293, 350, 413], The issue of whether or not it was Allenby's plan has been raised in the literature. 1. A follow-up advance gained them 'Aqrabe at 10:45 and after a further 10 miles (16 km) advance to the north, unopposed, it became apparent that enemy forces had disengaged. The 3/151st Indian Infantry, had the commanding officer, two other British and four Indian officers included in the 198 men transferred from the 38th Dogras. 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps (AFC), Third Transjordan attack (1918)#Battle 19–20 September, "Supplement to the London Gazette, 4 February, 1920", http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/31767/supplements/1530/page.pdf, http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm4/subclass.asp?levelID=1464, "Anzac Mounted Division General Staff War Diary", http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/war_diaries/first_world_war/subclass.asp?levelID=1338, "Anzac Mounted Division Admin Staff, Headquarters War Diary", http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm4/subclass.asp?levelID=1344, http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/first_world_war/volume.asp?levelID=67894, http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/first_world_war/volume.asp?levelID=67898, German prisoners of war in the United States, https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Nablus_(1918)?oldid=4175462. von Oppen bivouaced at Tammun, with the 16th and the 19th Divisions at Tubas, unaware that Desert Mounted Corps had already occupied Beisan. These attacks continued late into the night and throughout the next day, until the early hours of 21 September when the continuing successful flanking attack by the XXI Corps, combined with the XX Corps assault and aerial bombing attacks, forced the Seventh and Eighth Armies to disengage. [79][80], The 10th Division advanced 7 miles (11 km) before dawn on 20 September, before encountering "solid resistance" which required artillery support, to defeat. One line ran westward to Tulkarm and the Eighth Army headquarters before turning south to reach railhead behind the Eighth Army' front line on the coastal plain, while the second line continued south–eastward to Nablus. My Battle is a big one; and, so far, very successful. The country was a mass of half starving bodies of Turks, some armed and some not, and it was quite ordinary to see an Indian havildar [sergeant] emerging from the mountains followed by 20 or 30 fully armed Turks who had surrendered to him. From the Judean Hills, the front line dropped down to 1,000 feet (300 m) below sea level, to cross the Jordan Valley for approximately 18 miles (29 km), ending in the foothills of the Mountains of Gilead/Moab. [Erickson 2007 pp. In particular, the 7th and 19th Infantry Divisions, had fought with distinction in the Gallipoli Campaign as part of Esat Pasa's III Corps. 111 and 145 Squadrons of S.E.5a aircraft were to patrol over the main Jenin aerodrome all day, bombing and machine gunning targets in the area to prevent any aircraft leaving the aerodrome.  • Treaty of St. Germain [4], Major offensive operations in Palestine also became a low priority for the British Army in March; being postponed because of the Spring Offensive in France, but by July, it was clear that the German offensive had failed resulting in a return to the battle of attrition in the trenches. I've now completed a very quick read of the article and just looked at the list of citations and references (but I've not checked any of these). Birket el Qusr, but could not breach the defences without artillery support. [85], Strong Ottoman rearguards were encountered by the 53rd Division throughout the day which substantially slowed progress. Fighting took place in the Judean Hills where the British Empire's XX Corps attacked the Ottoman Empire's Yildirim Army Group's Seventh Army defending their line in front of Nablus. 195,198, War Diary of Anzac Mounted Division AWM4-1-60-31 Part 2 pp. The Régiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie, with two armoured cars, entered Nablus while the 14th Light Horse Regiment linked with the 29th and 30th Brigades (10th Division, XX Corps) at Balata. One flight from No. An Ottoman defensive line covering the Jisr ed Damieh bridge, was subsequently discovered and the Seventh Army was seen moving along the Wadi el Fara towards Jisr ed Damieh. {{infobox military conflict |conflict =Battle of Nablus |partof =the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I |image = |caption =Ottoman prisoners march under escort through Nablus |date =19–25 September 1918 |place =from the Rafat salient in the Judean Hills to the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, north to Nablus and Jisr ed Damieh, and east to Es Salt and Amman |coordinates = |map_type = |latitude = |longitude = |map_size = |map_caption = |map_label = |territory = |result =Egyptian Expeditionary Forcevictory |statu… )[98][99], Dead men and animals, torn about with ruthless bombs, swollen and distorted, stank fearfully. The road was subsequently bombarded by the RAF and artillery of 'A' Battery LXVIII Brigade RFA, the 10th Heavy Battery and two batteries of the 103rd Brigade RGA. 141–2] According to Chauvel, Allenby had already decided on his plan before the Second Transjordan attack in April/May which had confirmed the Ottoman determination to defend the Deraa railway junction and the difficulties for mounted operations in the area. The 53rd Division maintained pressure during the day in an attempt to capture the high ground north and north east of Nablus to seal the lines of retreat to the Jordan River crossing at Jisr ed Damieh. Birket el Qusr unopposed. To reach Nablus, they had to negotiate around and through the wreckage caused by aerial bombing on the road from Tulkarm to Nablus. [25][70], Nairn Ridge remained in Ottoman hands until about 19:00 on 19 September, when it was finally captured and the road works could begin, and the 53rd Division could start their attempt to block the line of retreat, to the Jordan River at Mafid Jozele. Battle of Nablus (1242) Nablus. Fusail. [61][66] It is claimed the Ottoman supply system was so bad in February 1918, that the normal daily ration for the Yildirim Army Group in Palestine, consisted of 125 grains (0.29 oz) of bread and boiled beans three times a day, without oil or any other condiment. [134], The remnants of the Ottoman II Corps, previously in the Maan region, surrendered to Chaytor's Force at the end of September. The resulting vacancies in the divisions were filled by British Indian Army battalions. The three brigades converging on Es Salt, which was occupied during the evening of the 23 September.  • Battle of Gallipoli [64] Another states the 45 miles (72 km) of front line in the Judean Hills, was defended by 24,000 Ottoman soldiers with 270 guns against the British Empire's 22,000 infantry, 3,000 cavalry and 157 guns. The second railway line turned westward to supply the Ottoman Seventh and the Eighth Armies in the Judean Hills.  • Battle of Aleppo [57][83] At 04:40, after a ten-minute bombardment the 160th Brigade attacked Kh. Military conflicts similar to or like Battle of Nablus. I was at Tulkaram today, and went along the Nablus road. When he arrived in Deraa on the morning of 21 September he ordered the Fourth Army to withdraw to the Deraa-to-Irbid line without waiting for the southern Hedjaz troops. By 29 September, the remaining soldiers of the Fourth, Seventh, and Eighth Ottoman Armies, in total 6,000 men, were retreating towards Damascus. These attacks continued late into the night and throughout the next day, until the early hours of 21 September when the continuing successful flanking attack by the XXI Corps, combined with the XX Corps assault and aerial bombing attacks, forced the Seventh and Eighth Armies to disengage.  • Battle of Sarikamish The 31st Brigade began their advance at 08:45 but were held up in the woods east of Haris and south of Kefar Haris. [45], By August, casualty clearing stations or clearing hospitals were located at Ludd, at Jaffa and at Jerusalem, supported by medical stores depots at Ludd and Jerusalem. One regiment the 101st Grenadiers formed a second battalion by dividing itself into two with two experienced and two new companies in each battalion. All the nerve-centres had been paralysed by constant bombing.  • China [36][39], On 18 September, the Royal Air Force's 5th (Corps) Wing and the 40th (Army) Wing, both headquartered at Ramle, were deployed to the area and responsible for cooperation with artillery and contact patrols, tactical and strategic reconnaissance, photography, escorts, offensive patrols and bombing operations. 2 p. 546], Battles Nomenclature Committee 1922 p. 33, Allenby letter to Wilson 24 July 1918 in Hughes 2004 pp. Pyrotec 21:22, 2 July 2012 (UTC) Thanks a lot. This coincided with the approach of the campaign season in Palestine.  • Romania Here, the headquarters of the Seventh Army was located, north of Jerusalem on the main road to Nazareth and Damascus. Birket el Qusr unopposed. The Turkish troops had abandoned it for the surrounding country and the civic leaders formally surrendered to Onslow. [Hill 1978 p. 161], Nazareth has been mentioned as the objective of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, who were to, The only German and Ottoman sources available to the British official historian were Liman von Sanders' memoir and the Asia Corps war diary.  • Damascus 144 Squadron's bombing of Afulah. 2 pp. The second railway line turned westward to supply the Ottoman Seventh and the Eighth Armies in the Judean Hills. 6 (Medium) Trench Mortar Battery, three anti–aircraft sections Royal Artillery (RA), two sections of captured 75 mm Ottoman guns, one section of captured 5.9 Ottoman guns and No. The area was required for the construction of a road to link the British road system with the newly captured Ottoman road system. [96], The Worcester Yeomanry continued their advance north east of Nablus to Askar where they were stalled by machine gun fire.  • Maritz Rebellion (1914–1915) My Battle is a big one; and, so far, very successful. On 23 and 24 September, 1,500 prisoners were captured by Chetwode's XX Corps in the Judean Hills. [29][30][31][Note 4], The XX Corps commanded by Lieutenant General Phillip Chetwode consisting of the 10th and 53rd Divisions, was deployed on both sides of the road from Jerusalem to Nablus, in the Judean Hills. This morning my cavalry occupied Afuleh, and pushed thence rapidly south–eastwards, entered Beisan this evening, thus closing to the enemy his last line of escape. 111 and 145 Squadrons of S.E.5a aircraft were to patrol over the main Jenin aerodrome all day, bombing and machine gunning targets in the area to prevent any aircraft leaving the aerodrome. Municipality type A (City) Arabic transcription(s) • Arabic: نابلس • Latin: Nabulus (official) Nablus, June 2014. [46], The timing of the attacks by the XX Corps and Chaytor's Force were dependent on the progress made by the XXI Corps during 19 September. The southern end of Nairn Ridge was not captured, having "withstood three assaults". [95] Most of the garrison had already retreated from Rujib when the 1/1st Worcestershire Yeomanry, the Corps Cavalry Regiment, galloped in and captured several hundred prisoners.  • Armistice of Villa Giusti, • Libyan resistance (1911–1943) Great Britain, Army, Egyptian Expeditionary Force (1918). I was able to motor into Nablus where I was joined by Allenby the same evening also in a motor, both of us being well ahead of our advance guards. 2–3, Falls 1930 Vol. Nazareth, high in hills, to the N.; Mount Tabor opposite; Mount Gilboa to the E., overlooking Jezreel.  • Poison gas  • Great Retreat  • Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919) [126], One of the seven squadrons of the Palestine Brigade RAF, the Australian squadron had been allotted the Handley-Page bomber three weeks before the offensive began. [68], The 53rd Division's attack began shortly after 18:30 on the evening of 18 September when three battalions of the 160th Brigade, with the 21st Punjabis as vanguard, moved down into Wadi es Samieh in a wide flanking manoeuvre across rocky terrain towards the rear of the Ottoman positions. [8][9][10][11] The 75th Division had received the first Indian battalions in June 1917. The Ottoman Seventh Army retreated from the Nablus area down the Wadi el Fara road towards the Jordan River, aiming to cross at the Jisr ed Damieh bridge, leaving a rearguard to defend Nablus. [130], A side view of the Handley–Page 0/400 of No. From Afulah the railway forked again into two lines: a branch line running north–westerly to Haifa, while the main line turned south to Jenin. Fought from April 5 to April 8, 2002 in the Palestinian city of Nablus in the West Bank between the Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian forces, as part of Operation Defensive Shield in the Second Intifada. An Ottoman defensive line covering the Jisr ed Damieh bridge, was subsequently discovered and the Seventh Army was seen moving along the Wadi el Fara towards Jisr ed Damieh. NABLUS IS NOT ONLY packed with Biblical, Roman, Mamluk and Ottoman history and tradition, but also reflects the living face of the West Bank. No. 113 Squadron RAF, along with No. [57][83] On the right, the 29th Brigade launched an attack at 06:45 but met strong resistance from German machine gunners a mile north of Selfit. "[7], To replace British losses suffered during the Spring Offensive the 52nd (Lowland), the 74th (Yeomanry) Divisions and nine British infantry battalions from each of the 10th, 53rd, 60th and the 75th Divisions were sent to France between April and August 1918. The Battle of Nazareth began on 20 September 1918, during the Battle of Sharon, which together with the Battle of Nablus formed the set piece Battle of Megiddo fought during the last months of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War. No. Haris was subsequently captured by an infantry charge into the village.  • Lake Naroch Offensive This corps–sized German formation was commanded by German Colonel von Oppen. Jibeit, but was counter-attacked at 08:00 by a battalion of the Ottoman 109th Regiment, which drove them back with heavy losses.  • Battle of Cambrai, • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Some of the Indian cavalry got into Turks with the lance, in the plain yesterday, and killed many. Another reason for moving to this line is that it will encourage both my own new Indian troops and my Arab Allies. [2] Mustafa Kemal had resigned as commander of the Seventh Army in 1917 but was back by early September 1918.  • Belgium The column was attacked between 6:00 and 08:00 by ten Australian aircraft, with attacks continuing throughout the day expending four tons of bombs and almost 20,000 machine gun rounds. [3], Following the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918, which ended the war on the Eastern Front between Imperial Russia and Imperial Germany, the main focus of the Ottoman Army turned to the Anatolian provinces and territories lost in 1877–1878 during the Russo-Turkish War.  • Vlora War (1920) This article is about the Israeli–Palestinian battle in April 2002. [129], Dawn aerial scouting on 21 September returned reports of the previous day's attacks on roads leading towards the Jordan River, which was only a precursor to the follow up attacks that day. If it no longer meets these criteria, you can reassess it [79][80], Falls Map 21 of Desert Mounted Corps advances from 20 to 25 September 1918.  • Technology [32], Chetwode was to capture Nablus by launching attacks on both Ottoman flanks, with the aim of converging about 7 miles (11 km) to the north. [133], The remnants of the Ottoman II Corps, previously in the Maan region, surrendered to Chaytor's Force at the end of September. [123], Handley–Page 0/400 aircraft and Bristol Fighter aircraft at Australian Flying Corps aerodrome was frequently piloted by Captain Ross Macpherson Smith, The Royal Air Force provided Allenby with timely aerial reconnaissance reports, and its attacks with bombs and machine guns spread "destruction, death, and terror behind the enemy's lines. At 19:45 after a 15 minute bombardment, the 10th Division was to begin the attack on the inter army boundary between the Asia Corps (Eighth Ottoman Army) and the Seventh Ottoman Army, 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Furkhah at the "western end of the Fukhah spur." 192–3 quoting Erickson 2001 pp.  • St.-Jean-de-Maurienne [32][74][75][76], Mustafa Kemal, the commander of the Seventh Army, reported to Liman that his army had repulsed practically all attacks on its front, but was about to withdraw to its second-line position between Kefar Haris and Iskaka, to conform with von Oppen's Asia Corps (Eighth Army) retirement. The column was attacked between 6:00 and 08:00 by ten Australian aircraft, with attacks continuing throughout the day expending four tons of bombs and almost 20,000 machine gun rounds. Fusail. Birket el Qusr, but could not breach the defences without artillery support. The 5th then collected about 900 of the former garrison in the hinterland. In one battalion only one Indian officer spoke English and only two British officers could communicate with their men. [48][49][50], Allenby's plan was focused on capturing the Ottoman line of communication and retreat between the Fourth Army east of the Jordan river and the Seventh and Eighth Armies in the Judean Hills west of the Jordan –. If you can improve it further, please do so. Various fires burning 3. Share. Between these two divisions was a 7 miles (11 km) gap lightly held by Watson's Force; a detachment improvised from Corps Troops' 1/1st Worcestershire Yeomanry, two Pioneer battalions, and details from the Corps Reinforcement Camp. Definitions of Battle of Nablus (1918), synonyms, antonyms, derivatives of Battle of Nablus (1918), analogical dictionary of Battle of Nablus (1918) (English) Many of the animals still lived in speechless agony, and some of the wretched wounded were in many cases pinned down by carrion, but there was no time to stop and help them.  •  • Greco-Turkish War (1919–1923) [116][Note 13], The Seventh Army retreated down the Wadi el Fara road towards the Jordan River abandoning its guns and transports. The Battle of Nablus took place, together with the Battle of Sharon during the set piece Battle of Megiddo between 19 and 25 September 1918 in the last months of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War. [79][80], Falls Sketch Map 31 Megiddo Situation at 24:00 19/20 September 1918, The 10th Division advanced 7 miles (11 km) before dawn on 20 September, before encountering "solid resistance" which required artillery support, to defeat. [41][Note 5], No.  • Polish–Lithuanian War (1920) [36][39], On 18 September, the Royal Air Force's 5th (Corps) Wing and the 40th (Army) Wing, both headquartered at Ramle, were deployed to the area and responsible for cooperation with artillery and contact patrols, tactical and strategic reconnaissance, photography, escorts, offensive patrols and bombing operations.  • Portugal Without communications, no combined action could be organized by the Ottoman forces. [123], Chaytor's Force suffered 27 killed, 7 missing, 105 wounded in battle and captured 10,322 prisoners, 57 guns and 147 machine guns. One regiment the 101st Grenadiers formed a second battalion by dividing itself into two with two experienced and two new company's in each battalion. John Gooch and Brian Holden Reid. This morning my cavalry occupied Afuleh, and pushed thence rapidly south–eastwards, entered Beisan this evening, thus closing to the enemy his last line of escape.  •  • South Africa The Battle of Nablus then began with 20 Corps attacking the Ottoman line in the Judean Hills. Erzerum which had been captured by the Russians in 1916, was retaken on 24 March 1918, followed by Van on 5 April and later Batum, Kars and Tiflis. Together these two battles, known as the Battle of Megiddo, began the Final Offensive of the war in the Sinai and Palestine campaign.[1]. [98], Light Armoured Car Patrol in the Samaria hills, The 5th Light Horse Brigade with the 2nd Light Armoured Motor Battery, had advanced quickly along the Tulkarm-to-Nablus road to attack the last resistance outside Nablus and capture the town, between 800 and 900 prisoners and two field guns. [2][58][59][60][61][Note 10], The 2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division and the 3rd Cavalry Division were the only divisional formations available for reserve duty at the operational leval. [59], An English language assessment describes the Fourth, Seventh and Eighth Ottoman Armies fighting strength as 26,000 infantry, 2,000 mounted troops and 372 guns. Nablus. Without communications, no combined action could be organized by the Ottoman forces. After holding at Romani in August 1916, British Egyptian Expeditionary Force troops began advancing across the Sinai Peninsula. The road was found to be heavily mined; two battalions of pioneers cleared 78 unexploded devices before the yeomanry advanced 1.5 miles (2.4 km) where they were fired on. Here, the headquarters of the Seventh Army was located, north of Jerusalem on the main road to Nazareth and Damascus. [38] Primary responsibilities included the continuing occupation of the Jordan Valley and the protection of the eastern flank of the EEF's front line. Jibeit, but was counter-attacked at 08:00 by a battalion of the Ottoman 109th Regiment, which drove them back with heavy losses. To reach Nablus, they had to negotiate around and through the wreckage caused by aerial bombing on the road from Tulkarm to Nablus. [69], At 04:30, intense bombardment by artillery, trench mortars and machine guns, targeted the German and Ottoman front and second line trenches ahead of XXI Corps towards the Mediterranean coast. 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps (AFC), Third Transjordan attack (1918) § Battle 19–20 September, "Supplement to the London Gazette, 4 February, 1920", "Régiment mixte de Marche de Cavalerie du Levant", "Anzac Mounted Division General Staff War Diary", "Anzac Mounted Division Admin Staff, Headquarters War Diary", Armistice between Russia and the Central Powers, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Nablus_(1918)&oldid=997560633, Battles of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, Battles of World War I involving Australia, Battles of World War I involving New Zealand, Battles of World War I involving the United Kingdom, Battles of World War I involving the Ottoman Empire, Battles of World War I involving British India, Aerial operations and battles of World War I, History of the Royal Air Force during World War I, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 1 January 2021, at 03:39. From the Judean Hills, the front line dropped down to 1,000 feet (300 m) below sea level, to cross the Jordan Valley for approximately 18 miles (29 km), ending in the foothills of the Mountains of Gilead/Moab. In one battalion only one Indian officer spoke English and only two British officers could communicate with their men. [Falls 1930 Vol. 111 Squadron RAF and a flight of No. Battle of Nablus (1918) has been listed as one of the Warfare good articles under the good article criteria.  • Vardar Offensive  • Christmas truce, • Economic history [57][109], Liman von Sanders had no units available to stop the cavalry advance up the coast and across the Esdrealon Plain, Allenby's attack having forced the Yildirim Army Group to retreat. Tag Archives: Battle of Nablus September 25, 1918. [103], Before advancing on Nablus and Balata, the 10th Division fought and marched for two days through the hills and gulleys of Mount Ephraim, suffering about 800 casualties but capturing 1,223 prisoners.[104]. In particular, the 7th and 19th Infantry Divisions, had fought with distinction in the Gallipoli Campaign as part of Esat Pasa's III Corps. Control of the skies was achieved and maintained by destroying or dominating German aircraft activity and reconnaissances, and constant bombing raids by the Royal Flying Corps (RAF) and Australian Flying Corps (AFC) on Afulah and the Seventh and Eighth Army headquarters at Tulkarm and Nablus respectively and cutting communications with their commander, Liman von Sanders at Nazareth.