syria 48–49
Orange Seller, Jaffa 53
In the Shade 53
The Village Well 54
Native Plough and Team 54
Harvest Time 65
Ploughing as of Old 65
Native Stock 65
The Franciscan Monastery 66
Lake of Tiberias 66
Outposts 70
Jordan Valley Dust 70
5th L.H. Brigade entering Nablus 73
Watering Horses, Es Salt 73
Horses Thirsty 74
Light Horsemen in Judean Hills 74
Wady Nimrin 81
Arab Agents 81
German Prisoners in Jericho 81
Meal Time 82
“She’s Boiling” 82
Defences in the Ghoraniyeh Bridgehead 85
The Brickmaker 85
A Typical Arab Village 86
4th L.H. Brigade Watering Horses 86
Roman Fort, Jericho 88
Horses under cover 89
A.L. Horse in Camp 89
2nd L.H. marching through Khan Yunis 89
Turkish Prisoners at Es Salt 97
Jericho 97
Nazareth from the Air 98
“A Light Horse Type” 101
Mounting First Guard in Jericho 107
Halt and Rest 107
Church and Tomb of the Virgin 108
Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem 108
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem 108
Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem 108
Brig.-General Ryrie inspects the “Bully” 119
Brig.-General Cox on River Jordan 119
A Wallad of Palestine 120
“Tower of the Forty” 123
Mosque of Omar 124
The Midday Halt 126
Brig.-General C. L. Smith, V.C., M.C. 127
Our Water Supply 127
Watering Time, Camel Brigade 129
“Prepare to Mount” 129
Camels bearing Supplies on the Philistine Plain 131
Bedouins Captured at Hassaniya 133
Street Market, Jerusalem 133
Bedouin Village 134
Turkish Prisoners, Nablus 134
Mrs. Chisholm’s Canteen at Kantara 146
Bethlehem 147
Troopers entering Jericho 148
Damascus 148
Finish 154
Preface
“Australia in Palestine” should prove of great interest to the people of Australia, and especially to those whose lives have been spent outside the great cities, for it includes a record of the achievements of their “very own”—the horsemen of Australia, and of the Flying Corps and the Anzac Section of the Imperial Camel Corps, which were recruited from them, and co-operated with them in the greatest war yet known to history.
The Australian Light Horseman—and under this name I include the Field and Signal Engineers and Medical Services connected with him, who come from the same stock—is of a type peculiarly his own and has no counterpart that I know of except in his New Zealand brother. His fearlessness, initiative and endurance, and his adaptability to almost any task, are due to the adventurous life he leads in his own country, where he has been accustomed to long hours in the saddle, day and night, and to facing danger of all sorts from his earliest youth. Perhaps these qualities are inherited from his pioneer parents. His invariable good humour under the most adverse conditions comes from the good-fellowship and camaraderie which exists in the free and open life of the Australian Bush. His chivalry comes from the same source, and it is one of his strongest points. In other words, the life he has been accustomed to lead has fitted him to become, with training and discipline, second to no cavalry soldier in the world.
As far as Australia is concerned, the Palestine Campaign may be said to have commenced with the crossing of the Suez Canal by the Anzac Mounted Division at Kantara on the 23rd April, 1916, to re-occupy Romani and the western end of the Katia Oasis Area. The mounted troops of Australia and New Zealand had already proved their extraordinary adaptability to circumstances as infantrymen in the hard school of Gallipoli, but it yet remained for them to show their value as cavalry. The occupation of Romani was followed by long and trying marches in the Desert of Sinai, during the hottest summer known in Egypt for many years, after an elusive enemy who did not appear in any force until July, 1916, when he advanced on Romani preparatory to his second attack on the Suez Canal. The disastrous defeat inflicted on the Turkish arms at Romani, and the pursuit which followed, not only demonstrated the inestimable value of the horsemen of Australasia as cavalrymen, but opened the way for the advance to the Eastern Frontier of Egypt which ended the enemy’s menace to Egypt. The systematic advance of the British Force from Romani to the Egyptian Border was covered by Australian and New Zealand horsemen, British Yeomanry and the Imperial Camel Corps, ably assisted by the reconnaissance of the R.F.C. and Australian Flying Corps. The victories of Magdhaba and Rafa completely cleared the enemy from Egyptian territory and opened the way for our advance into Palestine. The operations which began with the capture of Beersheba and concluded with the capture of Damascus and Aleppo, and eventually led to the complete surrender of the Turkish Forces, are dealt with in this volume, and I will say no more of them than that the brilliant part in those operations played by the Australian and New Zealand mounted troops has more than upheld the reputation they established on the battlefield of Romani.
The splendid record of the 1st Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps speaks for itself. It was formed in Egypt and has grown with the campaign to a state of efficiency which places it second to none of the same arm.
The casualties in action in this campaign have been light compared with the results achieved. In a very large measure this was due to the dash of the troops, which saved heavy losses on many occasions; but many brave fellows have given their lives through diseases contracted in areas which the exigencies of the service required to be occupied and fought in.
Before concluding, I would like to say a word for the Medical Services, which have endured the same hardships as the combatant arms, and always performed their duties cheerfully and efficiently under the most adverse conditions.
Fighting for Palestine
Three Years’ Campaigning
If the Turks had not aspired to the capture of the Suez Canal, and the reconquest of Egypt, they might still have been in quiet possession of the whole of Palestine. This campaign, so rich in brilliant exploits and so appealing to the imagination of the people of the world’s three greatest religions, was the direct result of Turkish aggression. Prompted by Germany, the Turk had, early in 1915, penetrated Central Sinai and, moving down the ancient route of the Wady Muksheib, attempted with a very inadequate force to cross and hold the Canal. He was easily driven off by a British force, which included a few Australian units. That was before our attack upon Gallipoli. It was not until the following year, when the heroic failure on the Peninsula had removed the menace to the heart of his Empire at Constantinople, that the enemy was able to attack Egypt with an army that gave him any promise of success.
AROUND ROMANI
Soon after the return of the Australians from Gallipoli, in 1916, at a time when the future of the Light Horse, which had fought as infantry at Anzac, was in considerable doubt, the Turk appeared in strength in northern Sinai. Thirty or forty miles across the desert from Port Said, there is a widely-scattered area marked here and there by hods, or little palm groves, which tell of the presence of water at shallow depth. The Romani area, as it is generally called, has always been of prime importance to the armies which, since the dawn of history, have marched east and west across the Sinai Desert between Egypt and Syria and Persia, and lands even further afield. Napoleon rested there before that precarious leap at El Arish which nearly cost him his army. Ancient invaders of Egypt always refreshed their thirsty and desert-worn troops around Romani before sweeping down upon the rich prize of the Nile Delta.
In 1916 the Turks began their forward operations by a raid in great strength, which beat down the resistance of Yeomanry posts at Katia and Oghratina. At that time, the organization and training of the Anzac Mounted Division was being completed at Salhia, west of the Canal. The 2nd Brigade, under Brigadier-General Ryrie, was immediately rushed out to Romani, where it was found that the enemy had temporarily withdrawn further east.
THE TURKISH ADVANCE
Steps were taken at once by the British Command to make the Romani area secure. The remainder of the Anzac Mounted Division, commanded by Major-General Chauvel, went out in support of the 2nd Brigade; British infantry followed. The railway was pushed vigorously forward. The 1st and 2nd Light Horse Brigades, with their camp at Romani, were engaged in ceaseless reconnaissance in force. Taking the task alternately in 24–hour shifts, they kept substantial touch with the enemy, who was all the while adding to his numbers, bringing up guns over the desert from El Arish, and pressing steadily onward. By the beginning of August a line of infantry strong posts extended at a right angle towards the north from the sea, covering Romani to the east. There we were invincible; so the Turk, moving swiftly and in strength, to the number of about 18,000, on the night of 3rd August attempted a great flanking movement past the south-western flank of the infantry line. His scheme was to drive in behind the infantry and Romani, cut our railway and other communications with the Canal, and envelop our entire forward force. Anticipating this move, however, General Chauvel had that night placed the 1st Light Horse Brigade, under the temporary command of Brigadier-General Meredith (General Cox being absent on sick leave in England), on a line of outposts joining up with the desert end of the infantry line, and thence swinging towards the Canal at a right angle. This disposition completely frustrated the enemy, and won us the battle of Romani.
FIGHTING IN THE DARK
The Turkish vanguard reached the Light Horse posts soon after midnight and attacked immediately. For hours an extraordinary hand-to-hand fight was waged in the dark among the sand dunes. The Light Horse line, ten times outnumbered, was pressed steadily back, but maintained an unbroken front to the enemy host. Soon after dawn the 2nd Light Horse Brigade, temporarily commanded by Brigadier-General Royston, a South African veteran (General Ryrie being absent on leave in England), was galloped forward in support and, dismounting, carried on the fight while the Regiments of the 1st Brigade passed through them to the rear for a brief breathing-space. All that day, the 4th August, the Turks gained ground on this flank, and at the same time kept our infantry in their posts by heavy shelling and a demonstration in strength from the east. A small number of infantry available was put in to support the Light Horse line, which, by nightfall, had been pushed back so close to the camp that some units were served with tea by the regimental cooks as they fought. But the end was now in sight. The New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade, and a Brigade of Yeomanry, both under Brigadier-General Chaytor, supported by a British infantry force, came swiftly down on the Turkish left flank, which was high in the air. By nightfall we knew that the battle of Romani was ours. At dawn next morning there was a slashing general attack with the bayonet. The enemy’s line broke, his retreat became a rout, and only the physical impossibility of getting speed out of our horses, many of which had been without water for nearly fifty hours, saved the whole Turkish army from destruction. The horses, burdened with an average load of 240 to 250 lbs., and often up to 280 lbs., laboured gallantly, but slowly, over the deep, hot sand.
KATIA
Many thousands of prisoners, several guns, great quantities of munitions and other material were captured; but it was not until the retreating Turk had reached the large palm area around Katia, six miles away, and had been able to re-form his firing line in a reserve position there, that we were able to collect our scattered Brigades and give him fresh battle. The fight at Katia was drawn. On our side it was marked by a stirring charge of the 1st and 2nd Light Horse Brigades and the New Zealand Mounted Brigade, in an unbroken line across the sands. In the preceding weeks the horses had frequently been watered in the hod at Katia, and this, doubtless, contributed to the spirit they displayed in the charge. The three Brigades, however, which had the support of a Brigade of Yeomanry, were compelled by heavy fire from the enemy batteries to dismount and fight on foot. The 3rd Light Horse Brigade, under Brigadier-General Antill, which had undertaken a wide flanking movement on the south, was held up by the enemy in Hamisah, where, in a brilliant little engagement, they smashed the Turk and took 440 prisoners, with a trifling loss on our side. The delay, unfortunately, kept the 3rd Brigade off the Turkish left flank at Katia, and enabled him stoutly to resist the frontal assault of the Australians and New Zealanders. Towards nightfall the engagement was reluctantly broken off.
BIR EL ABD