Battle of Buqqar Ridge
Battle of El Buqqar Ridge | |
---|---|
Part of the Ottoman Palestine | |
Result | British victory |
German Empire
Erich von Falkenhayn
- 8th Mounted Brigade
- 3rd Light Horse Brigade
- one infantry brigade (53rd (Welsh) Division)
- 125th Regiment (16th Division)
- Troops (3rd Cavalry Division)
2 mounted brigades
1 mounted division
53 wounded
10 missing
40 wounded
The Battle of el Buqqar Ridge took place on 27 October 1917, when one infantry regiment and cavalry troops of the
The commander of the Yildirim Army Group ordered the reconnaissance in force, which greatly outnumbered the Yeomanry in the mounted brigade, holding the outpost line. Despite a large number of casualties, one group made a slight withdrawal to subsequently hold their ground, until reinforcements arrived and the attackers withdrew. However another group of Yeomanry was overwhelmed and killed.
Four days later, two infantry and two mounted divisions launched the EEF's
Background
During the six months stalemate following the
On 18 October the day posts of 3rd Light Horse Brigade were relieved by the 5th Mounted Brigade at 09:00. The Australian Mounted Division with the
Prelude
While the
23 October Ottoman attacks
At 05:00 a squadron of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (RGH), 5th Mounted Brigade, advanced to reoccupy the el Buqqar, Point 720 to Kh Imleih and Point 630 line, when they encountered a squadron of Ottoman soldiers holding el Buqqar, with a second squadron supported by machine guns holding Point 720. Between 05:30 and 06:00 six motor cars, one with eight enemy occupants were seen at Point 720, which retired eastwards when the yeomanry appeared. The leading troop of RGH was charged from the flank, by three Ottoman troops as they approached Point 720. During the attack one man was captured when his horse fell.[8][13]
The Ottoman soldiers withdrew from el Buqqar at 06:00, when threatened by a yeomanry flanking movement, and machine gun fire. By 07:00 the Ottoman squadron holding Point 720 and rifle pits, was also forced to retreat by a "well executed" converging attack made by two squadrons of Gloucester and
Two more Ottoman squadrons were seen moving south east of el Buqqar towards Khor el Asram also at 05:00, and a 2nd Light Horse Brigade patrol from Khor el Asram, was fired on by Ottoman soldiers occupying a ridge 8 miles (13 km) north of Point 680. During these operations Ottoman soldiers continued holding a line from Point 820 to Bir Ifteis, while the left of the sector of the Australian Mounted Division's front line remained quiet.[13][14]
23/4 October permanent outpost line
By late October 1917 the EEF outpost line had been pushed forward to an outpost line of low hills/ridge overlooking the Wadi Hanafish.[15][16] Instead of being held only during the day, this line became permanent from 17:00 on 24 October, when it was to be held day and night to cover the construction of the railway to Karm as it approached Imara. This forward line, established to prevent Ottoman field artillery firing on the railway construction crews, stretched from el Buqqar through Points 720 and 630 to Point 550. It was noted that attack was most likely to occur about dawn, when the el Buqqar line was to form a pivot. If such an attack was successful the Ottoman force was to be "driven off" by an immediate counter-attack, and if the counter-attack was unsuccessful, then all available units were to contribute to a "deliberate and carefully arranged attack" by mounted units, supported by infantry and artillery from el Imara and Esani.[17]
24 to 26 October
On 24 October the
On 25 October, the 4th Light Horse Brigade relieved the 3rd Light Horse Brigade on the outpost line, with the
During the evening of 26 October, the Australian Mounted Division was at Tel el Fara holding the front line from Shellal to Gamli with the Anzac Mounted Division in reserve at Abasan el Kebir. The
Attackers
General Erich von Falkenhayn, the Commander of the Yildirim Army Group, planned a two phase attack beginning with a reconnaissance in force from Beersheba on 27 October. This was to be followed by an attack on the morning of 31 October 1917, by the Eighth Army from Hareira.[21]
The reconnaissance in force was made by 3,000 Ottoman infantry, 1,200 cavalry, and twelve guns, which advanced from the Kauwukah defences in front of Tel el Sheria, to attack the EEF outpost line.
Defenders
The
This line ran from el Buqqar, to Hill 720 and on to Hill 630, stretching along the Wadi Hanafish and the Wadi esh Sheria to a point south of El Mendur. Most of the left section stretching north, was lightly held by standing patrols strongly supported in the rear, by an entrenched infantry brigade of the 53rd (Welsh) Division. However, the 3 miles (4.8 km)-long section on the right, stretching from el Buqqar to the west of Bir Ifteis "was to be held at all costs", supported only by the Hants Battery RHA.
They would be reinforced during the day by the
Battle
Point 630
At 04:10 on Saturday 27 October a post held by the
Although the defending garrison was driven off Hill 630, the squadron withdrew to "a cruciform trench just below the top of the hill", built by the Australian Mounted Division. The squadron managed to hold out there, during the day against odds of 20 to one when the attackers closed to within 40 yards (37 m) causing four deaths and wounding 14 yeomanry.[15][20] Fighting continued until late in the afternoon when the 159th Brigade of the 53rd (Welsh) Division was deployed against Point 630 and Kh. Imeih, forcing the Ottoman attackers to withdraw.[26]
Point 720
Also at about 04:00 the two troops, from B Squadron,
The final attack on Hill 720 by 1,200 Ottoman cavalry was supported by machine-gun and artillery fire. After six hours and two unsuccessful mounted charges, a third combined cavalry charge and infantry attack, captured the hill. All the defenders, commanded by Major
The 12th Light Armoured Motor Battery was ordered to support the 3rd Light Horse Brigade advance against Point 720. By 14:10 the 9th Light Horse Regiment was reported to be advancing with its right on the cross roads at Taweil el Habari and its left on El Buqqar, with two squadrons of the
An officer's patrol from the 9th Light Horse Regiment at 18:00 established that the Ottoman forces had withdrawn from their positions on Point 720 which allowed the Allied forces to re-occupy El Buggar Ridge without further casualties.[30] That night 229th Brigade relieved the 3rd Light Horse Brigade at 20:10.[28][Note 5]
Aftermath
The 8th Mounted Brigade rejoined the Yeomanry Mounted Division on 28 October,[31] the 3rd Light Horse Brigade arriving back in camp at 24:00.[8]
Units of the Egyptian Labour Corps moved forward from Shellal to complete the water pipeline to Karm, and to uncovered their camouflaged work on the railway east of the Wadi Ghuzzee. They completed the railway to Karm on 28 October when the station was opened, two days ahead of schedule.[32]
By 30 October the concentration of the EEF force was complete for the attack on Beersheba the next day.[33]
Von Falkenhayn ordered the Eighth Army to launch an attack from Hareira "southwards" on 31 October. The size of the force, and its objectives are unknown, nor does the commander of the Eighth Army, Kress von Kressenstein mention the order to attack.[21]
Notes
- ^ Falls claims 8th Mounted Brigade part of the Australian Mounted Division but according to his order of battle of October 1917 the brigade was part of the Yeomanry Mounted Division. [Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 37–8, p. 661]
- ^ The 14-mile (23 km) long outpost line has been described as not quite reaching the Wadi esh Sheria and ending at Hill 630. [Preston 1921 p. 21]
- ^ While at Esani on 27 October, a patrol from the Anzac Mounted Division, reported hearing heavy firing to the north east of Esani at 06:15. [Anzac Mounted Division War Diary October 1917 AWM4-1-60-20]
- Alexander Malins Lafone 1st County of London Yeomanry (Middlesex, Duke of Cambridge's), won a posthumous Victoria Crossfor encouraging his men to resist the Ottoman attack.
- ^ 1:20,000 scale maps of the El Buggar Ridge area can be found at Australian Light Horse Studies Centre Archived 11 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine and maps of the El Buqqar Ridge area.
Citations
- ^ Bostock 1982 p.76
- ^ Desert Column War Diary AWM4-1-64-7 July 1917 Appendix 6 pp. 1–2
- ^ Anzac Mounted Division War Diary May 1917 AWM4-1-60-15 part 1
- ^ 4th Light Horse Brigade War Diary June 1917 AWM4-10-4-6
- ^ 3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary June 1917 AWM4-10-3-29 Operation Order No. 32
- ^ Desert Column War Diary AWM4-1-64-7 July 1917 Appendix 6 pp. 1–4
- ^ Australian Mounted Division War Diary September 1917 AWM4-1-58-3part1
- ^ a b c d e Australian Mounted Division War Diary October 1917 AWM4-1-58-4part1
- ^ 3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary October 1917 AWM4-10-3-33 Appendix15.10.17
- ^ 3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary October 1917 AWM4-10-3-33 Brigade Order No. 46
- ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 36–7
- ^ Anzac Mounted Divisions War Diary October 1917 AWM4-1-60-20 part 1
- ^ a b c d Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 37
- ^ a b Australian Mounted Division War Diary October 1917 AWM4-1-58-4part3 and Appendix 37
- ^ a b c d e f g Massey 1919 p. 29
- ^ Bruce 2002 p. 125–6
- ^ 3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary October 1917 AWM4-10-3-33 Brigade Order 47 dated 23 October 1917
- ^ a b 4th Light Horse Brigade War Diary October 1917 AWM4-10-4-10
- ^ Moore 1920 p. 83
- ^ a b c d e f g Preston 1921 p. 21
- ^ a b c Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 43
- ^ Powles 1922 p. 132
- ^ Hüseyin Hüsnü 1922, pp. 105–6
- ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 277
- ^ a b Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 37–8
- ^ a b c d Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 38
- ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 38–9
- ^ a b c d e f g h Australian Mounted Division War Diary 27 October 1917 AWM4-1-58-4 parts 1, 3 and Appendix 43
- ^ Olden 1921 pp 164–5
- ^ "Intelligence Summary – 9th Light Horse Regiment – Operations of 27th/28th October 1917".
- ^ Preston 1921 p. 22
- ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 40–1
- ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 41
References
- "3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary". First World War Diaries AWM4, 10-3-28, 29, 33. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. May–October 1917. Archived from the original on 21 March 2011.
- "4th Light Horse Brigade War Diary". First World War Diaries AWM4, 10-4-6, 10. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. June–October 1917. Archived from the original on 13 October 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- "Anzac Mounted Division General Staff War Diary". First World War Diaries AWM4, 1-60-15 part 1, 20. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. May–October 1917. Archived from the original on 21 March 2011.
- "Australian Mounted Division General Staff War Diary". First World War Diaries AWM4, 1-58-3 part 1, 4 part 1. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. September–October 1917. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- "Desert Column, Headquarters War Diary". First World War Diaries AWM4, 1-64-7. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. July 1917. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013.
- Bostock, Harry P. (1982). The Great Ride: The Diary of a Light Horse Brigade Scout, World War 1. Perth: Artlook Books. OCLC 12024100.
- Bruce, Anthony (2002). The Last Crusade: The Palestine Campaign in the First World War. London: John Murray. ISBN 978-0-7195-5432-2.
- Falls, Cyril (1930). Military Operations Egypt & Palestine from June 1917 to the End of the War. Official History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence: Volume 2 Part I. A. F. Becke (maps). London: H.M. Stationery Office. OCLC 644354483.
- Major General )
- Massey, William Thomas (1919). How Jerusalem Was Won: Being the Record of Allenby's Campaign in Palestine. London: Constable and Company. OCLC 2056476.
- Moore, A. Briscoe (1920). The Mounted Riflemen in Sinai & Palestine The Story of New Zealand's Crusaders. Christchurch: Whitcombe & Tombs. OCLC 561949575.
- Olden, A.C.N. (1921). The Westralian Cavalry in the War: The story of the Tenth Light Horse Regiment, A.I.F. Melbourne: Alexander McCubbin. OCLC 156123853.
- Powles, C. Guy; A. Wilkie (1922). The New Zealanders in Sinai and Palestine. Official History New Zealand's Effort in the Great War. Vol. III. Auckland: Whitcombe & Tombs.
- Preston, R. M. P. (1921). The Desert Mounted Corps: An Account of the Cavalry Operations in Palestine and Syria 1917–1918. London: Constable & Co. OCLC 3900439.