Capture of Afulah and Beisan

Capture of Afula and Beisan
Part of the Beisan on its eastern edge near the Jordan River
Result	British victory

Belligerents

 British Empire

•  United Kingdom
•  India
•  Australia

•  Ottoman Empire
•  German Empire

Commanders and leaders

Edmund Allenby
Harry Chauvel
George Barrow

• Fevsi Pasha
• Otto Liman von Sanders

Units involved

4th Cavalry Division

• Yildirim Army Group's 13th Depot Regiment, military police with 12 machine guns
• Afula and Beisan garrisons

The Capture of Afula and Beisan occurred on 20 September 1918, during the

Infantry attacks by the

The Desert Mounted Corps began the advance riding up the Plain of Sharon to

Aerial reconnaissance reported that no defensive works of any kind had been identified on the plain or covering the approaches to it, apart from German troops, garrisoned at the Yildirim Army Group headquarters of Otto Liman von Sanders at Nazareth.^{[3][Note 1]} At 12:30 on 19 September Liman von Sanders ordered the 13th Depot Regiment at Nazareth and the military police, a total of six companies and 12 machine guns, to occupy Lejjun and defend the Musmus Pass.^[4]

Deployment

The

The Desert Mounted Corps concentrated near

All movement had been restricted to night time, culminating in a general move forwards on the eve of battle. On the night of 18/19 September, the 4th and 5th Cavalry Divisions moved forward behind the infantry, while the Australian Mounted Division moved up to Sarona. Here the three divisions concentrated, with their supplies carried in massed horse-drawn transport and on long camel trains, clogging the roads.[14]^[15] The divisions carried one iron ration and two days' special emergency rations per man, and 21 pounds (9.5 kg) of grain per horse, all carried on the horse, with an additional day's grain per horse carried on the first line transport limbered wagons.^[16]

Desert Mounted Corps objectives

The three lowlands of the

If they could quickly capture the Esdraelon Plain while the two Ottoman armies were fighting in the Judean Hills against the XXI Corps infantry in the Battle of Sharon, and the XX Corps infantry in the Battle of Nablus, the railways could be cut, the roads controlled, and the lines of retreat across the plain for these two Ottoman armies west of the Jordan would be virtually cut.^[17] Success depended on the rapid capture of the communications hub at Afula and the Yildirim Army Group's general headquarters at Nazareth which would disrupt communication and simultaneously almost surround the Eighth Army and cut the communications and supply lines to both the Seventh and Eighth Armies in the Judean Hills. (See Falls Map 21 below which shows these cavalry advances.)^[5][10][21] Success required that the cavalry not only capture but hold Afula, Nazareth, and the Esdraelon Plain for some time. The men and horses of three cavalry divisions would be dependent on rations being quickly and efficiently transported forward many miles from their base.^[17]

The 5th Cavalry Division's objectives were to capture

According to David Woodward, "concentration, surprise, and speed were key elements in the blitzkrieg warfare planned by Allenby."^{[22][Note 4]} Victory at Megiddo depended on controlling the skies by destroying or dominating German aircraft activities and reconnaissances, through constant bombing raids by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Australian Flying Corps (AFC), on Afula to disrupt communications between the Yildirim Army Headquarters at Nazareth and the Seventh and Eighth Armies' headquarters at Tulkarm and Nablus.^[17][23] Victory also depended on artillery barrages of sufficient intensity and effectiveness, to enable the infantry to quickly outflank the Ottoman defenders on the coast, and drive a gap in the Ottoman front line, for the Desert Mounted Corps to ride through on their way to the Esdraelon Plain, on the first day of battle.^[17]

4th Cavalry Division breakthrough

With the 11th Light Armoured Motor Battery and 1st Light Car Patrol attached, the 4th Cavalry Division watered at the 'Auja River before moving to the south-east of Jlil, close behind the infantry and the front line. From here, a divisional pioneer party reached the front line at 07:00 on 19 September to cut a gap and flag a path through the Ottoman wire. By 08:40 permission was given by the 7th (Meerut) Division, which had attacked the western sector of the Tabsor defences, for the 4th Cavalry Division, accompanied by three horse artillery batteries which had rejoined the division after taking part in the bombardment and creeping barrage at the beginning of the Battle of Sharon, to pass through the gap in the Ottoman front line defences created by their attacks. (See Falls Map 20) The vanguard 11th Cavalry Brigade was led by the 36th Jacob's Horse as advance guard.^[24]

The 4th Cavalry Division advance began at 09:00, riding through the Ramadan and Zerkiyeh marches, and northwards towards

Although the 4th Cavalry Division had started later, riding north on the left and to the rear of 5th Cavalry Division in echelon, both divisions approached Liktera on the Nahr el Mefjir.[28] Faced with the "whole plain alive with cavalry twelve miles behind the Turkish line", Liktera was quickly captured, along with 50 prisoners. The remainder of the Liktera garrison retreated towards Qaqun, closely followed by the Jacob's Horse (11th Cavalry Brigade, 4th Cavalry Division), which took 126 prisoners. This regiment went forward to Tell edh Dhrur, where another 80 prisoners were captured.^[27]

Musmus Pass

At 18:30 on 19 September, the 4th Cavalry Division halted for three hours to water, feed, and rest.

Meanwhile, Barrow returned along the Musmus Pass to meet the 10th Cavalry Brigade, which had missed the entrance to the pass and gone 5 miles (8.0 km) north on a wrong road, followed by the 11th Cavalry Brigade. Barrow, now on horseback, rode back to the 12th Cavalry Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General Wigan, which was to have been the rearguard, and ordered it forward to support the 2nd Lancers, which regiment came under Wigan's orders. At 01:10 on 20 September, more than two hours after the 10th Cavalry Brigade should have started into the Musmus Pass, the 12th Cavalry Brigade's advance guard, the 6th King Edward's Own Cavalry, moved out from Kerkuk. They trotted for 20 minutes, walked for 20 minutes, and halted for five minutes to arrive at Lejjun at 04:05, with the rest of the 12th Cavalry Brigade arriving, without incident, soon after.^[33] They moved by half-sections of horse through the pass, without sending out flank guards to piquet "the heights." As they negotiated the pass, they overtook and stopped a long column of Ottoman transport, capturing about 200 prisoners. Barrow later commented that a "couple of machine guns would have sufficed to hold us up for hours."^[29][34]

Although the entrance to the pass had been secured by a regiment, the remainder of the 10th Cavalry Brigade did not reinforce the regiment. The brigade commander, Brigadier General Richard Howard-Vyse had disobeyed divisional orders to do so and when the brigade finally advanced, twice got lost. In consequence, Barrow, the commander of the 4th Cavalry Division, relieved Howard-Vyse of his command on the spot.^[35][36] Lieutenant Colonel W. G. K. Green of the Jacob's Horse took command of the brigade.^{[37][Note 7]}

Battle

Lancers charge Musmus defenders

After arriving at Lejjun at 03:30, the 2nd Lancers watered, fed, and breakfasted before setting out at 05:30 for Afula on a "three-squadrons front followed by the 11th Light Armoured Car Battery and a subsection of the 17th Machine-Gun Squadron." Ten minutes later, the centre squadron was fired on by six companies of the 13th Depot Regiment and military police, supported by 12 machine guns, which Liman von Sanders had ordered to occupy the Musmus Pass at Lejjun at 12:30 on 19 September. They had had to march from Nazareth to Lejjun, a distance of 15 miles (24 km).^{[38][Note 8]}

Having failed to reach Lejjun, Liman von Sanders' force had taken up a position across the Lejjun to Afula road in the Esdraelon Plain. One squadron of the 2nd Lancers, supported by machine guns and armoured cars, attacked frontally, while the reserve squadron moved to the right along a slight depression to charge from the flank. A second line of Ottoman defences was encountered by the third squadron on the right; the two squadrons eventually cooperating in a simultaneous charge which "was driven home." The lancers speared 46 and captured 470 prisoners, suffering one man wounded and 12 horses killed.^[39]

British Empire reconnaissance aircraft reported three British armoured cars halfway across the Esdraelon Plain, on their way to Afula. One cavalry brigade was seen at Lejjun, while two were just entering the plain, advancing on a broad front.^[40]

... bullets were coming unpleasantly close ... [as I] edged towards the right with the intention of locating the enemy's left flank ... Just then the squadron ran into a wire fence hidden in the jowar [millet] which covered that part of the plain. I went on ahead and left it to my second in command (Ressaidar Jang Bahadur Sing) to reform the squadron ... Bullets were coming thick and fast now, and I imagined that the squadron had had pretty heavy casualties; added to this I was in a blue funk of striking an uncrossable nullah ... the map showing a tributary of the Kishon between me and the enemy ... I galloped back to lead the squadron off more to the right. There seemed to be plenty of the men left, and the formation was still tolerably good. We were moving at a good 15 miles (24 km) an hour by now ... but I was still in mortal terror that the Turks' determined stand might be fortified by the knowledge that a deep nullah lay between themselves and us ... However, I need not have worried, for we were in for it now ... Before I realized it we were right on top of the enemy, and it was only when I saw a young Turk deliberately aiming at me that I realized that I was still holding my map in my right hand, and had forgotten to draw my sword.

— Captain D.E. Whitworth commanding 'B' Squadron 2nd Lancers^[41]

Afula

The 2nd Lancers continued their advance to Afula forty minutes after their successful charge, and were fired on at 07:45 on 20 September, when they were 0.5 miles (0.80 km) from the town. By the time they circled around to gallop in from the north, two regiments of the 14th Cavalry Brigade (5th Cavalry Division), the

The 5th Cavalry Division's leading 'D' Squadron, 34th Poona Horse (14th Cavalry Brigade), had skirted the town of Birket El Fuleh to ride directly towards Afula. At 06:30 they encountered seven lorries carrying German and Ottoman soldiers on the Afula road, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the town. Led by a German officer, the enemy soldiers quickly jumped out of the lorries and opened machine gun fire, killing a British Indian Army cavalry trooper and wounding a non-commissioned officer. 'D' squadron returned fire with Hotchkiss guns. Shortly afterwards, they were reinforced by the remainder of the 14th Cavalry Brigade; the brigade's machine gun squadron winning the engagement.^[43]

At about 08:00, the 4th Cavalry Division's 2nd Lancers (10th Cavalry Brigade) and the 5th Cavalry Division's 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse) (14th Cavalry Brigade) entered Afula.

On the morning after the charge outside Afule [21 September], having settled down to a Boche cigar and a bottle of ditto hock, I would not have changed places with President Wilson himself!

— 2nd Lancers' officer[46]

Capture of Beisan

The 5th Cavalry Division remained to garrison Afula, where they were rejoined later that day by the

Beisan was captured without a fight between 16:30 and 18:00 on 20 September. Here the 4th Cavalry Division rested, having covered 70 miles (110 km), the first 20 miles (32 km) over sandy soil, and fought two actions all in 34 hours with the loss of only 26 horses.[36]^[49][51] This was the first opportunity for the division to take saddles off the horses since the cavalry advance began.^[52]

At Beisan, the 4th Cavalry Division was well in advance of their rations transport, which did not catch up until the next day, when lorries delivered rations. Until then, the division had the remains of their two days' special emergency ration, which had been carried in sandbags on their saddles.^[52][53] Ration transport had been 50 miles (80 km) behind the division; 'A', 'B' Echelons, the Divisional Transport Train, and Ammunition Column bivouacking for the night at Shellalif on 19 September. The special camel convoy had been unable to keep up, and its provisions were distributed elsewhere. By the evening of 20 September rations had also been delivered to the 5th Cavalry Division at Aujah by motor lorry via the Musmus Pass, while 'A' Echelon and the Divisional Transport Train were bivouacked at Qaqun.^[53]

The 10th Cavalry Brigade had had only two full night's rest since leaving the Jordan Valley on 11 September, nine nights before and about 150 miles (240 km) away. "They had had no rest during the last three nights." The brigade had participated in long advances as part of divisional formations, during which such things as watering and off-saddling were complicated by the large numbers involved. Despite this, the brigade only lost 15 horses; 36th Jacob's Horse lost four, and the 19th Lancers, one.^[54]

By the evening of 20 September, Chauvel's communications with his cavalry divisions, were limited to wireless and aircraft.^[55] The last aerial reconnaissance on 20 September reported three large fires burning at Nablus railway station, fires burning at the Balata dumps, and the whole Ottoman front line from El Lubban to the Jordan alarmed. They also reported a brigade of British cavalry entering Beisan.^[56]

Capture of the Jisr el Mejamie bridge

The 19th Lancers (12th Cavalry Brigade, 4th Cavalry Division) remained at Afula, with orders to ride during the evening directly to

... my infantry ... have driven the enemy into the arms of the Desert Mounted Corps operating from Beisan and Jenin. Cavalry have occupied Nazareth. I cannot estimate total number of prisoners, but 18,000 have been counted. I motored to Lejjun, today; 65 miles N. of here, overlooking the plain of Esdraelon. A beautiful view across the flat vale. Nazareth, high in hills, to the N.; Mount Tabor opposite; Mount Gilboa to the E., overlooking Jezreel. Some of the Indian cavalry got into Turks with the lance, in the plain yesterday, and killed many. I ... passed through thousands of prisoners today ...

— Allenby letters to King Hussein of the Hedjaz and Lady Allenby 21 September 1918[58]

During the first 36 hours of battle, from 04:30 on 19 September until 17:00 on 20 September, the German and Ottoman front line had been cut by infantry, and the cavalry had passed through the gap to reach their objectives at Afula, Nazareth, and Beisan. The continuing British Empire infantry attack in the Judean Hills had forced the Ottoman Seventh and Eighth Armies to withdraw northwards towards the waiting Desert Mounted Corps.^[59]

By dusk on 19 September, 4,000 prisoners had been captured and brigade transport following the cavalry divisions was 20 miles (32 km) behind enemy lines in what had been Ottoman Empire territory.^[60]

On 22 September the 4th Cavalry Division's motor ambulances, which had been working in the Judean Hills transporting wounded infantry, rejoined their division at Beisan.^[61]

Liman von Sanders' withdrawal

Liman von Sanders had no combat formations available to stop the cavalry advance up the coast and across the Esdraelon Plain; Allenby's attack forced the Yildirim Army Group and its commander to retire.^[62] Liman von Sanders' retreat from Nazareth, began in the early hours of 20 September, taking him to Tiberias and Samakh late in the afternoon, and then on to Deraa, where he arrived on the morning of 21 September on his way to Damascus.^[63][64]

Retreat of the Asia Corps

With about 700 German and 1,300 Ottoman soldiers of the 16th and 19th Divisions, von Oppen was moving northwards from Tubas towards Beisan when he learned it had already been captured. He decided to advance during the night of 22 September to Samakh, where he correctly guessed Liman von Sanders would order a strong rearguard action. However, Jevad, the commander of the Eighth Army, ordered him to cross the Jordan instead; he successfully got all the Germans and some of the Ottoman soldiers across during 23 September, before the 11th Cavalry Brigade attack, which closed the last Jordan River gap. Those who had not crossed were captured.^{[65][Note 9]}

Jordan River gap closed

The

Between 21 and 23 September the Ottoman III Corps (Ottoman Seventh Army) fought a rearguard action from Tubas to the Jordan River, which delayed the British cavalry encirclement and enable what remained of the Ottoman Eighth Army and the Ottoman Seventh Army to retreat to the eastern side of the Jordan River.[62]

Late in the evening of 22 September, Chauvel ordered Barrow's 4th Cavalry Division to advance south from Beisan along the Jordan River to close a 20 miles (32 km) gap north from the Jisr ed Damieh bridge, which Chaytor's Force

During the day, strong patrols by the 4th Cavalry Division had moved southwards down the Beisan to Nablus road, on the west bank of the Jordan, and down the Merka to Jisr ed Damieh road, on the east bank.[69]

The 11th Cavalry Brigade advance southwards; the 36th Jacob's Horse on the east bank was fired on, 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south of Beisan to the south-east of Khirbet es Samriye. A long column of retiring Ottoman soldiers was attempting to cross the Jordan River at Makhadet Abu Naji under cover of a 1,000-strong rearguard with 30 machine guns.^{[Note 10]} As the 29th Lancers, advanced down on the west bank, they were fired on from the rearguard at Makhadat abu Naji which was attacked in the rear and the flank by the 36th Jacob's Horse; they broke the rearguard into a "hopeless rout". The commander of the 16th Division, Rushdi Bey, and 18 machine guns were captured, along with 800 prisoners, which were later identified to have been the rearguard of von Oppen's Asia Corps.^[69][70]

Meanwhile, another stronger rearguard on the east bank protecting the retreating columns was attacked by the 1/1st County of London (Middlesex) Yeomanry, 11th Cavalry Brigade 4th Cavalry Division. Further attacks by the 36th Jacob's Horse were repulsed by a second much larger body of Ottoman soldiers moving towards the Jordan River 1 mile (1.6 km) to the south. The support of the Hampshire Battery RHA and the cooperation of the 36th Jacob's Horse from the east bank was requested in a third attack.^[69][71]

At 11:00 the Hampshire Battery RHA came into action, but they drew accurate fire from two batteries of field guns south-east of the ford, which hit all their guns. About 5,000 yards (4,600 m) south, a squadron of 1/1st County of London (Middlesex) Yeomanry found a ford across the Jordan River. They quickly deployed and put the enemy guns "out of action." The 1/1st County of London (Middlesex) Yeomanry began their attack from both sides of the river and eventually captured the ford, along with 4,000 prisoners, leaving many dead. At 15:00 the defenders withdrew from the Makhadat Abu Naji ford, "suffering very heavily indeed from machine-gun and automatic-rifle fire, and abandoning an enormous amount of material."^[69][72]

24–25 September

Units of the 4th Cavalry Division continued the advance southwards from Beisan on 24 September, after rations had been distributed. At 10:35 an observation post sighted a column of Ottoman soldiers making for a ford across the Jordan River at Makhadet el Mas'udi, where the Ottoman advanced guard arrived and deployed its machine guns to cover the escape of a larger body of Ottoman troops across another ford 1 mile (1.6 km) further south.^{[Note 11]} (See Falls Sketch Map 36 Detail 'A' Situation at 11:00) The 1/1st County of London (Middlesex) Yeomanry attack at Makhadet el Mas'udi ford succeeded at 12:30, while the 29th Lancers reinforced the Yeomanry attack on the main column, capturing a total of 5,000 prisoners, including an Ottoman divisional commander, with many dead.^[73][74]

Troops captured by the 11th Cavalry Brigade on 24 September were the rear of the Seventh Ottoman Army, the majority of which had crossed during the previous night and early morning, continuing their retreat towards Irbid, while von Oppen's Asia Corps and the Fourth Ottoman Army were retreating towards Deraa.^[65]

The 11th Cavalry Brigade continued their advance 6 miles (9.7 km) south to Ras Umm Zoka without encountering any further Ottoman columns, while the XX Corps Cavalry Regiment, which made contact with the 29th Lancers, reached 'Ain Male 7 miles (11 km) east of Tubas, capturing several thousand prisoners. The 11th Cavalry Brigade subsequently returned to Beisan on 25 September.^[75]

Notes