THE GREAT WARTHE GREAT WAR||MIDDLE EAST CAMPAIGN MIDDLE EAST CAMPAIGN THE GREAT WAR|MIDDLE EAST CAMPAIGN
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name literally means fortress and
whose strategic value to the defence
of Palestine was not lost on Turkish
high command nor their German
and Austro-Hungarian allies.Colossal Blunder
For all their growing confidence,
the Norfolk battalions, together
with the bulk of 54th Division,
were handed only a supporting role
in the first attempt to overcome
the enemy defences before Gaza.
Throwing caution to the wind,
Murray abandoned plans for a
step-by-step advance in favour of a
lightning strike that was designed
to take the Turks by surprise,
leading to the capture of the city in a
single day. It was a bold stroke that
could and almost certainly would
have succeeded, but for a lack of
communications and resolve at a
senior level.
By early evening on March
26, mounted troops
had enveloped the city
while the infantry,
though slowed by anuntimely sea fog and the enemy’s
obstinate resistance, had battled their
way through a maze of cactus hedges
to capture the vital high ground
along the Ali Muntar ridge.
The Turks were in disarray –
orders were given to blow up the
city’s wireless station, reinforcements
intended to bolster the defence were
halted and plans were made for a full-
scale withdrawal, only to discoverthat the British advance had stalled
before going into reverse.
Unaware of the extent of their
success and fearful of fighting an
urban street battle at night, senior
officers had ordered troops on the
brink of a famous victory to pull
back. Almost all the ground won at
such high cost, including the most
fiercely defended hilltop redoubts,
was given up.“Throwing caution to the wind, Murray abandoned plans for a
step-by-step advance in favour of a lightning strike that
was designed to take the Turks by surprise leading
to the capture of the city in a single day”
RIGHT
The exposed
nature of the
ground at Gaza is
clearly visible as
one man keeps a
wary watch.BELOW
Captain Sydney
Page of 4th
Norfolks had
been taken ill
at Gallipoli but
wangled his way
back to the unit.BELOW RIGHT
A group of men
from one of the
Norfolk territorial
battalions pose
for the camera.