ww1 middle east

• Middle Eastern Front in WWI


  Significant battles that occurred in Egypt and the Middle East, in far drier and hotter conditions than the western front
• Middle Eastern Front


  • Fought mostly between the British forces located in Egypt and the Turkish Ottoman forces located modern Turkey, Israel, and Palestine
• The Ottoman Empire joined WWI as a German ally


  October 1914
• The Ottoman Empire joined WWI as a German ally


  Was at war with Russia, as well as France and Britain
• Early 1915


  The Turkish army attacked the Suez Canal in British-controlled Egypt
• Suez Canal


  A crucial waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea
• Suez Canal


  • Provided a shorter maritime route between Europe and Asia, saving time and costs for shipping
  • British involvement dates back to the 19th century
  • Became a vital artery of the British Empire, facilitating trade and military movements to and from British colonies in Asia and Africa
  • Control over the canal was of paramount importance to British interests in maintaining their imperial dominance and securing access to their colonies in the East
• Battle of Beersheba


  A significant engagement during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I
• Battle of Beersheba took place


  October 31, 1917
• Battle of Beersheba


  • Took place near the town of Beersheba (now in modern-day Israel) in the southern part of the Ottoman Empire (present-day Israel/Palestine)
  • The British Empire, particularly the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Mounted Division, played a central role in the battle
  • The objective was to capture Beersheba, a critical stronghold held by the Ottoman Empire, which guarded the eastern flank of the Gaza-Beersheba line
• Battle of Beersheba


  1. Massive cavalry charge led by the Australian Light Horse Brigade, supported by British and New Zealand troops

  2. Charge covered several kilometers of open ground, surprising the Ottoman defenders

  3. Despite facing heavy machine gun and artillery fire, the Australian horsemen pressed on, managing to breach the Ottoman defenses and capture the town of Beersheba before nightfall
• Charge of the Australian Light Horse

  • Mounted troops wielded bayonets and rifles as they charged towards the Ottoman trenches and fortified positions
  • The success of this charge is often attributed to the bravery, skill, and agility of the Australian cavalry, as well as the element of surprise
• Capture of Beersheba by the British Empire forces

  • Opened the way for further advances into Palestine and the eventual capture of Jerusalem
  • Weakened the Ottoman defensive line and set the stage for the subsequent battles that eventually led to the collapse of Ottoman rule in the region
• The Battle of Beersheba is remembered as a critical moment in World War I, particularly in the Middle Eastern theater, and it holds significant cultural and historical importance for Australia and New Zealand, commemorated annually as part of Anzac Day

  
• The war in the Middle East was different to the Western Front in that it was fought in far drier and hotter conditions
• After WW1, the Arabian peninsula underwent significant changes
• Lawrence of Arabia (T.E Lawrence)


  A mythological figure who played a significant role during WW1 in the Middle Eastern theater
• Lawrence of Arabia got his name from his time spent in the Middle East during WW1
• The First World War is often remembered as a conflict that took place in the wet and cold conditions on the western front in northern France
• There were significant battles that also occurred in Egypt and the Middle East, in far drier and hotter conditions than the western front
• This theatre of the war was fought mostly between the British forces located in Egypt and the Turkish Ottoman forces located in modern Turkey, Israel, and Palestine
• The Ottoman Empire joined WWI as a German ally in October 1914, and was therefore at war with Russia, to its north, as well as France and Britain
• In early 1915, the Turkish army attacked the Suez Canal in British-controlled Egypt
• The Ottoman forces were composed mainly of Arab units, led by a German commander called Kress von Kressenstein
• During the assault on the Suez Canal, the British forces successfully repelled the attackers
• The British forces didn't pursue the defeated Ottoman forces because of the size of the Sinai Desert that they had to cross in order to reach Palestine
• Very little happened in the region for the rest of 1915, as British forces based in Egypt were used in the failed Gallipoli landings from April to December of that year
• Due to the final withdrawal of the British forces from Gallipoli in December 1915, there was an influx of manpower back into Egypt to prepare for an assault on the Ottoman-controlled regions in the Middle East
• In January 1916, the British Army created a new army called the Egypt Expeditionary Force, led by the British General Sir Archibald Murray
• The most famous units that made up this force included the Australian Light Horse and the New Zealand Mounted Rifles
• Murray started his time in command by planning an attack on the Ottoman Empire that would take the British forces along the Mediterranean coastline
• This could keep him in contact with supplies by ship and rail while passing through the harsh desert environment
• The most important resources during the entire campaign would be water, as the Middle East is a dry and arid region, with few rivers and lakes
• The first operation that Australian troops were involved in was a reconnaissance mission on Wady um Muksheib on the 21st of March 1916
• This was then followed by an attack on the 13th of April, which led to the capture of Jifjapa
• Another British unit failed to capture Romani, which was held by a Turkish army led by von Kressenstein
• A new unit, called the ANZAC Mounted Division was formed, which was led by Australian Major General Harry Chauvel
• This new unit helped recapture Romani by 5th August
• For the rest of 1916, and into 1917, the British forces continued to advance north, capturing towns as they went
• However, access to water became the main concern over which settlements they took and when