DESTRUCTION
Next day, September the 23rd, Chaytor's Force was on the move at
daylight, following up the retreating IVth Army east of the Jordan. The
3rd A.L.H. Regiment (1st Brigade), with the 2nd B.W.I. Regiment, had a
sharp fight at the ford of Mafid Jozeleh, half way between El Damieh
and Ghoraniyeh, where the Turks had left a rearguard. The enemy was
dispersed, and the Australians crossed the river at six o'clock. The
remainder of the 1st A.L.H. Brigade crossed at Umm el Shert, and moved
on El Salt up the Wadi Arseniyet track. The 2nd A.L.H. Brigade, having
crossed the Jordan at Ghoraniyeh, pressed on up the Wadi Kefrein, and
seized Kabr Mujahid at five o'clock, rounding up the small force there
after a lively fight, and then turned north along the very difficult
mountain track towards El Sir. Meanwhile the New Zealand Brigade,
having crossed at El Damieh, rode hard up the mountain track, and
occupied El Salt about seven in the evening. The only opposition met
with was from a small, wired-in post on the El Damieh-El Salt track. A
brigade of Indian infantry reached Shunet Nimrin in the evening, and
found it evacuated by the enemy. One battalion of the B.W.I. Regiment
and one squadron of cavalry were left at El Damieh, to gain touch with
patrols of the 4th Cavalry Division moving down the Jordan.
Orders were issued to the force in the evening by G.H.Q., to push on
next day, harass the enemy, and try to cut his line of retreat to the
north; also to gain touch with the Arab Army advancing from the south.
The 4th Cavalry Division also had a busy day. Early in the morning our
aeroplanes reported that the enemy had found a ford over the Jordan
about six miles south of Beisan and was crossing the river in large
numbers. The 11th Brigade, with the Hants Battery R.H.A., was at once
sent off to intercept them, and moved south along both banks of the
Jordan. The 1/1 County of London Yeomanry and the 29th Lancers marched
along the west bank, and Jacob's Horse east of the river. At half-past
eight, patrols of the 29th Lancers, approaching the ford of Makhadet
Abu Naj, seven miles south-east of Beisan, were fired on by a party
of Turks covering the passage of a large force of the enemy over the
river. A considerable portion of this force was already across. The
29th Lancers and part of the brigade machine-gun squadron engaged the
Turks on the north, while the Yeomanry pushed round the left flank
of the enemy force, in order to take it in rear. The ground was very
difficult, and the Yeomanry were subjected to a considerable fire from
a low hill on the west bank, on which the Turks had a number of machine
guns. This hill was the central point of resistance of the enemy
bridgehead.
As soon as the Yeomanry were clear of the enemy's flank, the 29th
remounted and charged the hill. The charge was completely successful.
Large numbers of the Turks were speared, and 800 prisoners and no less
than twenty-five machine guns were taken. Like all the work of these
veteran Indian cavalry regiments in the campaign, this charge was
admirably carried out, but that it succeeded in getting home in the
face of such a potential volume of machine-gun and rifle fire is an
indication of the state of demoralisation to which the enemy was now
reduced.
Meanwhile, on the east bank, Jacob's Horse, which was a little way
behind, rode up and instantly charged the large force of Turks on that
side. This charge, however, was held up by a deep wadi, and the intense
fire of the enemy compelled our troops to retire and take cover. The
regiment re-formed, and again attempted to charge the enemy, but was
again stopped by bad ground, and suffered severe casualties.
The Hants Battery, on the west bank, coming up just at this moment,
immediately galloped into action, and opened a rapid and accurate
fire on the masses of Turks across the river. It was at once hotly
engaged by two concealed enemy batteries on the east bank, and in a
few minutes every one of the guns had been hit. None were put out of
action, however, and all continued firing most gallantly. The enemy's
fire was so heavy that General Gregory ordered a troop of cavalry out
into the open to try and draw the fire of the Turkish guns, and so
enable the battery to withdraw and take up a concealed position. Before
the guns could be moved, however, the situation was cleared by one of
the Yeomanry squadrons, which had worked its way south of the enemy
position. This squadron succeeded in crossing the river at Makhadet
Fath Allah, and, wading across the river, charged and captured the
enemy guns.
Meanwhile a squadron of the 29th had been sent across the river,
a little farther north, to assist Jacob's Horse. Thus reinforced,
the regiment attacked again, and this attack, coupled with the loss
of their guns, broke the resistance of the Turks. Most of them
surrendered. A few succeeded in escaping for the time, amid the
broken ground on both banks of the river. 3000 prisoners, including a
divisional commander, ten guns, and thirty machine guns fell into our
hands.
After the action, the brigade continued its march south, to Ras el
Humeiyir, where it bivouacked for the night, with outposts south and
west, along the Wadi el Sherar and east of the Jordan.
During the night a troop of the 29th Lancers was sent off into the
hills to the west, to try and gain touch with the 20th Corps, about
Khurbet Atuf. This troop marched all night, along a very difficult
footpath, and met the 20th Corps cavalry regiment (Worcester Yeomanry)
at Atuf early in the morning. It rejoined the 11th Brigade near Ras Umm
Zoka during the day.
The task assigned to the 5th Cavalry Division on the 23rd was the
capture of Acre and Haifa. The 13th Brigade, with a Light Armoured Car
Battery and a light car patrol, left Nazareth at five in the morning.
Marching _via_ Seffurie and Shefa Amr, the force reached Acre about
mid-day, and captured it without difficulty, the small enemy garrison
showing little inclination to fight. 260 prisoners and two guns were
taken here.
The remainder of the division left Nazareth at the same hour, and
reached the Kishon railway bridge, near El Harithie, about mid-day. The
14th Brigade remained here, while the 15th Brigade, with 'B' Battery
H.A.C., moved on Haifa along the Afule-Haifa road, which skirts the
north-eastern edge of the Mount Carmel Range. There were only two
regiments with the brigade, as the Hyderabad Lancers were absent,
escorting prisoners back from Lejjun. They rejoined the brigade late in
the afternoon, just after Haifa had been captured.
The Mysore Lancers, advance guard to the brigade, reached the village
of Belled el Sheikh about ten o'clock, and, on emerging from the trees
that surround the village, came under heavy fire from a number of
guns on Mount Carmel, and from machine guns and rifles in the hills
north-west of the village. Patrols sent out to the north drew fire from
a large number of machine guns about Tel Abu Hawam, and concealed among
trees and shrubs near the main road south of that place. It was evident
that the position was strongly held.
General Harbord had arrived at Belled el Sheikh, and received the
report of his advance guard. He had a difficult task before him. South
of the road the rocky wall of Carmel rose steeply, 1500 feet above
the plain. To the north, the country was flat and open, and afforded
little or no cover for troops, except along that portion of the Nahr el
Mukatta (the river Kishon) which runs east and west a mile and a half
north of Belled el Sheikh, which was bordered with trees and scrub.
The Wadi Ashlul el Wawy is practically dry at this time of year, but
the Nahr el Mukatta is a perennial stream, the banks of which are very
marshy.
The Brigadier decided that the first thing to be done was to silence
the guns on Mount Carmel. He accordingly despatched a squadron of the
Mysore Lancers, with a couple of machine guns, to climb the mountain by
a goat path, which follows the Wadi el Tabil from Belled el Sheikh, and
joins the road running along the backbone of the range. This squadron
was ordered to move along this road to the north, locate the guns, and
attack them. With the remainder of his force the Brigadier decided to
make a mounted attack from the east on the enemy positions about Tel
Abu Hawam, supported by his guns and machine guns from the south-east.
'B' Battery H.A.C. came into action close to the road, about half a
mile north of Belled el Sheikh, and the remainder of the machine-gun
squadron, with two squadrons Mysore Lancers, a little farther north,
along the Acre Railway. The 4th squadron Mysore Lancers was sent up
the road running north from near El Harbaj, with instructions to turn
westwards at Tel El Subat, and make for the mouth of the Nahr el
Mukatta. It was then to push along the sea shore, so as to take the
enemy positions in reverse. The Jodhpur Lancers took up a position of
readiness, about 500 yards north-east of Belled el Sheikh, preparatory
to making a dash for the wooded portion of the Mukatta. They were to
cross this, and then wheel to the left, and charge the enemy on his
left flank.
These dispositions were soon completed, and the troops then set
themselves to wait until the Mysore Lancers' squadron had dealt with
the enemy guns on Mount Carmel. Meanwhile our artillery and machine
guns searched the palm groves and scrub about Tel Abu Huwam and along
the banks of the Mukatta. Observation was difficult, as the enemy was
well concealed.
Shortly before mid-day General Harbord received a welcome reinforcement
in the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, which had been sent up from El
Harithie. He at once despatched a squadron of this regiment to the
assistance of the Mysore Lancers' squadron on Carmel.
Desultory firing continued for the next two hours, but there was no
sign of any slackening of the enemy's artillery activity. At last the
Brigadier came to the conclusion that his troops on Carmel had either
been unable to fulfil their task of silencing the enemy guns, or had
lost their way. Time was running on, and he decided that he could wait
no longer. The Jodhpur Lancers were ordered out to the attack.
Moving off in column of squadrons, in line of troop columns, they
cantered out into the open towards the stream, coming under intense
fire as they crossed the Acre Railway. The fire, however, appeared
ill-directed, which was probably due to the vigorous action of our
artillery and machine guns supporting the attack.
Owing to the exposed nature of the ground, it had not been possible
to reconnoitre the Mukatta beforehand, and, when the Jodhpur Lancers
reached it, they found it quite impassable. Two ground scouts, who
jumped into the bed of the stream, disappeared instantaneously into the
quicksands. The regiment, was, however, now committed to the attack,
and it was impossible to turn back. Changing direction left, the four
squadrons charged straight at the enemy.
The leading squadron, 'B,' galloping over the two branches of the Wadi
Ashlul el Wawy, dashed into the enemy machine guns, killed the crews,
and opened the defile between the Wadi Selman and the mountain. The
second squadron, 'D,' charged and captured the enemy guns and machine
guns about Tel Abu Hawam and north of it. The remaining two squadrons
galloped through the defile, straight on into the town. Meanwhile,
after clearing the defile, 'B' squadron made its way along the lower
slopes of Mount Carmel, and charged into the German Colony west of
Haifa, capturing several guns, and killing large numbers of Turks
and Germans. 'D' squadron, after clearing up the Tel Abu Hawam area,
galloped up the east bank of the Wadi Selman and along the beach,
entering the town on the north-east. All four squadrons thus entered
Haifa about the same moment.
As soon as the charge got home, the two squadrons Mysore Lancers, who
had supported the attack with their fire, mounted, and followed at a
gallop into the town. Of the two detached squadrons of this regiment,
that on the north had been held up about half a mile west of El
Suriyeh. This squadron now mounted, and charged a body of the enemy
in position near the mouth of the Mukatta, capturing two guns and 100
prisoners.
The squadron on Mount Carmel, after riding nearly six miles over very
bad country, had at last located the enemy guns at Karmelheim, much
farther north than had been expected. Dropping his machine guns and
all his Hotchkiss rifles on the track, to provide covering fire, the
squadron leader led the remainder of his troops away to the left to
charge the guns. Owing to casualties on the way up the range, and to
some of his men having been delayed by the difficulties of the track,
he found that, after providing for his Hotchkiss rifles, he had only
fifteen lances for the charge. Nevertheless, he decided to attack at
once, rightly judging that even an unsuccessful charge would probably
divert the fire of the enemy guns long enough to permit the Jodhpur
Lancers to make their attack in the plain. His machine guns and
Hotchkiss rifles had got close to the guns unseen, and now opened a
sudden and accurate fire on them. The fifteen men then galloped in from
the flank, and actually succeeded in silencing the battery. The crews
of two of the guns were killed, but the battery escort then came up,
and it might have gone hardly with the gallant little band of cavalry
had not the squadron of the Sherwood Rangers arrived just in the nick
of time to complete the work. By a fortunate coincidence, this charge
took place just as the Jodhpur Lancers attacked in the plain.
[Illustration]
1351 prisoners, seventeen guns, and eleven machine guns were collected
at Haifa after the action. The captured artillery included two six-inch
naval guns, which the Germans had mounted on the top of Mount Carmel,
to engage our warships in the event of an attempted landing.
The Turks had fought well, firing until they were ridden down, but once
our cavalry were through the defile, the fight was practically over.
They galloped through the town, riding down with the lance any bodies
of the enemy who showed fight, and, in twenty minutes, had overcome all
opposition.
The Australian Mounted Division had a day of comparative rest. The 3rd
A.L.H. Brigade relieved the 5th Cavalry Division at Nazareth, and the
rest of the division remained at Afule, sending patrols eastwards as
far as Beisan, to bring in the prisoners taken on the two previous days
by the 4th Cavalry Division. Towards evening the 'bag' began to arrive,
and, long after darkness fell, the endless column of captives was still
winding its way up the Valley of Jezreel.
Most of these prisoners had marched over twenty miles since their
capture, and no one knows how many more before they fell into our
hands. Their dragging feet raised a heavy cloud of dust, through which
they had trudged all the long, hot march, and they came in raging with
thirst. In anticipation of their arrival, several large canvas tanks
had been set up and filled with water, and elaborate arrangements had
been made by the capable and energetic water officer of the Australian
Division. Each man was to file past the tanks, have a drink, fill his
water bottle, and move on to the concentration area with a gentle sigh
of satisfaction. The water officer had eight orderlies. There were
8000 prisoners, and, as soon as they smelt the water, the 8000 charged
the eight. The charge was successful, and the prisoners thereupon all
tried to get _into_ the water together. In a few seconds the tanks were
trampled down, and the frenzied Turks struggled and fought with one
another in the darkness round the muddy ruins. Eventually they had to
be driven back at the point of the sword. More water was procured, and
the prisoners were marched up to it in small parties under escort. It
took all night to supply them all.
The following day the 4th Cavalry Division continued its 'mopping up'
operations in the Jordan Valley.
Early in the morning an observation post of the London Yeomanry, who
were on outpost duty, observed a large force of the enemy making for
the ford of El Masudi. A squadron at once galloped for the ford, but
the enemy got there first, and held it up. Another squadron, coming
up in support, several times charged the Turks debouching from the
hills, and captured a large number of them. The Yeomen had the greatest
difficulty in dealing with their prisoners, who, after surrendering
and throwing down their rifles when charged, repeatedly picked them up
again, and went on fighting.
The Hants Battery now came up, and got into action at close range
against the enemy holding the ford. Its rapid and accurate fire
completely disconcerted the demoralised Turks, and the 29th Lancers
took prompt advantage of the fact to charge them. The enemy, worn out
and dispirited, made but a poor fight of it, and the action was soon
over. 4000 Turks, including Rushdi Bey, Commander of the 16th Division,
were taken prisoner, and another 1000 were rounded up later on in the
course of the day. Very few escaped.
The horses of the 11th Brigade were now in a very exhausted condition,
and the ammunition of the battery was running low. General Barrow,
therefore, ordered the Brigadier only to continue his southward
movement as far as Ras Umm Zoka and the Wadi Kafrinji, sending patrols
along the Jordan, to gain touch with Chaytor's Force.
This action completed the destruction of the VIIth and VIIIth Turkish
Armies. A few stragglers escaped across the river, to wander miserably
in the barren, waterless country to the east, at the mercy of hostile
Arabs. With the exception of these, the entire enemy force west of the
Jordan had been captured or killed, and all its guns, transport, and
stores had fallen into our hands.
The IVth Army, east of Jordan, and the 2nd Corps (Hedjaz Force) about
Maan, remained to be dealt with. Both these forces were in full retreat
to the north, the former pursued by Chaytor's Force and the northern
portion of the Arab Army, the latter harried by the southern detachment
of the Arabs. As the Hedjaz Railway had been cut at Deraa, no supplies
could reach these enemy forces, and they had to depend for their food
on a sparsely populated country, already almost denuded of supplies by
Turkish requisitions, and inhabited by bitterly hostile tribes.
As the action of Chaytor's Force formed a separate episode in the
operations, it will be convenient to follow its fortunes to the
conclusion of its work.
On the night of the 23rd, the dispositions of the Force were as
follows:--
New Zealand Brigade in El Salt. 1st A.L.H. Brigade approaching El Salt,
along the Wadi Arseniyet track. 2nd A.L.H. Brigade on the Wadi Kefrein
track, a few miles west of Ain el Sir. Infantry at Shunet Nimrin. The
whole force resumed the advance vigorously at daylight on the 24th. The
New Zealanders encountered the Turkish rearguards at Sweileh at seven
in the morning, and the 2nd Brigade at Ain el Sir at the same hour. In
both places there was a sharp fight before the enemy was dislodged. The
Turkish IVth Army was not yet disorganised, and was retreating in good
order, fighting every step of the way.
At night the Anzac Division held a line north and south, a few miles
east of Sweileh and Ain el Sir, and the infantry had reached El Salt.
During the night a party from the New Zealand Brigade raided and cut
the railway near Kalaat el Zerka. At six o'clock next morning the
cavalry advanced straight on Amman, with orders to press into the town
if possible. If unable to seize the place, they were to hold the enemy
till the arrival of the infantry. At eleven o'clock the New Zealanders
made an attempt to gallop the town from the north-west, but were held
up by a steep cliff. Two mountain batteries arrived half an hour later,
and the division then went in dismounted, in a frontal attack. It was
of the utmost importance to keep fighting the Turks, so as to prevent
them from breaking off the action and retiring. For this reason no
attempt was made to outflank them, as the necessary movement to carry
out a flanking attack would, in that very precipitous country, have
entailed much time, of which the Turks would certainly have availed
themselves to disengage their forces, and make good their retreat. As
it was, Amman was not captured till half-past four in the afternoon,
and the time spent in clearing up the town precluded any possibility
of a further movement forward that night. The place had not fallen
without a sharp fight, costing fairly heavy casualties, but, of the
opposing forces, the Turks suffered far the more severely, and left 600
prisoners in our hands.
Covered by the good fighting of its rearguards, the Turkish IVth Army
had now got some distance to the north of Amman. General Allenby,
therefore, decided to leave it to the 4th Cavalry Division and the Arab
Army, and directed General Chaytor to remain in the Amman area, and
intercept the retreat of the enemy 2nd Corps from the Hedjaz.
Our aeroplanes had located this Corps on the evening of the 25th, some
fifteen miles south of El Kastal, hurrying north along the railway.
On the following morning, General Chaytor sent the 2nd A.L.H. Brigade
southwards, to gain touch with the Turks, and to destroy as much of the
railway as possible. Patrols from the 5th A.L.H. Regiment got as far as
Ziza Station, about four miles south of El Kastal, where they blew up a
portion of the line. The regiment remained at Ziza for the night, and
the rest of the brigade took up a position across the railway, on some
high ground north of Leben Station.
Now that Amman was in our hands, the only water available for the
enemy, between El Kastal and Deraa Junction, was in the Wadi el
Hammam, seven miles north of Amman. The enemy had dropped a rearguard
here, from the IVth Army, to secure the water supply for his Hedjaz
Force. The 1st A.L.H. Brigade was despatched on the 26th to dislodge
this rearguard, and occupy the wadi. The brigade had a couple of
brisk fights with the Turks, and drove them off, capturing about 400
prisoners and several guns, and then took up a line along the wadi,
covering the water areas.
On the morning of the 27th, therefore, the 2nd A.L.H. Brigade was in
position astride the Hedjaz Railway, north of Leben Station, with one
regiment pushed out as far as Ziza; the 20th Indian Infantry Brigade
was in Amman, with the New Zealand Brigade on the Darb el Haj, east of
the town; and the 1st A.L.H. Brigade was along the Wadi el Hammam and
at Kalaat el Zerka.
About half-past eight in the morning the head of the enemy corps was
seen approaching Ziza. Prisoners, captured by the 5th A.L.H. Regiment
during the night, had stated that the Turkish Force included the
Maan garrison, and numbered about 8000 men. This information was
subsequently found to have been exaggerated.
Though still retaining its cohesion, the enemy force was in a highly
nervous state. During its retreat from Maan, which had been made by
forced marches, it had been harried without cessation by the Sherifian
camelry. Not strong enough to give battle to such a large Turkish
force, the Arabs, mounted on fast trotting camels, had contented
themselves with carrying out a series of raids, in which they had
killed a considerable number of Turks, and captured about 300 prisoners
and twenty-five guns. The tribes of the districts through which they
passed flocked to the standard of King Hussein, moved partly by their
hatred of the Turks, and, at least as much, by their desire for loot.
Like the men of all semi-civilised races, the Arab prizes a good weapon
above everything, and the news that German Mauser rifles were to be had
in unlimited numbers at the expense of a few casualties, soon raised
the whole country. Consequently, by the time the Turks reached El
Kastal, they had, in their rear and on both flanks, a formidable force
of Arab fighting men, grown bold by repeated minor successes.
Early in the afternoon of the 28th, General Chaytor summoned the
Turkish force, by a message dropped from an aeroplane, to surrender by
nine o'clock next morning. It was pointed out to the enemy commander,
that all sources of water supply as far north as Deraa were in our
hands, and he was promised a most unmerciful bombing unless he complied
with the order.
No reply was received to this message till the following day, when a
Turkish officer, with a small escort, succeeded in penetrating the
fringe of blood-thirsty Arabs surrounding the force, and met Colonel
Cameron, commanding the 5th A.L.H. Regiment, to whom he brought the
surrender of the enemy commander with all his force. The Turkish
General made the unusual request that his men might be allowed to
retain their arms until they arrived at Amman, as he was convinced that
the Arabs would attempt to rush in and murder the whole of his force if
the arms were given up, and he was doubtful if the small British force
on the spot could prevent this.
While this parley was proceeding, a deputation arrived from the
Beni Sakhr Arabs, our quondam allies--and deserters--in the second
trans-Jordan raid. These gentry now coolly demanded that the Turkish
force should be handed over to them to 'protect,' as it was their
right to deal with it. Misunderstanding their motives, Colonel Cameron
assured them that the Turks would be well looked after by us, whereupon
the sons of Ishmael became greatly excited, waved their weapons wildly,
and uttered the most blood-curdling threats. Colonel Cameron temporised
with them as best he could, and sent an urgent message to hurry up the
other two regiments of the 2nd Brigade, which were marching towards
Ziza. They arrived at five o'clock, and, as the Arabs were now openly
hostile to us, the Turks were allowed to retain their arms. Under
the supervision of our officers, they entrenched a line of outpost
positions round the station, and these positions were then held by our
men and their Turkish prisoners side by side! The Arabs made several
attempts to rush the lines during the night, but were driven off by
British and Turkish machine-gun and rifle fire. It would be interesting
to know if there is any previous instance of prisoners of war assisting
their captors to hold the latter's own allies at bay.
It is only fair to the forces of the Emir Feisal to say that the
'allies' whom we successfully held off through the night were none of
his men. As soon as the enemy force had surrendered, the Arab regulars
had hurried north to rejoin their comrades pressing after the IVth
Turkish Army.
The New Zealand Brigade arrived at Ziza next day, and remained in
charge of the station, to guard about 500 Turkish sick and wounded and
a large amount of rolling stock and captured arms and ammunition, till
the railway had been repaired. The Arabs, frustrated in their amiable
designs on the Turkish prisoners, drew off disappointed, and followed
their compatriots towards Damascus. The 2nd A.L.H. Brigade then
escorted the prisoners, just over 4000 in number, to Amman, whence they
were evacuated a few days later across the Jordan.
This ended the operations of Chaytor's Force, which remained about
Amman and El Salt to rest and recuperate. Since the beginning of the
operations the force had contributed to the bag about 11,000 prisoners,
fifty-seven guns and 132 machine guns, besides large quantities of
rolling stock, ammunition, and other stores.
In the last three weeks of September the Anzac Division had evacuated
just over 3000 men from sickness alone. 2700 of these were cases of
malignant malaria, a terrible scourge that was with us all through
these operations. The long period spent in the Jordan Valley was no
doubt responsible for this heavy sick rate. The division had lost a
large number of men in the months preceding September, and it was now
reduced to considerably less than half its war strength. Weak and
reduced in numbers as they were, and suffering from the lassitude
engendered by their prolonged stay in the valley, the Australians
nevertheless acted throughout the operations with the greatest energy
and determination, and set an unrivalled example of toughness and
cheerfulness.
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