The Capture of Wadi el Hesi and the associated Sausage Ridge, began during the evening of 7 November 1917, was fiercely fought for during 8 November and not cleared until the early hours of 9 November, at the beginning of the pursuit phase of the Southern Palestine Offensive in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign during World War I. The advancing British Empire units of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) were held by rearguard units of the withdrawing Ottoman Empire units of the Yildirim Army Group, holding a strategically strong position to the north of Gaza.
After the EEF victory at the Battle of Beersheba, the Beersheba to Gaza line was broken in consequence of a series of attacks, at Tel el Khuweilfe, Hareira and Sheria and Gaza. The Ottoman 7th Division, one of the retreating Ottoman Army units, established a defensive line on the northern side of the Wadi el Hesi which included Sausage Ridge.Not to be confused with Sausage Ridge to the south east of Gaza, which had formed part of the Gaza to Beersheba defensive line, from before the Second Battle of Gaza and during the Stalemate in Southern Palestine. (See the second battle's article for Falls Map 14 showing Central operations on 17 April 1917 :File:FallsMap14detGaza.jpeg) After the wadi was fairly quickly crossed late on 7 November, Sausage Ridge protecting the road and railway along which the retreating Ottoman columns were traveling, was attacked on 8 November by the EEF's 52nd (Lowland) Division. However, supported by an Ottoman cavalry attack on the British infantry's northern flank, the Ottoman rearguard strongly defended the ridge all day and most of the night, until it was finally captured early on 9 November. By then the rearguard had successfully withdrawn along with the withdrawing Ottoman columns.
Background
After the capture of Beersheba on 31 October by General Edmund Allenby's forces, between 1 and 7 November strong Ottoman rearguards at Tel el Khuweilfe in the southern Judean Hills, at Hareira and Sheria on the maritime plain, and at Gaza close to the Mediterranean coast, held the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) in heavy fighting. Towards the end of the week the Ottoman Army was able to withdraw mainly at night in good order, under cover of effective rearguards.Grainger 2006, p. 159 The Ottoman XXII Corps had not been defeated at Gaza, but conducted a skillful, tactical retreat from the town, demonstrating both operational and tactical mobility.Erickson 2007 pp. 124–5 The Gaza garrison withdrew in three detachments, the Ottoman 53rd Division moved eastwards, delaying the pursuit by Desert Mounted Corps, the Ottoman 3rd Division occupied a strong rearguard position at Beit Hanun, while the Ottoman 7th Division established the Wadi el Hesi line of defences.Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 117, 130, Sketch Map 8 However, in conjunction with the captures in the centre of the line at Sheria, the occupation of Gaza enabled a swift direct advance northwards, preventing a strong consolidation of the Wadi el Hesi rearguard position.Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 76 This wadi was the second of the major watercourse on the Palestine coast, flowing parallel with, and north of the Wadi Ghuzzee.Bruce p. 146Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 131
Prelude
On 7 and 8 November rearguards of the Ottoman Eighth Army, delayed the EEF's advance by Lieutenant General Edward Bulfin's XXI Corps and Lieutenant General Harry Chauvel's Desert Mounted Corps.Preston 1921, p. 58
Ottoman withdrawal from Gaza Gaza was defended during the third battle for Gaza, by the XXII Corps commanded by Refet Bey with headquarters at Jebaliye holding the strongly fortified positions around Gaza: the 53rd Division's 3,100 rifles had held from the Mediterranean shore to the eastern side of Gaza (veteran of the Second Battle of Gaza), the 3rd Division's 3,698 rifles on their left (veteran of the First and Second Battles of Gaza), and the 7th Division's 2,886 rifles had been in Eighth Army reserve at Deir Sineid. The corps had been supported by 116 guns, six large naval guns, and several batteries of 150mm howitzers.Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 35, 42, 69Erickson 2001 pp. 170, 172 The rifle figures were as at 30 September 1917. Not mentioned are the machine guns, which progressively replaced 25% of the rifles in each infantry battalion, from 10 August 1917.Erickson 2007 p. 103 These divisions would have been included in a general activation of Stoßtruppen style assault troops, across the whole Ottoman Army. On 1 September 1917, Enver Pasha ordered assault battalions and detachments to be established in the Yildirim Army Group.Erickson 2007 pp. 104–5
After the limited fighting during the third battle, the Ottoman XXII Corps was not defeated, skillfully conducting a tactical retreat from Gaza, during which the corps demonstrated both operational and tactical mobility.
Gaza to Beersheba road At 01:00 on 7 November during the EEF occupation of Gaza the 233rd Brigade of the 75th Division (XXI Corps) took control of Outpost Hill on the eastern outskirts of Gaza without meeting any opposition. Only individual Ottoman riflemen opposed their occupation of Green Hill and the Labyrinth at 05:00, and by 07:00 the 233rd Brigade had patrols on Ali Muntar. However, on their right, the 234th Brigade (75th Division) was delayed by Ottoman units in strength armed with machine guns, defending Beer trench and Road Redoubt on the Gaza to Beersheba road.Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 75Keogh 1955 p. 161 These rearguards targeted the EEF rear during the day, delaying the hand over of the transport, from XX Corps to the XXI Corps.Wavell 1968 pp. 144–5
Tank and Atawineh Redoubts were defended by strong Ottoman rearguards, which targeted the increasing numbers of EEF infantry, with their artillery. The EEF units advanced behind Atawineh, Road and Tank Redoubts' flanks and eventually occupied them by nightfall. Allenby had decided by noon on 7 November, to leave them as "their garrison must surrender, and I am not wasting men by assaulting them."Allenby letter to Wigram 7 November 1917 intended for the King in Hughes 2004 p. 79 During the morning of 8 November, a detachment of the 10th (Irish) Division (XX Corps) advanced along the road to Gaza from Beersheba, to find touch with the Composite Force of the XXI Corps near Atawineh, having passed the undefended Hairpin redoubt on Sausage Ridge.Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 110–1
Ottoman 53rd Division After evacuating Gaza the Ottoman 53rd Division advanced eastwards towards Huj, marching across the front of the advancing cavalry, to stop the threatened breakthrough by Desert Mounted Corps,Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 117 and to cover the retreating columns.Grainger 2006 p. 153 The superior strength of this Ottoman division, temporarily halted and drove in the advance squadrons of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade and the 7th Mounted Brigade on their right, but withdrew towards the Wadi el Hesi when threatened by the 1st Light Horse Brigade. However under cover of this attack, the Ottoman 16th and 26th Divisions were able to withdraw, without being harassed.Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 118
Wadi el Hesi defences A second group of the retreating Gaza garrison had marched through the previous night, to gain distance and time to establish light field defences on a strong position just north of the Wadi el Hesi, north north east of Gaza. In the sand dunes and in the cultivated area nearby, they constructed a series of short trenches. Behind these defences they resisted the EEF advance all day,Preston 1921 pp. 48–51Baly 2003 p. 124Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 131–2Gullett 1919 p. 16 making a determined stand on the Wadi el Hesi.Powles 1922 p. 143 It was towards this line held by the 7th Division, that the 53rd Division had withdrawn,Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 118, Sketch Map 8 while the 3rd Division held Beit Hanun.Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 130
Rising in the Judean Hills, the Wadi el Hesi stretched west to enter the sea north of Gaza. When not flowing, water was available all year round, either in large pools, or just below the surface. On the northern bank, in the small village of Herbie, in the areas of cultivation, and in the sand dunes, the Ottoman rearguard constructed lines of trenches, which made the most of the natural strengths of the area. However, this second line was not nearly as strong as the Gaza to Beersheba line, and was vulnerable to attack from the south over the sand dunes.
The aim of this rearguard was to delay the EEF advance until the arrival of the winter rains. In the mud, the Ottoman Army was hopeful that it could to hold the EEF until spring, when reinforcements from the Baghdad campaign in Mesopotamia were expected to arrive in Southern Palestine, along with Ottoman divisions from Salonika. German battalions might also become available following Russia's withdrawal from the war.Massey 1919 p. 45
EEF pursuit On 7 November, the 54th (East Anglian) Division (XXI Corps) had taken over garrison duties in Gaza, while their 162nd Brigade advanced through the gardens and fields to the main road, north of the town.Bruce 2002 p. 143 While it has been suggested the 54th (East Anglian) Division subsequently occupied the Wadi el Hesi,Carver 2003 p. 218 due to supply problems this division was forced to remain at Gaza.Wavell 1968 pp. 150–1Bruce 2002 pp. 147–9 Although dumps of rations, ammunition and engineer stores had been formed in concealed positions in the XXI Corps area before the Third Battle of Gaza, the corps was not in a position to move any distance. Almost all of their transport except ammunition tractors had been transferred to the XX Corps and the Desert Mounted Corps for their attacks during the Battle of Beersheba.Keogh 1955 p. 137Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 21–2
The XXI Corps ordered the 52nd (Lowland) Division to take up a line from the Jaffa road north of Sheikh Radwan to the sea on the northern outskirts of Gaza, and the 157th Brigade (52nd Division) with a squadron of the XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment on their right, began the infantry pursuit by passing through the 54th (East Anglian) Division to advance along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, to occupy Sheikh Hasan by 12:15.Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 75–6Grainger 2006 p. 150 The 157th Brigade was also supported by the 264th Brigade RFA (with footed wheels) and the 413th Field Company Royal Engineers. By 16:00, these troops were seen marching along the coast towards the mouth of the Wadi el Hesi, the nearest likely defensive line north of Gaza.Egyptian Expeditionary Force General Staff War Diary 7 November 1917 AWM4-1-6-19 Part 2Grainger 2006 p. 155
Beit Hanun On the eastern side of Gaza, the 75th Division (XXI Corps) commanded by Major General Philip Palin, with the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade attached, had been ordered to exploit any potential breakthrough. The cavalry brigade, which had been carrying out patrol duties based at Tel el Jemmi, during fighting for the Gaza to Beersheba line,Grainger 2006 p. 145Anon 1920 p. 14 rode through the ruins of Gaza at 09:00. They arrived at Beit Hanun at 13:00, where the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade encountered part of the Gaza garrison defending a strong rearguard position on a ridge south-east of Beit Hanun.Preston 1921 pp. 48–9Grainger 2006 pp. 149–50The Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade had served in the Force in Egypt during the defence of the Suez Canal including the Raid on Suez Canal early in 1915. Subsequently they served on the EEF lines of communication before coming under the direct command of Allenby. [Grainger 2006 pp. 128–9]