Capture of Jenin

Coordinates: 32°27′42.51″N 35°18′4.88″E / 32.4618083°N 35.3013556°E / 32.4618083; 35.3013556
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This article is about the 1918 military operation. For the 1967 battle, see Six-Day War.

Capture of Jenin
Part of the
Judean Hills
Result British Empire victory
Belligerents

 British Empire

 Ottoman Empire
 German EmpireCommanders and leaders United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Edmund Allenby
Australia Harry Chauvel
Australia Lachlan Wilson Ottoman Empire Fevsi Pasha
German Empire Otto Liman von SandersUnits involved Egyptian Expeditionary Force
Desert Mounted Corps
Australian Mounted Division Yildirim Army Group
Seventh Army
Eighth ArmyCasualties and losses unknown unknown casualties, 8,000 prisoners

The Capture of Jenin occurred on 20 September 1918, during the

Judean Hills. The Australian light horse captured about 2,000 prisoners, the main supply base and the ordnance depot of the Seventh and the Eighth Armies in and near the town. They also cut the main road from Nablus and a further 6,000 Ottoman Empire and German Empire
prisoners, were subsequently captured as they attempted to retreat away from the Judean Hills.

The

Damascus
they were pursued by the Desert Mounted Corps.

After the infantry established a gap in the Ottoman front line on the coast early on the morning of 19 September, the Australian Mounted Division's 3rd and

Lejjun on the Esdrealon Plain. While the 4th Light Horse Brigade remained to garrison Lejjun and provide various guards for artillery, supplies, and corps headquarters before being ordered to capture Samakh, the 3rd Light Horse Brigade advanced to Jenin, where the 9th and 10th Light Horse captured the town after a brief fire fight. Subsequently, these two regiments captured some 8,000 Ottoman soldiers, who had been attempting to retreat northwards out of the Judean Hills, during the night of 20/21 September. The outnumbered Australian Light Horsemen were reinforced as quickly as possible, and the majority of the prisoners were marched back into holding camps, near Lejjun in the morning. The 3rd Light Horse Brigade remained in the area to garrison Jenin until they advanced to capture Tiberias on 25 September 1918, before participating in the pursuit to Damascus
.

Background

Following the

continued during the summer months. By the middle of September the consolidated EEF was once again ready for large-scale offensive operations.[1]

Situation at Zero hour 19 September

On 19 September, the

Major General Edward Chaytor, captured part of the retreating Ottoman and German column at the Capture of Jisr ed Damieh bridge over the Jordan River to cut off this line of retreat, during the Third Transjordan attack. To the east of the river, as the Ottoman Fourth Army began its retreat, Chaytor's Force advanced to capture Es Salt on 23 September and Amman on 25 September. Units of Chaytor's Force captured Amman after defeating a strong Fourth Army rearguard during the Second Battle of Amman.[2]

Prelude

Asia Corps
across the Jordan River

In preparation for the Battle of Megiddo, the Desert Mounted Corps, consisting of the

Ramleh, Ludd (Lydda), and Jaffa. Here dumps were formed of all surplus equipment, before the brigades and divisions moved up close behind the XXI Corps infantry divisions, near the Mediterranean coast.[3][4][5]

Each mounted division of about 3,500 troopers, consisted of three brigades, each brigade being made up of three regiments. Five of the six brigades of the 4th and 5th Cavalry Divisions, most of which had recently arrived from France, consisted of one British yeomanry regiment and two

15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade of three lancer regiments. Some of the cavalry regiments were armed in addition to their Lee–Enfield rifles, bayonets and swords, with lances. The Australian Mounted Division consisting of three light horse brigades, each with three regiments, containing a headquarters and three squadrons. With 522 men and horses in each regiment, they were armed in addition to their rifles and bayonets with swords.[6][7][8] The mounted divisions were supported by machine gun squadrons, three artillery batteries from the Royal Horse Artillery or the Honourable Artillery Company, and light armoured car units—two Light Armoured Motor Batteries, and two Light Car Patrols.[6][9]

By 17 September the 5th Cavalry Division, which would lead the advance, was deployed north-west of Sarona, eight miles (13 km) from the front line, with the 4th Cavalry Division in orange groves to the east, ten miles (16 km) from the front, and the Australian Mounted Division in reserve near Ramleh and Ludd, 17 miles (27 km) from the front line.[10][11] All movement, restricted to the night hours, culminated in a general move forward on the eve of battle during the night of 18/19 September, when the Australian Mounted Division moved up to Sarona. The supplies for the three divisions concentrated in the rear in divisional trains, in massed horse-drawn transport and on endless strings of camels, clogging every road in the area.[12][13] One iron ration and two days' special emergency ration for each man, and 21 pounds (9.5 kg) of grain for each horse, was carried on the trooper's horse, with an additional day's grain for each horse, carried on the first-line transport limbered wagons.[14]

Advance to Lejjun

Situation at 24:00 19/20 September 1918

During the initial cavalry advance up the coastal

Lejjun before advancing to Afulah in the centre of the Esdrealon Plain.[4][16][17] This southern pass was about 14 miles (23 km) long and about 300 yards (270 m) wide, as it followed the Wadi Ara up the side of the Samarian Hills to 1,200 feet (370 m) above sea level, before falling to the plain.[17][18] During their advance, the Australian Mounted Division halted for ten minutes every hour, when saddle girths may have been loosened and a few minutes sleep snatched, with the reins looped around an arm jammed deeply into a pocket.[19]

The Esdrealon Plain, also known as the Jezreel Valley, and the Plain of Armageddon, stretches to the white houses of Nazareth in the foothills of the Galilean Hills on its northern edge 10 miles (16 km) away, to Jenin on its southern edge at the foot of the Judean Hills, through Afulah to Beisan on its eastern edge, close to the Jordan River.[17] On its western edge near Lejjun, at the mouth of the Musmus Pass, the ancient fortress of Megiddo on Tell al Mutesellim, dominates the Esdrealon Plain, across which Romans, Mongols, Arabs, Crusaders and the army of Napoleon had marched and fought.[20] The road and railway network, on which the German and Ottoman forces in Palestine depended for supplies and communications, crossed this plain via the two important communication hubs of Afulah and Beisan. (See Falls Map 21 Cavalry advances detail)[21][22] The railway passed from the plain into the Judean Hills south of Jenin, to wind through a narrow pass in the foothills before climbing to Messudieh Junction, where it again branched. One line ran westward to Tulkarm and Eighth Army headquarters, before turning south to the railhead to supply the Eight Army front line troops on the coastal plain, while the main railway line continued south-eastward to Nablus, and the Seventh Army headquarters.[23]

No defensive works of any kind had been identified on the Esdrealon Plain, or covering the approaches to it during aerial reconnaissance flights, except German troops known to garrison the commander of the

Liktera at 03:00 on 20 September to organize and escort the transport convoy through the Musmus Pass. The transport of the Australian Mounted Division, and the Desert Mounted Corps, was consolidated by the brigade at Liktera, before moving at 14:00 to Kerkuk, where the 5th Cavalry Division's transport joined their column. At 16:30 the combined transport began moving through the Musmus Pass. 'A' echelon arrived at Lejjun at 21:00 on 20 September.[26][27]

Desert Mounted Corps objectives

According to Woodward, "[c]oncentration, surprise, and speed were key elements in the blitzkrieg warfare planned by Allenby."[28] The question of whether or not it was Allenby's plan has been raised in the literature.[29] According to Chauvel, Allenby had already decided on his plan before the Second Transjordan attack in April/May.[30] Victory at the Battle of Megiddo depended on the intense British Empire artillery barrage successfully covering the front line infantry attacks, and to drive a gap in the line so the cavalry could advance quickly to the Esdraelon Plain 50 miles (80 km) away during the first day of battle. Control of the skies was achieved and maintained by destroying German aircraft or forcing them to retire. Constant bombing raids by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Australian Flying Corps (AFC), were carried out on Afulah, Tulkarm and Nablus, which cut communications with the Yildirim Army Group commander, Liman von Sanders at Nazareth.[31][32]

After entering the Esdraelon Plain the Desert Mounted Corps was to ride as far as the Jordan River to encircle the Seventh and Eighth Ottoman Armies in the Judean Hills, where they were still busy fighting the XXI and the XX Corps. If the Esdraelon Plain could be quickly captured, the railways cut, the roads controlled, the lines of communication and retreat cut, two Ottoman armies could be captured.[31][33] The main objectives for 20 September were:

Battle

At 15:35 on 20 September, Major General

Kufr Adan, three miles (4.8 km) north-west of Jenin, a detached troop "rode down an enemy outpost" of between 1,200 and 1,800 German and Ottoman soldiers in an olive grove on the right flank. They had "immediately deployed" with swords drawn before charging "right into the Turks." The whole force was captured including several wounded.[38][41][42]

Albatros D.VA Serial 7416/17 with white/black/white stripe and intermediate type national insignia captured at Jenin

The 10th Light Horse Regiment with six machine guns of the 3rd Machine Gun Squadron formed the advanced guard. With the Afulah to Nazareth road already cut, one squadron of the advanced guard moved swiftly to control the road north from Jenin to Zir'in, on which a column of Ottoman soldiers was retiring. The remainder of the advanced guard rode directly towards Jenin, passing the railway station about 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) on their right to cut the main road leading north, and the road east towards Beisan, with the 9th Light Horse Regiment following at the trot. Having cut the road and railway the 10th Light Horse Regiment turned south riding directly towards the village and railway station. They had galloped the 11 miles (18 km) from Lejjun in 70 minutes to arrive from the north-west. The Australian light horsemen charged into the town with drawn swords, to swiftly overwhelm all the German and Ottoman troops caught in the open. The 9th and the 10th Light Horse Regiments had attacked the town from two different directions, throwing the garrison into confusion. However, a "machine gun duel" between the 3rd Machine Gun Squadron and Germans, firing from windows and gardens on the light horsemen in the streets, developed. After about two hours of fighting, the Germans attempted to withdraw, when a number were killed and the remainder were captured.[38][41][43][44] A total of about 4,000 prisoners were captured, along with what the General Staff Headquarters of the Australian Mounted Division's War Diary described as, an "enormous amount of booty."[44][45]

Some of the captured Ottoman transport vehicles at Jenin

Jenin had been the main supply and ordnance depot of the Ottoman Seventh and Eighth Armies, and huge quantities of war material, including guns, machine guns, and ammunition, were captured. In nearby caves, large stores of German beer, wine, and canned food were found. Jenin had also been the main German air base, and 24 burnt aircraft were found on two aerodromes. At the railway station, locomotives and rolling stock were captured, along with a number of well-equipped workshops. Three hospitals were also captured.[46][47][48] An armed guard was placed on 120 cases of champagne (some of which was later distributed) and a "wagon load of bullion", worth nearly £20,000.[46][49] Some of the gold was later used to buy food and forage for the Desert Mounted Corps, when they had outdistanced their lines of communication, and were forced to requisition supplies from the local population.[46]

Cart wheels, wagons destroyed barrels and other wreckage in foreground, two soldiers on the road in the middle distance near a staff car
Transport destroyed by aerial bombing on the Nablus to Jenin road

After securing the town, the 9th and 10th Light Horse Regiments were deployed across the main line of retreat from the Judean Hills, at the outlet of the Dothan Pass, about one mile (1.6 km) south of Jenin, to wait for the expected retreating columns.[37][49] At 21:00 on 20 September, a burst of machine gun fire stopped a long column of retreating German and Ottoman soldiers, resulting in the capture of 2,800 prisoners and four guns.[49] During the night the light horsemen were to capture 8,000 prisoners who had retreated, in the face of EEF infantry attacks in the Judean Hills, along the good quality road from Nablus and Tulkarm, north towards Jenin and Damascus.[43][50][51]

Aftermath

Prisoners walking from Jenin to Lejjun escorted by 8th Light Horse Regiment

Outnumbered many times over, the 3rd Light Horse Brigade force patrolled 7,075 prisoners for the remainder of the night, with drawn swords until reinforcements began to arrive. The first were the 12th Light Armoured Motor Battery, which arrived at 04:15 on 21 September.[52][53][54][55][56] The 4th Light Horse Brigade left Lejjun at 04:30 on 21 September, to reinforce the 3rd Light Horse Brigade at Jenin. The brigade moved out less one squadron, but with the 4th and 11th Light Horse Regiments and a section of the Nottinghamshire Battery RHA, and/or the 19th Brigade RHA (less one battery and one section) to arrive at 06:00.[27][46][54][55] They found virtually the whole plain covered with prisoners, motor cars, lorries, wagons, animals, and stores "in an inextricable confusion."[46] The headquarters of the Australian Mounted Division arrived Jenin at 06:30 and, half an hour later, the 14th Cavalry Brigade (5th Cavalry Division) also arrived at Jenin to help manage the thousands of prisoners, but were able to return to their division at Afulah at 16:15 that afternoon.[54][55] Meanwhile, the 8th Light Horse Regiment (3rd Light Horse Brigade) also quickly followed after being relieved at Lejjun. They arrived at Jenin at 07:00 and two hours later departed, on their way back to Lejjun, escorting a convoy of about 7,000 prisoners. It took 10 hours to escort them to the prison compound, where a total of about 14,000 prisoners would eventually be held.[54][55][57]

Situation at 21:00 20 September 1918

More than 40 hours after the offensive began, substantial columns of the Seventh Ottoman Army were seen withdrawing northeastwards from Nablus, in the direction of the Jordan River where many

southern Hejaz garrisons. He subsequently continued his journey back to Damascus.[60][61][62]

As a result of the capture of Jenin, all the main direct northern routes across the Esdrealon Plain, which the retreating Ottoman Seventh and Eighth Armies could have used, were now held by the Desert Mounted Corps. The 4th Cavalry Division controlled the Beisan area on the eastern edge of the plain after they captured both Afulah and Beisan, while the

5th Cavalry Division garrisoned the Afulah and Nazareth areas in the center and to the north, with the Australian Mounted Division holding Jenin in the south and patrolling the surrounding area.[51][63][64]

The 4th Cavalry Division had ridden 70 miles (110 km) (the first 20 miles (32 km) over sandy soil) and fought two actions, in 34 hours. The 13th Brigade of the 5th Cavalry Division covered 50 miles (80 km) in 22 hours. On its way to Jenin, the Australian Mounted Division rode 62 miles (100 km), with its 3rd Light Horse Brigade riding 51 miles (82 km) in less than 25 hours.[40][65] These cavalry divisions had started the advance with three days rations, so they were on their last day's supplies when their brigade transport and supply companies arrived. These divisional trains had been supplied from motor lorry convoys, one of which arrived at Jenin during 21 September.[66][67][68] The Australian Mounted Division motor ambulance transport, also rejoined their division at Jenin on 21 September, after the main road had been cleared.[67]

The 5th Light Horse Brigade (Australian Mounted Division), which had been attached to the

pursuit to Damascus. Infantry from the 7th Brigade of the 3rd (Lahore) Division were detached to the Desert Mounted Corps to relieve the mounted and cavalry divisions of their garrison duties. The infantry took over the captured areas, marching via Jenin, and Nazareth, to arrive at Samakh on 28 September.[75]

Notes

  1. ^ DiMarco claims the 3rd Light Horse Brigade had entered Jenin the previous evening. [DiMarco 2008 pp. 330–1]

Citations

  1. ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 97, Vol. 2 pp. 302–446
  2. ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 447–555
  3. ^ Maunsell 1926 p.213
  4. ^ a b Carver 2003 p. 232
  5. ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 484
  6. ^ a b DiMarco 2008 p. 328
  7. ^ Gullett 1941 pp. 653–4
  8. ^ Hill 1978 p. 162
  9. ^ Hanafin, James. "Order of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, September 1918" (PDF). orbat.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  10. ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 463
  11. ^ Paget 1994 pp. 257
  12. ^ Gullett 1919 p. 28
  13. ^ Wavell 1968 p. 208
  14. ^ Maunsell 1926 p. 238
  15. ^ Wavell 1968 p. 199
  16. ^ a b c d Preston 1921 pp. 200–1
  17. ^ a b c Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 516
  18. ^ Paget 1994 Vol.4 pp. 274–77
  19. ^ Hamilton 2002 p. 157
  20. ^ Hill 1978 pp. 162–3
  21. ^ Wavell 1968 p. 205
  22. ^ Keogh 1955 pp. 242–4
  23. ^ Keogh 1955 pp. 242–3
  24. ^ Powles 1922 p. 233
  25. ^ a b Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 494–5
  26. ^ a b Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 529
  27. ^ a b c d 4th Light Horse Brigade War Diary AWM4-10-4-21
  28. ^ Woodward 2006 p. 191
  29. ^ Erickson 2007 pp. 141–2
  30. ^ Hill 1978 p. 161
  31. ^ a b Gullett 1919 pp. 25–6
  32. ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 487–8
  33. ^ Powles 1922 p. 239
  34. ^ Keogh 1955 p. 248
  35. ^ Blenkinsop 1925 p. 241
  36. ^ Massey 1920 pp. 155–7
  37. ^ a b Wavell 1968 p. 211
  38. ^ a b c Paget 1994 Vol. 4 pp. 289–90
  39. ^ Australian Mounted Division War Diary AWM4-1-58-15; 15.35, 20 September
  40. ^ a b c 3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary AWM4-10-3-44 Appendix 4 p. 1
  41. ^ a b c Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 530
  42. ^ 3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary AWM4-10-3-44 Appendix 4 pp. 1–2
  43. ^ a b DiMarco 2008 pp. 330–1
  44. ^ a b 3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary AWM4-10-3-44 Appendix 4 p. 2
  45. ^ Australian Mounted Division War Diary AWM4-1-58-15; 17:30 20 September
  46. ^ a b c d e Preston 1921 p. 214–5
  47. ^ Gullett 1919 pp. 10–11
  48. ^ Woodward 2006 p. 196
  49. ^ a b c Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 531
  50. ^ Downes 1938 pp. 715–6
  51. ^ a b Bruce 2002 p. 231
  52. ^ Hill 1978 p. 171
  53. ^ Baly 2003 pp. 252–3
  54. ^ a b c d Australian Mounted Division General Staff War Diary AWM4-1-58-15, 21 September
  55. ^ a b c d Massey 1920 p. 157
  56. ^ Australian Mounted Division War Diary Admin, Headquarters October 1918 Appendix 5 AWM4-1-59-16
  57. ^ Paget 1994 Vol. 4 p. 293
  58. ^ Cutlack 1941 p. 157
  59. ^ Bruce 2002 p. 232
  60. ^ Keogh 1955 p. 251
  61. ^ Wavell 1968 p. 223
  62. ^ Erickson 2001 p. 199
  63. ^ Maunsell 1926 p. 221
  64. ^ Gullett 1941 p. 729
  65. ^ Blenkinsop 1925 p. 242
  66. ^ Lindsay 1992 p. 217
  67. ^ a b Downes 1938 p. 719
  68. ^ Gullett 1919 pp. 31–2
  69. ^ Baly 2003 p. 254
  70. ^ a b Australian Mounted Division War Diary AWM 4-1-58-15, 22 September
  71. ^ a b Powles 1922 pp. 241–2
  72. ^ Bruce 2002 p. 241
  73. ^ Massey 1919 p. 200
  74. ^ Baly 2003 pp. 270–1
  75. ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 561

References

32°27′42.51″N 35°18′4.88″E / 32.4618083°N 35.3013556°E / 32.4618083; 35.3013556

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