Gaza

First Battle of Gaza

26th to 27th March 1917

An account of the 2nd day of the First Battle of Gaza, Tuesday 27th March 1917, is given by CSM Frederick John Rolph DCM of ‘A” Company 6th Essex:

“About 6am we were issuing water, when Captain Tee rushed up and said, ‘We have got to go up at once’. It seemed a great pity, for we were without water. Some poor beggars had drained their bottles in anticipation of getting them filled. Up we went ad were soon moving over the plain we had crossed the day before. There were a few shells about; also machine guns, but they did not do much damage. 

There were rows of casualties from the previous day, which seemed to be all from Welsh regiments - It was on the extreme right of our line. I don't think there were any Turks to stop us or they would have enfiladed us as we passed along In waves in front of their trenches. I saw Captain Tee to the left, so went over to him. He was standing under a tree, telling some men off for bunching just in front. We were held up for a while, as the artillery was shelling the Mosque on the top of Ali el Muntar. Then we crossed the sunken road and waited behind a cactus hedge.”

When the shelling ceased, I pushed on with Lance-Corporal Barry and explored a trench on the right, by means of which we were the first at the Mosque. seeing a little fort in front, we rushed over, but beyond machine guns we found nothing. When we got back to the Mosque men were put into the trench. Lance-Corporal Gibbs and a few men pushed after the Turks, who were located in some rows of cacti a few fields in front of us. I called him back, but he did not respond and it was the last I saw of him. The enemy were easily visible and we saw some of them go into Gaza itself, which lay to our left.”

After a while – I have no idea of time - we saw something which appeared to be sheep or goats coming over the hills from a direction which We later know to be Beersheba. Then through glasses they were identified as troops, but we were uncertain of their nationality, some of us thinking they were Indians. The Turks in front waved a white flag, which we thought was in token of surrender, but it was probable they were signaling the oncoming Turks, concerning whom we were then under no illusions. Events moved rapidly and a written message came from Colonel Bowker, ‘Withdraw fighting westward', brought by Private Swift, to whom many of us owed our safety. It was high ground where we were and we could see right over the plain. There was a good deal of machine gun fire from the extreme left of the Turkish line, which caused casualties, among them Private Dick Freeman. Private G Brazier was firing from behind a cactus hedge when a bullet came through one of the thick leaves and the juice spurted over his glasses. He had something very emphatic to say about the Turks."

Another little incident I always remember when we were busy getting away. I noticed one private lying back in a trench puling cactus thorns out of his knees. To get from the Mosque we had to cross the sunken road and it was there that poor old 'A' Company and some of 'B' Company, who had reinforced us, caught it, for I shall always believe 'Jacko' had a machine gun on the plain and another from the town trained on that spot. We went over one at a time and it was whilst standing on the other side that I saw the last of Lance-Corporal Skinner.

We made our way along the Turkish front line trench for some way and then a few of us crossed over towards the sea - still inside the defenses - and sheltered, as we thought, in some hollow ground, but soon found that the enemy had got the range, apparently with a machine gun from the Mosque. Several men were hit and some of us rushed out and after a time observed some of our troops holding a hill (Queen's Hill) on our half right. made my way over and found a line composed of Essex and 53" Division. It was a good job we left the trench when we did, for most of those who remained there were either killed or captured. The Turks sprayed us with shrapnel and as I had not an entrenching implement, I lay in a little gully. It was funny, but on the plain the previous day I had waited on the wounded for one. I got one, but gave it away and could not get another. Leather equipment was scarce.

The Turks did not seem inclined to attack, so the order was given, 'Essex get back to Mansura.' Back we went hot, tired and thirsty. ran across Colonel Bowker, who took the saddle of a Lewis gun mule and rode it. Presently we saw a crowd round a well, who called us over. Found they were Essex, who were lowering mess tins on puttees and fetching up dirty, muddy water. I filled myself until I bubbled over. We then reached Mansura and found the 5th holding the line across the plain. There Colonel Bowker organised us into two companies.”

Mentioned: 

• Captain Eric William Tee

• Lance-Corporal Barry

• Lance-Corporal Gibbs

• Colonel Bowker

• Private Swift

• Private Richard Freeman (275499)

• Private George Brazier (275876) 

• Lance Corporal Edward Skinner (275423) 

HOLY LAND

Perhaps many of your readers who have relatives and friends in Essex units would like to hear news of their boys who are fighting in the Holy land. Unfortunately, the news at present isn't going to be cheery, as ever so many of West Ham's boys now lie asleep on a green hillside in Palestine. Previous to the action which took place on about Monday, March 26th, we had trekked across endless deserts, marching day after day for weeks. Finally we reached a spot about three miles from the town of --------. The latter was a Turkish position, well fortified in many places. Strong redoubts dominated a huge wide, open plain, which gave no cover. Across this plain, against mighty odds, the Essex boys advanced. The leading battalions consisted of many men from Manor Park Ilford and Romford districts, followed by battalions well known to Stratford and Walthamstow. The whole force moved up under a murderous heavy fire from the strong Turkish redoubts, and in spite of the terrible conditions, lack of food and water and exhaustion, not one man faltered. We gained our objective towards evening and, utterly famished, gasping for water, we flung ourselves into the enemy's trenches and consolidated the position. Nightfall came, with all it's horrors. Dead and wounded were strewn on that hillside when the Turkish half-moon rose and shone on that ghastly scene. God it was terrible! Turkos and British both were too exhausted to carry on, and a parley was made to remove the wounded. All that night remnants from an Essex unit assisted to carry the wounded away. Dumps were made for the dead and pilled up for burial. Just after midnight we evacuated the hill, and retired. However, operations were again resumed next morning. The units who were acting as reserves in the previous day's attack moved up again. So the ------- and the --------- went through the whole action again. Needless to say, we suffered rather heavily. About midday I stopped a bullet in my chest and crawled to an advanced dressing station. A camel carried me away from the line, and later, by a series of intervals of a few miles, ambulance mule wagons, camels, stretchers, etc, I arrived here in this clearing station, where I met scores of Essex lads having their wounds dressed, all cheery as ever. Well I've tried to give you as I saw it all. Please tell West Ham people that Palestine is not Holy; on the contrary, it is full of blood, machine guns, shells made at our Woolwich probably, and, well it's not a land of milk and honey. All the boys were magnificent, splendid and I only wish that my poor uneducated brain could describe the sacrifice and heroism of Essex troops. Good luck to your paper. Now for a clean up, a nice bed, and clean sheets, operating tables and, best of all, English nurses, white ladies who speak English.

CON GRANGE

Base Hospital, March 30th, 1917.

Stamford Express

Second Battle of Gaza

17th to 19th April 1917

Third Battle of Gaza

27th October to 7th November 1917

"I am quite well. I know you must have been worrying since hearing of the scrapping out here. We have not had the chance to write before. Our boys did great. I came through without a scratch. Harry is alright too. I do not know about Edgar. I do not think he was in any fighting. I have received several letters just lately. I received your letter of the 17th Oct the afternoon we went over the top the second time. "

Lionel King, 9th November 1917

"We are having it pretty quiet at present. Our boys were well at it for over a week. I have not heard from Edgar yet. Harry is quite well & is in the same bivouac as myself. "

Lionel King, 12th November 1917

"I am writing this in hospital at El [??]. I have an ulcerated mouth. There isn’t very much wrong but as I couldn’t eat bully beef & biscuits I had to leave the boys. I am feeling fairly well in myself. I have not heard from Edgar at all. Harry was quite well when I left him up the line. The letter I am enclosing I wrote the day we started following up Johnny Turk. We have had no chance to get letters away. I left our batt. 34 miles past Gaza. Our boys have not been in any scrapping since the first week or 8 days to be correct. We did a record march. Our brigade marched 25 miles in the same number of hours. We had full pack & one blanket. Talk about human camels we weren’t in it! I am sorry to say I lost two particular pals in this scrap. R.I. was one, he was severely wounded by a shell & he died of wounds at Kantara. Well dear Mother & Dad our boys gave Johnny Turk a trousing this time for what he did last March. On the morning of the second it was a treat to see the barrage our artillery put up. As soon as it lifted our boys were in. And well the fact we have got the name of the blood thirsty 6th tells you something. I was stretcher bearer during the scrap. My mate & I were well to the front but when we got to the Turkish position my mate was hit in the shoulder so I had to carry on on my own. I could only dress the wounded + I am please to say there were very few. All the dead Johnnies were soon thrown over the trench. The turks are very dirty people. Flies in galore. "

Lionel King, 19th November 1917

R.I. refers to Private George Brazier who wrote a letter to Lionel's mother in June 1917 and called himself The Regimental Idiot