In 1917 things were picking up pace in the Middle East against the Ottomans. The Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF), made up of British and Imperial units, had advanced out of Egypt, across the Sinai and had launched attacks against the Ottoman defensive line that was anchored against the town of Gaza.
The First and Second offensive against Gaza has failed1, but with a change of command from General Murray to General Allenby there was a change of approach.
The aim was now to put together an attack on Beersheba, which was on the eastern end of the Ottoman defensive line, further into the desert and defended by significantly less troops, but to give the impression that this was a feint/ deception as a precursor to another assault on Gaza. The ottomans believed that Beersheba could not be attacked by a large force in strength due to the lack of available water in the area and as such any sizable force would need significant logistical support to sustain it in the field.
And to be honest they were not wrong, Allenby recognised this and realised for his plan to work he would need water supplies as far forwards as possible and stores and supplies as well. The most efficient way for that was to use railways, as they had done for the assaults on Gaza, but for Beersheba there were none existing just as the availability of wells was extremely limited, so everything would need to be built from scratch.
Logistics and Railways.
While it was accepted that water would be the priority it needed to work hand in hand with the creation of the railways. (Water was essential for Men and horses but also for the locomotives, the desert environment put massive limitations on the railway engines so a good supply of water was vital). The Sappers and Egyptian Labour corps of the EEF had already created rail lines from Egypt to the Gaza battle front so it was decided to construct a spur from the Gaza Railway line out into the desert.
The branch line construction started at Rafah 10 days prior to the attack. the line was laid heading east towards Esh Shellal and was constructed by 115th and 116th Field Companys Royal Engineers, half a battalion of Sikh pioneers and 400 labourers from the Egyptian Labour Corps (ELC). The construction of the railway was kept to last safe moment to prevent the Ottoman’s discovery and the majority of the work was carried out at night while the Infantry and Mounted units provided a forward protective screen.
The 266th and the 116th Field Company Royal Engineers then constructed the Imara Station which provided the supply head for 155th Infantry Brigade laydown area. This Brigade then provided the screening troops to allow the construction of line forward to Karm. This would be completed on the 28th Oct and provided the furthest eastern Rail head for supply for the attack, this meant that the British and Imperial forces would have a rail head only 12 miles from Beersheba.
A spur to the rail line was also constructed from Esh Shellal 4 miles south to El Qamie. this would provide supplies to the area occupied by 60 Division.
In 8 days the Sappers with Sikh pioneers and Egyptian labours constructed 26 miles of railway, mainly at night and trying to maintain tactical secrecy.
As mentioned earlier the main task for the Sappers in preparation for the attack on Beersheba was to ensure that water could be provided for the large quantities of Men, Horses and as previously mentioned the railway engines.
The intention was that the Desert Mounted Corps would carry out a flank attack on Beersheba from the East of the town, to achieve this in secret the plan was to push out to the south and then sweep wide to the east hopefully unobserved but this route would take the men and horses the furthest away from water for the longest period.
On the 21 Oct 1917 the mounted sapper unit, 10 Field Troop RE, headed out into the desert and established a shallow well at Bir el Eseni, once established this would provide water for 9000 men and horses. With that task complete, the Troop headed 8 miles further south to Wadi Khelasa, near the ruins at Khelasa and constructed another shallow well and waterpoint by the close of 22nd Oct. This was already for the Corps to replenish water prior to the last stage of their approach ride to the east of Beersheba.
As the railway line from Rafah pushed forward Sapper units constructed more wells, initially as shallow wells and then enhanced further to deep wells.
by the 24th Oct 155 Infantry Brigade had taken position at El Imara to provide protection to the rail line construction going forward to Karm. A section (a troop size unit in modern Royal Engineer units) from 436 Field Company RE had constructed wells and a water point for the formation.
by the 26th Oct the remainder of 436 Field Company had constructed wells and water points for 60th Division in the Tell El Fara and El Qamie areas.
As part of the final preparations for the attack 9 Field Troop RE moved forward to Goz El Basal, just south of the Karm Station on the 27th Oct to construct a well and water point for the Australian Mounted Division who would provide the troops for the forward defence of the rail head and were located at El Baqqar. These troops were in place by the 27/28 Oct.
The final part of the preparation was for 437th and 439th Field Company RE to go forward and construct infantry defences and 21 defensive outposts. These defences help to protect the troops of the Yeomanry when they were attacked by a Turkish force on the morning of the 27th, who were defeated and this allowed construction on the rail head to continue.
It can be seen that Sapper units were vital to the operation to attack and take Beersheba, often required to push out well ahead of units to have waterpoints established ready for the troops and horses to arrive.
The Battle of Beersheba on the 31 Oct 1917
The attack was carried out by the following units:
HQ Desert Mounted Corps
ANZAC Mounted Division
Australian Mounted Division
Yeomanry Mounted Division
10th Division less the 30th Brigade (Infantry)
53rd Division with the 30th Brigade (infantry)
60th Division (Infantry)
74th Division (infantry)
The town was attacked from the west by the 60th and 74th Division. The ANZAC Mounted Division moved round to attack from the East.
The aim of the mounted troops was to circle round to the east and to attack from the rear and to secure the towns wells intact.
The attacks by the 60th and 74th initially made good progress but were slowed as the day progressed. It was imperative that the town be taken that day as the soldiers and the horses of the entire Corps had been without water replenishment for nearly 36 hours.
Late in the afternoon of the 31st Oct, the 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade was tasked with attacking Beersheba.
The Australia Light Horse are not a cavalry regiment, but rather a Mounted Infantry Unit, which would normally advance mounted and then dismount and put in the final attack dismounted as convensional infantry.
However the Brigade decided to do something different and rather than dismount they continued mounted and moved from the walk to the Trot onto the Canter and then to the Charge. The Turks were taken by surprise with change of tactics as the Australians managed to break through the defences and to capture the town by 6pm.
The charge of the Light Horse at Beersheba is rightly celebrated by the Australians. Their assault achieved surprise on the Turkish Troops and their German advisors at the cost of 31 Light Horsemen, but it is important not to forget the men of the 60th and 74th Division that had had a hard and thirsty day fighting on the West of the town.
So if you have an opportunity this evening lift a glass to the brave men and horses of the Australian Light Horse, the 60th Division and the 74th division and have a drink on behalf of the dusty and thirsty men and horse who fought at Beersheba in 1917.
Footnotes:
- 2nd Gaza was almost a break through but General Murray called a halt and withdrawl just at the point when the battle would have been won. ↩︎
