With the British Army in The Holy Land

With the British Army in The
Holy Land, by

Henry Osmond Lock This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at
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Title: With the British Army in The Holy Land
Author: Henry Osmond Lock
Release Date: November 16, 2006 [EBook #19822]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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With the British Army in the Holy Land
BY

MAJOR H. O. LOCK
THE DORSETSHIRE REGIMENT
WITH MAPS
LONDON: ROBERT SCOTT ROXBURGHE HOUSE
PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. 1919

CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
PAGE EGYPT AND THE SUEZ CANAL 1
Modern Egypt--Military Geography of Egypt--The Eastern
Boundary--Outbreak of War, 1914--Invasion of Egypt by the
Turks--The Dardanelles--Defence Problem at the Opening of 1916.
CHAPTER II
THE DESERT OF SINAI 10
Across the Canal--The Military Railway--The
Pipe-line--Kantara--Oghratina, Katia and
Dueidar--Romani--Bir-el-Abd--El Arish--Maghdaba--Magruntein and
Rafa--Sea-borne Supplies--Khan Yunus--The Land of
Promise--Personnel.
CHAPTER III
MESOPOTAMIA, THE CAUCASUS, AND THE HEJAZ 21
Landing in Mesopotamia--1915
Operations--Kut--Baghdad--Consolidation--Interdependence of
Mesopotamia and Palestine--Caucasus--Collapse of Russia--The
Yemen--Revolt of the Hejaz--Mecca--Medina--Maan--Arab

Co-operation in Eastern Palestine.
CHAPTER IV
PALESTINE 28
General Idea--A Comprehensive View--The Sea--Sand Dunes--Coastal
Plain--Judæan Hills--Jordan Valley--Eastern
Palestine--Armageddon--Climate--Railways--Population.
CHAPTER V
GAZA 37
History--Importance of Situation--Topography--First Battle of
Gaza--Second Battle of Gaza--Reorganization of the Egyptian
Expeditionary Force.
CHAPTER VI
TRENCH WARFARE 43
Fresh Arrivals--Journey to Railhead--Acclimatization--The Turkish
Line--The British Line--Campaigning Conditions--Flies and
Dust--Morale--Humorous Incidents--Spies--Raiding and
Shelling--Defences at the Apex--Preparations for the Offensive.
CHAPTER VII
GAZA AND BEERSHEBA 51
General Plan of the Battle--Reasons--Water--Transport--Bombardment
of Gaza--Capture of Beersheba--Infantry Attack on
Gaza--Counter-attack at Khuweilfeh--Attack on Sheria--Evacuation of
Gaza--Retreat of the Enemy--The Apex--Shelling and Raids.
CHAPTER VIII

FULL CRY 62
Flight of the Enemy--Cavalry Pursuit--Crossing No Man's
Land--Infantry Pursuit--Water--Arak-el-Menshiyeh
Demonstration--Mesmiyeh Engagement--Junction Station
Captured--Naaneh--Gezer--Jaffa--Summary of the Situation.
CHAPTER IX
NEBY SAMWIL 71
Routes into the Hills--Bireh--Scheme of Operations--The Saris
Pass--Contrast with Hill Fighting in India--Enab--Neby Samwil--The
Key to Jerusalem--Consolidation and Reliefs.
CHAPTER X
JERUSALEM 79
The 20th Corps Movements--The New Line--Counter-attacks--Final
Advance--Fighting round Jerusalem--The Enemy
Outmanoeuvred--Surrender of the City--General Allenby's Entry and
Proclamation.
CHAPTER XI
THE HOLY CITY 86
Sacred to the Jew, the Christian and the Moslem--The
Kings--Nebuchadnezzar--Nehemiah--Alexander--Ptolemy
I--Antiochus--The
Maccabees--Pompey--Herod--Christ--Titus--Hadrian--Constantine--Ch
osroes-- Islam--The Crusaders--Saladin--Richard--The
Kharezmians--Expulsion of the Crusaders--Tamerlane--The
Ottomans--Napoleon--Mohammed Ali--Routes taken by the several
Invaders.
CHAPTER XII

JUNCTION STATION AND LUDD 101
Chaos--Looting--Turkish Hospital--Prisoners of War--Vale of
Sorek--Town Planning--Movements of Troops--Railway
Development--Bridges--Armoured Train--Junction Station Superseded
by Ludd--Development of Ludd--St. George.
CHAPTER XIII
THE JORDAN 109
Attempt to Retake Jerusalem--Winter in Palestine--Jericho--Advancing
the Line--Crossing the Jordan--Raid on Amman--Raid on Shunat
Nimrin.
CHAPTER XIV
THE WADI DEIR BALLUT 116
Crossing the Auja--Front Line Life in
March--Musketry--Aircraft--Flowers--Wadi Deir Ballut--Capture of
Deir Ballut Ridge.
CHAPTER XV
THE MOUNTAINS OF EPHRAIM 124
The New Line--Turkish Reinforcements--Method of Holding the
Line--A Patrol Incident--Capture of Ikba.
CHAPTER XVI
RAFAT 130
Arara--Rafat--Three Bushes Hill--Collapse in France--Reorganization.
CHAPTER XVII

THE CROWNING VICTORY 135
Situation in September, 1918--The
Terrain--Preparations--Mugheir--The Sweep from Rafat to the
Sea--Cavalry--Deraa--The Turkish Rout--Eastern Palestine--Sea of
Galilee--Damascus--Summary of Results.
CHAPTER XVIII
CONCLUSION 143
Pursuit--Beyrout--Aleppo--Armistices--Close of the War--Cross and
Crescent--Résumé.
SKETCH MAPS PAGE
I RAILWAYS IN 1914 1
II GAZA AND BEERSHEBA 51
III COUNTRY ROUND JERUSALEM 79
IV RAILWAYS IN 1918 101
V COUNTRY ROUND RAFAT 117

NOTE
My aim in compiling this little book has been to provide a short
account of the Palestine campaign, illustrated from the experiences of
one who was present.
The manuscript was written on active service, soon after the occurrence
of the events recorded. It may, on this account, be sketchy, but, it is
hoped, not the less interesting.
My acknowledgments are due to the Official Despatches and

publications, and also to the writings of Mr. W.T. Massey, Official
Correspondent with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force.
H. O. L.
IN THE FIELD, 1918.
[Illustration]

WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE HOLY LAND
CHAPTER I
EGYPT AND THE SUEZ CANAL
The Holy Land has been the scene of war since the dawn of History.
Long before Belgium became the cock-pit of Europe, Palestine was the
cock-pit of the known world. Here, on the high road between Asia and
Africa, were fought the great wars of Egyptians and Assyrians,
Israelites and Canaanites, Greeks and Romans, Saracens and Crusaders.
With these few square miles are associated the names of the world's
greatest soldiers no less than that of the Prince of Peace. None can fail
to be interested in the latest campaign in this Land of Armageddon.
To understand the causes and events that led up to the campaign in
Palestine of 1917-1918, we must first summarize, as shortly as possible,
the modern history of