PALESTINE
The story of a campaign is more interesting if we have a general idea of
the topography of the country in which it is conducted. Our time will,
therefore, not be wasted if we leave the British Army on the frontiers
of the Holy Land for a few minutes longer and form a mental picture of
the terrain over which they are about to operate.
Picture a country, about the size of Wales, divided into parallel strips
running north and south, zones of alternate elevation and depression.
This will give a rough idea of the conformation of Southern Palestine.
On the west is the Mediterranean Sea. Skirting the sea are a series of
sand dunes, beyond which comes the Coastal Plain. Together, these form
the first depressed strip, averaging about 15 miles in width.
Northwards, it tapers to a point where the mountains reach the sea at
Cape Carmel. Beyond the Coastal Plain is the range of mountains on which
stands Jerusalem, the mountains of Samaria and of Judæa, rising to a
height of about 3,000 feet above the level of the sea. On the eastern
side of these mountains is a steep drop to the Valley of the Jordan and
the Dead Sea, the level of the latter being nearly 1,300 feet below the
level of the Mediterranean, and more than 4,000 feet below the summit of
the adjoining Mount of Olives. Beyond the Jordan valley the country
rises again abruptly into the hills of Moab or Eastern Palestine. Beyond
lies the waterless desert.
Before entering into details, let us imagine ourselves to be standing
on one of the mountains round about Jerusalem.[1] Away to the north,
Mount Carmel rises abruptly from the sea. Thence the chain of Carmel
runs S.S.E. for some 20 miles, dividing the Coastal Plain from the Plain
of Esdraelon. About Dothan and Tul Keram it merges in the range
comprising the mountains of Samaria and Judæa, which range runs north
and south through the land like the backbone of a fish, with steep
spurs, like ribs, thrown out on either side towards the Coastal Plain
and the Jordan Valley. Westwards, we look down upon the cultivated
plain, and across it to the golden belt of sand dunes, tapering like the
waist of an hour-glass where the olive plain touches the sea at Jaffa;
beyond, lies the deep blue of the Mediterranean. Eastwards is a sheer
abyss falling into the Jordan Valley, where that river, like a silver
thread, winds its way along until it falls into the Dead Sea. Beyond, as
if across a fifteen-mile moat, rise abruptly the mountains of Moab. The
map of Palestine might be aptly compared to a bridge marker. The
horizontal line is the plain of Esdraelon. In vertical columns "below
the line" lie the strips of the country which we have just described.
"Above the line" are the mountains of Lebanon, Tabor and Hermon, Galilee
and the Sea of Tiberias, and the valleys and rivers of Damascus.
Let us consider these zones in greater detail, more especially with
regard to their influence on war. The sea, which skirts Palestine
throughout its length, confers a twofold advantage upon her mistress. In
the first place, it provides a supplementary line of communication. We
have already seen that, during the advance across the Desert, sea-borne
supplies from Port Said were landed at El Arish. This method was
continued throughout our advance in Palestine, and landing places were
improvised at various convenient stages. There is no good harbour along
this coast; and landing, which has to be done by beach boats, is
difficult, especially in a westerly wind. Nevertheless, considerable
supplies were thus landed, chiefly of fuel and fodder, which would be
little liable to damage by immersion. In the second place, help can be
given during actual military operations by the Navy. Our ships
frequently lay off the coast and bombarded the enemy's positions. Of
necessity, each side had a flank resting on the sea. To the British,
this was a feature of strength; to the Turk, it was one of weakness. He
was compelled therefore at all times to draw back or "refuse" his
coastal flank, while the British flank was constantly thrown forward
menacing the flank of the enemy.
There is little to be said about the Sand Dunes, though, being on the
flank, they were often the scene of operations. The sand here is soft
and the going bad. Recourse in these operations was therefore had to
camel transport. To the field engineer, difficulties were presented much
as in the desert. During the trench warfare before Gaza, when a raid was
carried out on Beach Post, no attempt was made to cut the enemy wire
with our artillery, but the wire was simply pulled up by hand with the
standards, for which the soft sand had provided no firm foundations.
The Coastal Plain comprises, towards the north, the Biblical Plain of
Sharon, and, towards the south, the land of Philistia. By this plain,
and not through Judæa, lies the road from the Nile to the Euphrates.
Along this plain have marched the invading armies of all the ages.
Though generally a flat country, the flatness is relieved by a few
rolling hills, of no great height. It is very fertile and has a good
supply of water, contained in wells. It thus presents many advantages,
and but few disadvantages, to an army operating in the field. Roads are
good or are easily improvised, while such obstacles to an invader's
advance do not exist here as in the hills. Our successes in the campaign
under consideration were generally attained by first pushing forward
along the plain and then turning right-handed into the hills.
From the plain, the country rises, in places through the intermediate
foot hills of the Shephelah, in places more abruptly and directly into
the mountains of Judæa. These mountains are of limestone formation,
terraced, where possible, for cultivation, and often wooded with olive
trees or tilled as corn patches or vineyards. The scenery is rugged and
pretty, the hill-sides generally steep, sometimes precipitous. This is
the Palestine of the picture books. Deep gorges have been cut out by
water action; but, as no rain falls throughout the summer months, these
are, for the most part, but dry watercourses. There are a few good
springs to be found in the valleys; the villagers upon the hills are,
however, mainly dependent upon cisterns constructed in the rock, in
which they catch as much water as possible during the winter rains.
These mountains formed the stronghold of the Israelites, who never
maintained sway for any length of time over the lower surrounding
country. The mountains abound in ruins and are rich in caves, such as
may have been the Caves of En-gedi and Adullam. One of the caves
witnessed a lurid scene in our mountain fighting. A party of the enemy
had established themselves in a cave with machine guns. Ghurkhas
attacked, and the enemy, after inflicting casualties, thought to make
good their escape by a back exit. But outside there were other Ghurkhas
lying in wait, and, as the enemy emerged, they killed them all.
We have seen that the general formation of this range of mountains is
like the backbone of a fish. We should therefore expect to find
communications from north to south easy enough along the "spine" or
ridge, but difficult on either side, where there would be a succession
of "ribs" or spurs to be crossed. This is the case. There is only one
first-class road from north to south through this hill-country, namely,
that which runs along the ridge from Samaria through Nablus, Jerusalem,
Bethlehem and Hebron to Beersheba. Communications from east to west are,
however, more easy along the spurs and intervening valleys. To attempt
an advance northwards, from spur to spur, is tedious work; after a
comparatively short push a pause is necessary to enable roads to be
constructed for bringing forward guns and supplies. We had an
illustration of this in March, 1918, when a forward move of this
character met at first with but moderate opposition. A pause of a few
weeks was necessary to enable fresh roads to be made. In the meantime,
the enemy had been heavily reinforced, and, when the next advance was
attempted, stout resistance was encountered. This hill-country lent
itself readily to defence. Mutually supporting heights could be held. A
hill, when captured thus, became a focus for fire concentrated from all
the hills around. So when the Turks attacked us in these hills they met
with much less success than in the Jordan Valley; and, on the other
hand, they were able to offer a stouter resistance to our attacks in
these hills than they could on the Coastal Plain.
The Jordan Valley, as we have already seen, is more than a thousand feet
below the level of the Mediterranean, that is, below what we speak of as
"sea level." In this respect it is unique in the geography of the world.
In winter time the climate is equable; in summer it is unbearable. In
peace time, even the Bedouin forsake it in summer. The district is
pestilential to a degree, and, in no sense of the word, a white man's
country. It possesses a feature of considerable importance in the river
Jordan itself, almost the only river in Palestine with a perennial flow.
The river is tortuous and rapid and not adapted to navigation. These
features indicate this area as a difficult one in which to hold a
fighting line, and a no less difficult one across which to maintain
communications. In the summer of 1918, our line ran along the river
valley, and the troops in this sector suffered much from diseases.
East of this strong natural boundary formed by the deep trough of the
Jordan, we find a very different country. It rises abruptly from the
Jordan Valley, and is in itself a plateau. It is at first fertile, but,
at distances ranging from 40 to 60 miles inland, it merges into steppe
and then into sheer desert. Thus it is a country apart, difficult of
access from Jerusalem and Western Palestine, more easy of access from
Damascus or from Arabia. Through it, from north to south, runs the Hejaz
railway, on its way from Damascus to Medina. And so it proved an area in
which the Turks, based on Damascus, and the Arabs, operating from Hejaz,
were at greater advantage than our columns based on Jerusalem.
We have now glanced at those portions of Palestine in which took place
the principal fighting in this campaign. Our review would still be
incomplete if we omitted all reference to the Plain of Esdraelon.
Starting from the sea coast immediately north of Cape Carmel, at the
ports of Haifa and Acre, this Plain runs east south-east across the
country to the Jordan Valley. Rising slightly at first, it forms the
watershed of "that ancient river, the river Kishon." After the watershed
is crossed, there is a drop towards the Jordan Valley; this latter
portion of the Plain constitutes the Vale of Jezreel. This Plain of
Esdraelon is Armageddon. Here Barak overthrew Sisera, Gideon defeated
the Midianites, and Saul and Jonathan met disaster and death at the
hands of the Philistines. Here Josiah was defeated and slain by Pharaoh
Necho. Near here, the Christians were defeated and their kingdom
overthrown by the Saracens. On this Plain Napoleon won his final and
crushing victory over the Turks.
No battle, beyond a few cavalry engagements, took place here during the
campaign which we are to consider. The Turks had been totally defeated
before ever this line was reached. But this Plain has still for us a
military interest. It may well be that here, where the mountains of
Samaria overlook and command all approaches from the north, is to be
found the best strategic line for the defence of the Suez Canal.
In a country like Palestine, where levels and characteristics are so
divergent, diversities of climate are to be expected. We have seen that
the summer climate of the Lower Jordan Valley is pestilential. Parts of
the Coastal Plain also are very malarious, particularly from north of
Jaffa to Mount Carmel. With these exceptions, the climate is by no means
unpleasant nor unsuitable for the conduct of military operations. Far
enough south to enjoy plenty of bright sunshine, it is still some
distance north of the tropics. Pleasant and regular breezes from the sea
mitigate the discomfort which might otherwise prevail in a country
almost surrounded by desert. The whole of the rainfall comes in the
winter months. From about April to October, though dews are heavy, rain
is unknown. But in the winter months, especially December and January,
and to some extent February, the rainfall is intense, and the country on
the Plains and lower lying districts is reduced to a sea of mud
well-nigh impassable. Thus military operations in summer are liable to
be prejudiced by a shortage of water; in winter by an excess. The ideal
season for operations is therefore in the spring, when there is an
abundance of water and a plentiful feed; and, next to this, the autumn,
when the heat of the summer has passed its height and the rains of
winter have not yet made the country impassable.
The importance of good railways in modern war is immense. We have
already traced the construction of the broad gauge line from Egypt which
followed close behind the British in their advance across the Desert and
into Southern Palestine. The Turks in Western Palestine were at a
perpetual disadvantage through the inferiority of the railway service;
but, in Eastern Palestine, i.e. across the Jordan, the position was
reversed. Before the war, Syria had been connected with Asia Minor by a
broad gauge line from Aleppo to Rayak, where it effected a junction with
a narrow gauge line from Beyrout to Damascus. The broad gauge line was
part of the Baghdad railway scheme. But at this time, that railway, even
between Constantinople and Aleppo, was only partially completed. The
tunnelling of the Taurus Mountains was yet unfinished. Thus troops or
supplies, coming from Constantinople to Damascus, had to break the
journey at the Taurus Mountains and again at Rayak. These two
interruptions provided admirable opportunities for delay and confusion,
which the dilatory Turk embraced. The tunnelling of the Taurus was
pushed on with during the war, and in 1918 rumours reached us that these
mountains had been pierced, so that trains could then run through from
Constantinople (Haida Pasha) to Rayak. The installation of more
business-like Germans at the latter station went far towards minimising
the delays and confusion due to the break of gauge.
From Damascus, the Hejaz railway, constructed nominally for Mecca
pilgrims, runs due south, and, passing along the high plateau of Eastern
Palestine, had already reached Medina. A branch from this line, starting
from a junction at Deraa, ran westwards along the Plain of Esdraelon to
Haifa. Another line, almost parallel to the Hejaz railway, ran from
Damascus due south to Mezerib; this line was removed by the Turks after
the commencement of the war, as the materials were required for railway
construction elsewhere. Unconnected with any of these railways, a French
line ran from Jaffa to Jerusalem; this also the Turks removed, as
between Jaffa and Ludd, while, for the remainder of its length, they
altered the gauge so as to adapt it to the rolling stock of the Hejaz
Railway. All these railways south of Damascus were narrow-gauge lines,
without much rolling stock available, so that their carrying capacity
was limited.
On the outbreak of war, the Turks, acting under the guidance of the
Germans, embarked upon a considerable programme of railway construction.
Starting from a point on the Plain of Esdraelon, El Apele, they
constructed a new line which crossed the mountains about Samaria and
reached the Plain of Sharon at Tul Keram. Thence it ran down the length
of the Coastal Plain to Beersheba, and, ultimately, to Auja in the
Desert. This railway was constructed in 1915 for the invasion of Egypt.
Into this railway was incorporated portions of the old Jaffa-Jerusalem
line, as between Ludd and "Junction Station." This was the none too
distinctive name given to the important station which was constructed at
the point where the older railway left the Plain; this now became the
junction for Jerusalem. At a later date, the Turks withdrew from Auja to
Beersheba, the line south of the latter place was removed and a new line
was constructed from near Junction Station to points just north of Gaza.
Roads in the coastal sector are good, though difficult for heavy motor
traffic after rain. In the hills, the only first-class roads were the
road running north and south along the ridge from Nablus through
Jerusalem to Beersheba, and the road west and east from Jaffa to
Jerusalem, continued eastwards through Jericho and across the Jordan to
Es Salt and Amman Station on the Hejaz Railway.
The population of Palestine is very mixed, comprising Moslems,
Christians and Jews with their various subdivisions and sects. The
Moslem inhabitants, Arabs and Syrians, have little in common with the
Turks except their religion. The Jews and the Christians groaned under
Turkish oppression. Both Jews and Christians welcomed the advent of the
British, while the Moslems accepted the situation, if not with pleasure,
at least with equanimity. The Turks themselves form no part of the
regular population. They are alien rulers, speaking a language unknown
to the people, and incapable of understanding the language of the
country. Although Palestine has been governed by Moslems for upwards of
a thousand years, it has only been annexed to the Ottoman Empire for
four centuries. More than once during that period it would have been
torn away but for the aid of the British. The government of Syria by the
Ottoman Turk had been oppressive and corrupt and marked by the
discouragement of all progress and enterprise. It was high time that it
should cease.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: The point chosen is imaginary. The view described combines
those obtainable from two or three points in this neighbourhood.]