Contents
Chapter I
Preliminary. Situation in the East in June 1917. Objectives of the Palestine Campaign. The country. The opposing armies 1
Chapter II
Plan of the operations. Laying the foundations. Cavalry reconnaissances. Work of the engineers. Maps and water supply 10
Chapter III
The first round. The attack on Beersheba. Charge of the 4th A.L.H. Brigade. Capture of the town with 2000 prisoners. Destruction of the wells. First attack on the Gaza defences. German buildings in Beersheba. Arab sheikhs and the Camel Transport Corps
Chapter IV
The decisive battle. Enemy counterstroke on the east. Hard fighting of the cavalry and the 53rd Division. Lack of water. Capture of Tel Khuweilfeh. And of Hareira and Sharia. Enemy’s front broken. Cavalry through the gap. Fall of Gaza
Chapter V
The pursuit. All three cavalry divisions employed. Strong enemy resistance. Charge of the Yeomanry at Huj. Water at last. Sufferings of the horses. Delay caused by lack of water. Arak el Menshiye and Beit Duras
Chapter VI
The Cavalry Corps in line from the railway to the sea. Difficulties of supply. Withdrawal of all but two infantry divisions. Great heat and lack of water causes a slackening of the pursuit. Anzac Division seizes the Esdud bridge. Stiffening of the enemy resistance. The action of Balin
Chapter VII
Attack on the enemy line. Charge of the 6th Mounted Brigade at El Mughar. Armoured cars enter Junction Station. Capture of the station. Enemy forces cut in two. Right group driven northwards across the River Auja, and left group into the Judæan Hills. Occupation of Ramleh, Ludd, and Jaffa. The Sidun-Abu Shusheh position. Second charge of the 6th Mounted Brigade
Chapter VIII
Necessity for reinforcements, and exhaustion of horses causes a lull in the operations. A waterless record. The Australian cavalry horse. Junction Station. Reappearance of the Corps Ammunition Column. The Predatory Gunner. The A.P.M.’s Odyssey. A Turkish communiqué
Chapter IX
The advance resumed. Amwas. The Australian Mounted Division withdrawn to rest. The Yeomanry Division enter the mountains. Rain. Unsuccessful attacks on the Beitunia Ridge. Difficulties of the country. Our infantry seize Nebi Samwil. The Anzac Mounted Division forces the crossing of the Nahr el Auja in the plain. And is driven back
Chapter X
Hard fighting and bad weather in the hills. Our communications cut. The last of the Yeomanry Division. Winter conditions in the Philistine Plain. Rain and mud. Floods cause breakdowns in the supply services. A ‘Merry Christmas.’ Enemy spies in the mountains. Surrender of Jerusalem. Final crossing of the Auja. Results achieved by the Desert Mounted Corps during the operations
Chapter XI
‘Rest and Refit.’ The ruins of Gaza. Decision to extend the battle line to the Jordan. The country between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea basin. The first descent into the Jordan Valley. Occupation of Jericho. A naval battle 1300 feet below the level of the ocean. Second descent into the Valley. Our right flank established on the river Jordan. Operations of the Arab forces
Chapter XII
The first trans-Jordan raid. Description of the trans-Jordan country. Bridging the Jordan. Difficulties of the cavalry. Rain and cold. Hedjaz Railway cut north and south of Amman. Unsuccessful attacks on the town. Large enemy reinforcements arrive on the scene. Floods sweep away the bridges over the Jordan. Hard fighting at El Salt. Attack on Amman abandoned. Withdrawal of the raiding force
Chapter XIII
Results of the raid. Successes of the Arab Army. Reorganisation of the Cavalry Corps. The second trans-Jordan raid. Capture of El Salt. Failure of first attack on Shunet Nimrin. Enemy reinforcements cross the Jordan at Jisr el Damieh. 4th A.L.H. Brigade hard pressed. Loss of the guns. Enemy clears the way to El Salt. The Beni Sakhr play us false. Precarious position of our cavalry in the hills. Failure of second attack on Shunet Nimrin. Hard fighting at El Salt. Ammunition running out. The raiding force withdraws across the Jordan. Results of the raid
Chapter XIV
Decision to hold the Jordan Valley during the summer. The Valley line. Description of the country and climate. Enemy attacks on Abu Tellul and El Henu repulsed. An example of ‘Kultur.’ Out of the Valley of Desolation
Chapter XV
Preparations for the great drive. Description of the Turkish line and the country behind it. The opposing forces. Precautions to ensure secrecy. Plan of the operations. Lawrence’s Arabs cut the enemy railway at Deraa junction. At the starting post
Chapter XVI
Opening the door. Cavalry through the gap and over the Carmel Range. On the Plain of Armageddon. 13th Cavalry Brigade captures the enemy G.H.Q. at Nazareth. Cavalry seize Afule, Jenin, and Beisan. Big haul of prisoners at Jenin
Chapter XVII
Rolling up the enemy flank. Work of the 5th A.L.H. Brigade. Our infantry attack all along the line and drive in the Turkish front. Our cavalry reoccupy Nazareth. Sad fate of the ‘Haifa Annexation Expedition.’ Chaytor’s force closes the Jisr el Damieh road, and advances on Shunet Nimrin. Turkish armies trapped
Chapter XVIII
Drawing the net. Action of Makhadet Abu Naj. Capture of Haifa. Action at Makhadet el Masudi. Turkish VIIth and VIIIth Armies completely destroyed. Adventures of Chaytor’s Force. Surrender of the Hedjaz Corps. British and Turks as ‘Allies’
Chapter XIX
Decision to advance on Damascus. The orders for the advance. 4th A.L.H. Brigade captures Semakh. Treachery of the Germans. Capture of Tiberias. The race for Damascus. 4th Cavalry Division strikes at the flank of the retreating IVth Army. And joins hands with the Arab forces
Chapter XX
The action at the Bridge of Jacob’s Daughters. A memory of Napoleon’s campaign in Syria. Last crossing of the Jordan. Occupation of El Kuneitra. Some undisciplined ‘Allies.’ 4th Cavalry Division reaches El Mezerib. Turks massacre women and children. The Arabs’ vengeance
Chapter XXI
The last lap of the race to Damascus. Orders of the Cavalry Corps. A fight in the darkness. The action of Kaukab. 5th A.L.H. Brigade closes the Beirût road. Our two columns meet at Damascus. End of the Turkish IVth Army. Capture of the city with 12,000 prisoners. Terrible condition of the enemy troops. A record charge by Australian cavalry. Disorders in Damascus
Chapter XXII
Decision to advance to Rayak and Beirût. Sickness in the Corps. Occupation of Homs and Tripoli. 5th Cavalry Division ordered to advance to Aleppo. A hunt by the armoured cars. A piece of bluff. Fall of Aleppo. The last of the Turkish army. The Armistice. Captures of the Desert Mounted Corps
Chapter XXIII
Police work. The Desert Mounted Corps administers a country larger than Scotland. Condition of the country after the Armistice. Pax Britannica. Co-operation of the Arabs. Work of the Armenian Reparations Committee. Character of the Armenians. A gamble in exchange. Sport and games. End of the Desert Mounted Corps. Northern Syria handed over to the French