Battle of Beersheba
The Battle of Beersheba, fought on October 31, 1917, was a significant military engagement during World War I involving British, Australian-New Zealand Corps (ANZAC), and Indian troops under the command of General Lord Allenby. The battle aimed to capture the strategically important town of Beersheba, which housed essential water wells and served as a railhead within the Gaza defensive line held by around 5,000 Turkish troops led by Baron Kress von Kressenstein. To divert Turkish attention from Beersheba, Allenby orchestrated a feint attack on Gaza while simultaneously launching a direct assault from the east.
The Australian Light Horse, executing a surprise cavalry charge without traditional weapons, managed to overwhelm Turkish defenses during a critical moment in the battle. Their swift and unexpected advance allowed them to secure the water wells, marking a pivotal victory for the Allies. The engagement resulted in relatively low Allied casualties, with 32 killed and 32 wounded, while around 1,200 Turkish soldiers were taken prisoner. The success at Beersheba not only facilitated the subsequent Allied push towards Jerusalem but also demonstrated a revival of cavalry tactics amid the prevalent trench warfare of the time. This battle is often remembered for its dramatic cavalry charge and the strategic implications it had for the broader campaign in the Middle East.
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Battle of Beersheba
Type of action: Ground battle in World War I
Date: October 31, 1917
Location: Beersheba, Palestine, twenty-four miles east of Gaza
Combatants: 1,600 Australians and British vs. 5,000 Turks
Principal commanders:British, General Lord Allenby (1861–1936); Turkish, General Baron Kress von Kressenstein (1870–1948)
Result: Allied capture of Beersheba
On October 31, 1917, 47,000 British, Australia-New Zealand Corps (Anzac), and Asian Indian troops, commanded by General Lord Allenby, began a coordinated assault on the Gaza/Beersheba defensive line. Strategically positioned at the eastern end of the line, Beersheba contained a railhead and precious water wells. Some 5,000 Turkish infantry and artillery troops, led by Baron Kress von Kressenstein, defended Beersheba. To disguise the attack on Beersheba and draw off Turkish forces, Allenby ordered a diversionary attack on Gaza. An assault west of Beersheba by two British infantry divisions swiftly overran the Turks but left the British four miles out of town, unable to prevent the wells’ destruction. Foreseeing this possibility, Allenby ordered Lieutenant General Harry Chauvel’s Desert Mounted Corps to storm Beersheba from the east in tandem with the western assault. Traveling by night, seeking cover in wadis by day, Chauvel’s troops arrived at noon on October 31. By mid-afternoon, they had overrun the defended hill of Tel es Saba. One hour before sunset, Chauvel ordered two regiments of Australian Light Horse (mounted infantry) to charge the remaining earthwork defenses. Lacking swords, the 500 horsemen charged in loose order with only drawn bayonets. The Turks, surprised by the charge’s speed and ferocity, failed to alter their weapon’s sights. The Australians charged under Turkish fire and quickly overwhelmed the trenches. The wells were saved. Allied casualties were 32 killed, 32 wounded. Although the number of Turks killed is unknown, 1,200 were taken prisoner.
Significance
Destruction of the Gaza/Beersheba defenses prepared for the drive north to capture Jerusalem. Allenby and Chauvel’s use of cavalry reinstituted shock action to static trench warfare.
Bibliography
Davison, Frank Dalby. The Wells of Beersheba. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1947.
Lawrence, T. E. The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Doran, 1935.
The Lighthorsemen. Fiction feature. Medusa/RKO, 1987.
Livesey, Anthony. Great Commanders and Their Battles. Philadelphia: Running Press, 1993.