The Passage of the Nahr el 'Auja

[michaeldr]

Remembering today the Passage of the Nahr el 'Auja on the night of 20-21 December 1917, by the 52nd Division's 155th, 156th and 157th Brigades

From the OH, Military Ops., Egypt & Palestine (from June 1917 to the end of the War) Part I

"The attack had, then, been a complete success at every point. About daybreak pontoon bridges were thrown at Jerishe and near the river's mouth, but prior to this two field batteries had managed to cross by the bar. The 412th Field Company had assembled a barrel bridge in the Nahr el Baride and floated it down into the 'Auja, but the sodden state of the banks prevented its completion until the morning of the 22nd. The 410th Field Company repaired the stone bridge at Hadra.

The passage of the 'Auja has always been regarded as one of the most remarkable feats of the Palestine Campaign. A great achievement it was, but its chief merits were its boldness – justifiable against troops known to be sluggish and slack in outpost work and already shaken by defeat – its planning, the skill of the engineers, the promptitude with which unexpected difficulties in the bridging of the river were met; finally, the combined discipline and dash of the infantry which carried out the operation without a shot being fired before daylight and won the works on the right bank with the bayonet. The hazard was great, for had the enemy defended his strong positions with vigour the conditions under which the crossing was carried out would have been very unfavourable to the attackers. So far as fighting went the 52nd Division had actually not to face any such resistance as it had overcome in its succession of dourly-contested brigade actions between Gaza and Maghar or in the Judean Hills. Its casualties were, in fact, only 102."

The 155th Brigade's memorial at the site of their crossing - the river is just behind the first row of trees

The 412th Field Company's barrel bridge

The Mill at Jerishe, the other side of which is where a pontoon bridge was thrown across the 'Auja

My apologies for the technical glitch which spoilt an earlier attempt to add these pics.

Edited 21 December , 2009 by michaeldr

[Ian Senior y Morrison]

Remembering today the Passage of the Nahr el 'Auja on the night of 20-21 December 1917, by the 52nd Division's 155th, 156th and 157th Brigades

From the OH, Military Ops., Egypt & Palestine (from June 1917 to the end of the War) Part I

"The attack had, then, been a complete success at every point. About daybreak pontoon bridges were thrown Jerishe and near the river's mouth, but prior to this two field batteries had managed to cross by the bar. The 412th Field Company had assembled a barrel bridge in the Nahr el Baride and floated it down into the 'Auja, but the sodden state of the banks prevented its completion until the morning of the 22nd. The 410 Field Company repaired the stone bridge at Hadra.

The passage of the 'Auja has always been regarded as one of the most remarkable feats of the Palestine Campaign. A great achievement it was, but its chief merits were its boldness – justifiable against troops known to be sluggish and slack in outpost work and already shaken by defeat – its planning the skill of the engineers, the promptitude with which unexpected difficulties in the bridging of the river were met; finally, the combined discipline and dash of the infantry which carried out the operation without a shot being fired before daylight and won the works on the right bank with the bayonet. The hazard was great, for had the enemy defended his strong positions with vigour the conditions under which the crossing was carried out would have been very unfavourable to the attackers. So far as fighting went the 52nd Division had actually not to face any such resistance as it had overcome in its succession of dourly-contested brigade actions between Gaza and Maghar or in the Judean Hills. Its casualties were, in fact, only 102."

The 155th Brigade's memorial pillar at the site of their crossing

The barrel-bridge which was built by the 412th Field Company and floated out of the Baride and into the Auja

The Mill at Jerishe where a pontoon bridge was thrown across the Auja

Although this is inded the case, the British posts in the Auja salient were penetrated on 14-07-1918, by an Ottoman attack utilising German storm troops. Australian & New Zealand troops aided by British mountain artillrty were able to reverse their losses after a 20 hour counter

[michaeldr]

Although this is inded the case, the British posts in the Auja salient were penetrated on 14-07-1918, by an Ottoman attack utilising German storm troops. Australian & New Zealand troops aided by British mountain artillrty were able to reverse their losses after a 20 hour counter

Can you please re-check this, as I think that you may in fact be referring to an incident on the Jordan Valley front, rather than on the Mediterranean coast? One of the problems with the the campaigns against the Turks is the proliferation of different places with the same name.

here is a map of the action on 20-21st December 1917

Edited 21 December , 2009 by michaeldr

[Ian Senior y Morrison]

Although this is inded the case, the British posts in the Auja salient were penetrated on 14-07-1918, by an Ottoman attack utilising German storm troops. Australian & New Zealand troops aided by British mountain artillrty were able to reverse their losses after a 20 hour counter

Can you please re-check this, as I think that you may in fact be referring to an incident on the Jordan Valley front, rather than on the Mediterranean coast? One of the problems with the the campaigns against the Turks is the proliferation of different places with the same name.

here is a map of the action on 20-21st December 1917

Yes Michael the incident is the Battle of Abu Tellul, near Musallabe ,close to the Jordan segment of its tributary the -River Auja-. This tributary as the map outlines branches off from the Jordan and ends in the Mediteranean Sea

[michaeldr]

This tributary as the map outlines branches off from the Jordan and ends in the Mediteranean Sea

Ian,

I hope that the explanation & map below will be of help here

Lying between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan Valley, the Judean Hills provide a watershed; to the west, water flows into the Med., and to the east, it flows into the River Jordan.

On this map, the headwaters of the Nahr el 'Auja are shown on the beige coloured strip (which signifies land at an altitude of between 500 and 1500 feet) above the words 'Mount Ephraim.'

Alas, the Wadi el 'Auja is not shown on the map here, however it flows eastward and into the Jordan at a point just beneath the first 'R' in the words 'River Jordan'

Apart from the similarity of their Arabic names, there is no connection whatsoever between the two

best regards

Michael

[Ian Senior y Morrison]

This tributary as the map outlines branches off from the Jordan and ends in the Mediteranean Sea

Ian,

I hope that the explanation & map below will be of help here

Lying between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan Valley, the Judean Hills provide a watershed; to the west, water flows into the Med., and to the east, it flows into the River Jordan.

On this map, the headwaters of the Nahr el 'Auja are shown on the beige coloured strip (which signifies land at an altitude of between 500 and 1500 feet) above the words Mount Ephraim.

Alas, the Wadi el 'Auja is not shown on the map here, however it flows eastward and into the Jordan at a point just beneath the first 'R' in the words 'River Jordan'

Apart from the similarity of their Arabic names, there is no connection whatsoever between the two

best regards

Michael

Thanks Michael

You've been very enlightening. I know now the physical feature.

Water must flow from a high to lower. It cant go up and then back down.

Thank you

Regards

Ian