Dorset House - Gaza

[ddycher]

Does anyone have any detail on Dorset House at Gaza ?

I have been able to position it. I know it was a position some 2m South of Kurd Hill and 4m East of Deir el Belah - and have a map of 2nd Gaza showing it. I also know it was the holding point for the 75th Divisional Reserve for 3rd Gaza but past that I have been able to find little further info.

In addition I have a number of confused references to Dorset House or Apsley House which I have not been able to seperate and dont know if they are actually one and the same place at the moment.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

regards

Dave

[Amnon]

Hi Dave,

A late reply but bettter than nothing. Since I live in the area I bielive I know this place. According to map from "The Fifty - Second (Lowland) Division 1914 - 1918" book, "Dorset House" situated on the Southren bank of Wadi Nukhbir about 1.5 km. from Kh. Umm Jerrar on the Northren Bank of Wadi Gaza. It also close to Sheikh Nebhan on Wadi Gaza bank too.

There is another place "Apsley House" about 1.5 km. North from "Dorset House".

"Dorset House" is mention in relation to water supply to the Gaza front. the pipe line (4") from Deir el Belah pass close to it. also, a deep bore has been sunk there and the water pumped to the advance trenches near Gaza (H, S, Gullett 1923: Official History of Australia in the War of 1914 - 1918. p. 365)

John More, Captain from the 53rd (Welsh) Division say that he never found out why it call "Dorset House" (More, J. 1923: With Allenby's Crusaders. p. 46)

Today there is a ruin building and some wells in this place. I believe that this building is late.

regards

Amnon,

[ddycher]

Amnon

Many thanks - first time I have been able to position Apsley House.

Very helpful.

Regards

Dave

[johnshep]

Dave and Amnon

I am pleased to be able to shed a bit of further light on this for you. The following is taken from C W Thompson's Records of the Dorset Yeomanry, pp73 - 75 which I will cite in its entirety as it is not without interest in its own right:

"From 27th March till the 16th April [1917] the Regiment [Queens Own Dorset Yeomanry] was either in camp at Deir-el-Belah or else on outpost duty to the north of that place, and although repeatedly sniped at, and occasionally visited by hostile aircraft, life, on the whole was not strenuous. It was during this period that, late one night, C Squadron [the squadron in which my father served], under Major Gordon, was ordered to be ready at dawn the next morning, to escort some surveying officers in the direction of Mansura ridge. The Squadron, riding light, met the Staff officers at 'Peculiar Tree', and it was thought that with a bit of dash the ridge might be gained. Passing through the infantry, the Squadron made straight for the ridge , which, to the surprise of all, they reached without trouble. A Section under Corporal Basil Eames [a Shaftesbury man and close friend of my father] was then pushed forward to make good the ground beyond, and, quite unexpectedly, the Corporal led his men right up to the Turkish trenches; the mutual surprise of both parties was considerable. Eames went about at once, and the Turks, now thoroughly awake, opened heavy fire, but short range shooting is, apparently, not one of the Turks strong points, for the whole section regained the ridge without loss. Meanwhile Gordon sent [Captain] Lees out with Sergeant Cullis's troop to watch the left flank, and shortly afterwards Lees was told that the surveyors were going to swing round to the left to 'Queen's Hill', one of the knolls of a ridge running due south from Gaza, and 5,000 yards from it. Giving time for the party to get under weigh [sic], Lees then took the troop and made for another knoll on the same ridge, and 1,000 yards nearer Gaza. This he occupied under fire, and the position being very unsatisfactory, Lees took a Hotchkiss gun and proceeded to range on the Turkish trenches. This was too much for the Turk, who now opened heavy fire, but, fortunately for the troop, the shots went high, although they made the surveyors on Queens Hill rather uncomfortable, and so it is not surprising that soon a message came through to say the survey was finished. It was easy enough to take the Hotchkiss gun out to its position while the enemy was more or less quiet, but the job now was to get it away under the hail of bullets the Turk was sending over. Scrambling out, Lees was able, by crawling on his belly, and following a gentle depression, to arrive at the gun unseen. Here he told Corporal Davies to drag the gun out by the same way he had come, and Private Davis was similarly instructed to bring the ammunition. Lees and the Corporal got back safely with the gun, and, looking round, they were amazed to see Private Davis suddenly get up and run towards them with his ammunition. Directly he got up, a heavy fire was opened on him, but, fortunately, he got through without a scratch, and fell exhausted at Lees' feet, there to meet with a few well-meant, but sulpherous, remarks from his Captain and his Corporal

The day's work was an ordinary example of many another similar job, but that it was important is testified by the fact that on the battle maps issued for the second battle of Gaza, two points - 'Dorset House' and 'Lees' Hill' - appear, so christened by the Staff Officers the Dorsets escorted."

If you have images of battle maps with these features marked on them, I would be most interested to see them.

John

[ddycher]

John

Fascinating stuff.

My research focus's on the 75th Division and therefore from the third battle of Gaza. :

1. Dorset House - I had it positioned ~2 miles South of Kurd Hill. I have a map from Gaza II showing Dorset House for 19th April.

2. Lee's Hill - I had it positioned 800 yds NW of Kurds Hill and Queens Hill and that it was taken by the EEF on 19th April.

If you PM me I would be happy to share any maps I have.

Regards

Dave

[Amnon]

John,

Very nice story

It's took me a long time to figure out how to attach the map and I fail. so, if you want the map please send your E. Mail l will mail it to you.

Amnon,

[ddycher]

A public thank you.

Via this thread and subsequent email com's with Amnon I have been able to break a research block re Apsley House and Dorset House which I have stumbled around for a long time.

Lots of questions recently in threads on the support of fellow members. This a great example why after years on this forum I still believe there is nothing comes close.

Thank you forum / Amnon.

Regards

Dave