1/4th Northamptonshire casualties in 1917

[Bathe]

Apologies to the experts but I'm branching into unknown territory with this one, and my searches on this forum haven't provided all the answers - yet. I know no more of the Palestinian campaign than that portrayed in "Lawrence of Arabia"

The trigger is this picture sent in low-res by a distant cousin. It has the cryptic but sad caption on the back "1916 All lost their lives in 1917. Dad's mates"

"Dad" lived in the tiny Northamptonshire village of Old where today there is a war memorial with a dozen names of young men whose lives were cut short during the 1914-18 conflict.

The following is the list of names on the memorial with additional notes (eg regiment, date of death etc) via Ancestry with those who died in 1917 in bold

Pte Oliver Archer, 18th Battn Lancashire Fusiliers, died 22 October 1917

Pte Edward Frank Bamford, 1st Battn Northamptonshire Regt, died 21 December 1914

Pte Arthur Richard Bugby, 44th Battn New Brunswick Regt, Canadian Expeditionary Force, died 13 August 1918

Pte Thomas Edward Holt, 23rd Battn Royal Fusiliers (City of London), died 23 March 1918

Capt Frances Ernest Knight, 2nd Battn Northamptonshire Regt, died 4 March 1917 - he was living in Surrey and working for the Crown Agents for the Colonies in Whitehall before the war

2nd Lt Philip Knight, 2nd Battn Northamptonshire Regt, died 28 May 1917 (brother of Capt Knight)

Pte Charles Henry Norton MM, 1/4th Battn Northamptonshire Regt, died 27 November 1917

Pte Alfred Thomas Norton, 1/4th Battn Northamptonshire Regt, died 19 April 1917 (brother of Charles Norton)

Cpl Robert William Taylor, Labour Corps (formerly 1st Northamptonshire Regt, a regular from 1909, wounded 11 March 1915, left thumb amputated, transferred to Royal Defence Corps, then to Labour Corps), died 26 October 1918 of pneumonia in France

Pte Albert Edward Tarry [ believed to be Gunner Albert Ernest David Tarry, Royal Field Artillery - who was from Old - died 1 December 1918 ]

Pte William Frank Wagstaff, 1st Battn Northamptonshire Regt, died 16 March 1915

Pte Frank Wootton, 1st Battn Cheshire Regt (transferred from Royal Engineers), died 28 June 1917

The cap badges in the photo look as if they are probably the Northamptonshire Regiment's - but are they all the same? Of course "Dad" would have had mates in neighbouring villages, but there is a strong probability at least some of those in the photo were from Old and so, discounting the two from other regiments and the two officers who had originally volunteered as privates in the Universities & Public Schools Brigade at the start of the war, there is a strong probability that one or both of the Norton brothers are in this photo, and the others are probably also from 1/4th Northants. Who each of the men in the photo were, we'll probably never know, but I was wondering if

1. does anyone know how many of the 1/4th died in 1917 ( I gather the battalion lost 417 men in all during the whole war)?

2. how many of these were at Wilhelma on 27 November 1917 when Pte Charles Norton was lost?

3. what the action was on 19 April 1917 in which Pte Alfred Norton lost his life?

4. when and for what action did Pte Charles Norton gain his Military Medal (can't find it in the London Gazette)?

[Stebie9173]

Hello,

Just got in tonight, so I will struggle to answer the questions tonight, but will get back to you!

Some very quick notes,

1. 264 men of the 1/4th Battalion lost their lives in 1917 (137 on 19-4-1917 and in the subsequent days; 102 on 2-11-1917).

2. Twenty men of the 1/4th Battalion were killed at Wilhelma.

3. The 19th April 1917 was the date when the 1/4th Northamptons attacked at the 2nd Battle of Gaza in follow up to the initial British attack on 17th April 1917.

4. Charles Norton's MM was for "gallantry at the 2nd battle of Gaza on 19th April 1917, in aiding Captain Dudley Ross Church after the officer had been wounded, and for conveying an important message from Captain Church under heavy fire to battalion headquarter during the battle. After delivering the message he returned to Captain Church and helped him through the night."

I think that there was a longish article about the event in the local paper. I will try and dig it out.

Here is Charles Norton. He doesn't particularly look like any of the men in the photo.

To be honest the badges don't look like the Northamptonshire Regiment to me.

Who is "Dad" - we may be able to narrow down who his mates may have been by knowing who he was.

Steve.

[Stebie9173]

This is Alfred Norton:

He looks a bit like the man on the left as we look?

One brother awarded a medal, and his brother killed on the same day....

Steve.

[Bathe]

Dear Steve

Many thanks for answering all my questions and for the pictures of the Norton brothers

Based on the origin of all the photos in the collection, "Dad" was Frederick Wagstaff but so far I have not been able to find out for sure the unit with which he served - there are 12 Frederick Wagstaffs on Ancestry's MIC list, plus a another 8 Fred Wagstaffs, not counting the 16 with a second initial (!)

I do know he was the brother of Frank Wagstaff, 1st Battn Northants, who appears on the Old Memorial as William Frank Wagstaff.

What is confusing is that there are several other photos in the collection of soldiers of the First World War - many of "Mum"'s side of the family who we've been able to name - but at least two shots of different unnamed individuals (one could be Frederick, the other Frank) and another named soldier (Goodrich), who appears to have had nothing to do with either side of the family!

There are also two posed groups - one of 10 men with a board in front painted with "B/245 By RFA" and the other of 16 men outside a barrack room with Royal Fusilier grenades on the two caps that are visible.

From the MICs, there were several Frederick/Fred Wagstaff who served with the RFA and one with the Royal Fusiliers (but then so did one of Mum's brothers...).The cap badges of the Four Mates that started this research are neither RFA nor Royal Fusiliers.

I am trying to get info from the distant side of the family, but no luck so far

Many thanks once again

Peter

[Stebie9173]

Sometime you just have to ask the right question!

I think this will help. It is the 1918 Absent Voters List:

Steve.

[Bathe]

Dear Steve

Brilliant! Absolutely Brilliant!

I agree. Sometimes you have to ask the right questions

but far more importantly you have to ask the right person!

Thank you so much - the Absent Voters List for Old was not something I had thought about. By 1918, Frederick Wagstaff was married and his new bride lived in Sydenham, south London, which is where all their children were born. I had assumed that he would be on an electoral roll in south London (not that I've had an opportunity to search for one) - but getting the name of the corps he served with is a great help: of all the unindentified photos we have, only one has an ASC cap badge!

Not that this is final evidence, but at least I know which photos to concentrate on.

But it is still impossible to forget the Four Mates who looked so young when they were photographed the year before they lost their lives

Thanks again

Peter

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

I can't help with your question but can add to the situation at that time during the Turkish attack during late Nov and Dev 1917;

This artical I wrote deals with the Camel Corps Bde next to the the unit you are after and may put the fighting in context?

BATTLE OF BALD HILL

by Steve Becker

By the closing days of November 1917 the Camel Brigade had been in constant movement and action since the 29 October having advanced from Beersheba to Jaffa in about four weeks fighting a major battle and a number of skirmishes along the way, both animals and men were worn out. The camels unused to the hard rocky ground in Palestine then to the soft sands of the Sinai were tormented from sore feet which had crippled them by the hundreds and camel itch (a type of septic sore) had broken out and where the good old mange dressing was all that was keeping most alive still numerous animals had to be destroyed. All companies in the Brigade were suffering and they were now so reduced in both men and camels by disease and casualties that they were a shadow of their former selves.

The Brigade at this time consisted of the following Troops;

Camel Bde HQ Gen Smith VC

2nd British Battalion LtCol Buxton 7th Co Capt Gregory

8th Co Capt Paterson

9th Co Capt Newsam

10th Co Capt Wilkinson

3rd Anzac battalion LtCol DeLancey-Forth 11th Co Lt Dixon

12th Co Capt Norris

13th Co Capt Nobes

14th Co Capt Ranclaud

4th Anzac Battalion LtCol Lee 15th NZ Co Lt Black

16th NZ Co Capt Yerex

17th Co Capt Hampton

18th Co Capt Howard

26th MG Sqn Maj Millar

Camel FA LtCol Arnold

In the week following the battle at Khuweilfe the Camel Brigade was moved along the Palestine coast where the sandy soils of the coast were more agreeable to the animals then the hard ground of the mountains, there in support of the Yeomanry Division and the 52nd Division the Brigade fought and chased up the retreating 8th Turkish Army.

On 13 November the 2nd British Battalion supported by the 4th Anzac Battalion assaulted the village of Yebna held by the 3rd Turkish Division 22nd Corps, the action was over quickly as the Turks retired before the Camel companies came into contact, however an unluckily HE shell fell into the 16th Company killing Private John Bugde and wounding five soldiers.

During the 14 November the 2nd Battalion supported the New Zealand Mounted Brigade at Ayun Kara where the kiwi’s fought off a large force of the Turks. The 9th Company at Kubeibe was committed late in the day.

Between the 16 and 17 November the Brigade was on the line Abu Shusheh to Barriye when they came under fire from the Turks, nevertheless no losses were recorded, and by the 19 November the Brigade was at Surafend.

On the 22 November the Camel Brigade was attached to the Anzac Mounted Division under General Chaytor and ordered to move to Bald Hill to cover the right flank of the Desert Mounted Corps under General Chauvel on the Nahr El Auja line. This feature was 8 miles northeast of Jafa and the 2nd Battalion relieved the 7th Light Horse Regiment at 10 am and occupied a line from Yehudiyeh in the south tying in with the 1/4th Northamptonshire Battalion of the 54th Division at Wilhelma and the 5th Light Horse Regiment of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade in the north around Mulebbis who supplied and maintained mounted patrols covering the area around Bald Hill to the north and east.

The 2nd Battalion started to dig positions along the Bald Hill feature which lay between Mulebbis and Yehudiyeh. The ground needed to be covered was extensive with only the Brigade Machine Gun Squadron had arrived as support, for the remainder of the Camel Brigade were still on the move up from the Plains of Sharon. The battalion occupied the following positions, the 8th Company under Captain Robert Paterson on the right over looking Yehudiyeh, the 7th company under Captain Fleming Gregory in the centre, and one section of the 10th company was on Bald Hill, the 9th company under Captain Arthur Newsam with three sections of the 10th company under Captain AG Wilkinson were held in reserve. The 5th Australian Light Horse regiment continued the line from the north of Bald Hill towards Mulebbis.

On the 25 November the 4th Anzac Battalion arrived, taking over the Bald Hill defences at 8 am and relieved the 2nd Battalion which moved to Selmeh into reserve and was placed under orders to support the Anzac Mounted Division, while the balance of the Brigade bivouacked between Ibn Ibrak and Salmeh. The Camel Brigade was still without the support of any artillery as the Hong Kong and Singapore Battery had been attached to the Yeomanry Division on the 17 November and was now making their way to Jerusalem.

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Lee Commanding the 4th Anzac Battalion deployed one section of the 17th Company on a commanding position to the extreme right in post 1 on Point 249 overlooking Yehudiyeh, the 15th NZ Company under Lieutenant Alexander Black was placed on the left flank around Bald Hill with two section each in posts 5 & 6 with post 5 on Bald Hill also called Point 265, the 16th NZ Company under Captain George Yerex provided three posts 2, 3 & 4 between these flanks taking in Yafa Hill and Point 266 and Point 286. The 18th Company under Captain Stan Howard with three sections of 17th company under Captain John Hampton and Battalion HQ were held in close reserve and dug in to the rear and south of Point 288 also called Lone Tree Hill or One Tree Hill, about 400 yards southwest of Bald Hill. No patrols were placed by the 4th Anzac Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Lee instead relying on the 2nd Light Horse brigade to inform him of any Turks movement to his front by their standing patrols.

Bald Hill was a large open whale-backed feature which dominated the surrounding area, it was exposed to all sides and little cover was available only a strip of cactus on the northern side, there were also a number of large Almond tree orchards around the area in front of Bald Hill which units of the Light horse were garrisoning. The main feature was broken by a re-entrant between Lone Tree Hill and Yafa Hill while a number of small wadis cut the surface between Bald Hill and Lone Tree Hill which was to its rear. Bald Hill was an important position in the defence of Jaffa as its loss and a Turkish breakthrough there would expose the Allied defences along the Nahr El Auja and force General Chauvel to retire south of Jaffa, and so it was vital that Bald Hill had to be held.

By the end of November the Allied offensive around Jaffa was now wearing down as the threat moved towards Jerusalem. The German Commander General Von Falkenhayn was committed to relieving this pressure on his Seventh Army under Fevzi Pasha in its defence of Jerusalem and the Eighth Turkish Army under Kress Von Kressenstein was ordered to counterattack the exposed Allied line along the Northern flank. As new Turkish Divisions began to appear these enabled him to plan a number of attacks all along the Northern front particularly the area of Nahr El Auja where Colonel Refet Bey the commander of the 22nd Turkish Corps with the 20th and 16th Turkish Division’s were given the objective of Bald Hill and the surrounding area to cut off allied troops in the Nahr El Auja.

The Veteran 20th Division under Lieutenant Colonel Yasin Hilmi and its Regiments, the 61st under Lieutenant Colonel Bahattin, the 62nd under Major Nazmi and the 63rd Turkish Infantry under Major Ahmet Muhtar with the 20th Artillery Regiment under Major Suleyman Avni had just arrived at the Palestine front fresh from its victories in Galicia where a special Storm Battalion of trained storm troops including flamethrowers and grenadiers were grouped from the 19th and 20th Turkish Infantry Divisions for the 15th Turkish Corps, it is not known if some of these troops were with the 20th Division, as most of the Storm Battalion were attached to the 19th Division during there attack against the 3rd Light Horse Brigade at El Burj probably something like a company of these trained assault troops appear to have been. The 16th Division was by this time exhausted by weeks of warfare having completed a fighting withdraw from Gaza and its Regiments the 48th, the 79th and 125th Turkish Infantry were all under strength nevertheless unquestioningly carried out their part in the following battle, attached to the 22nd Corps was the Austrian Orbus 73rd Heavy Artillery Battalion.

The 20th Division completed their assembly into the area of Ras el Ain and Mejdel Yaba by the 25 November, and then began to filter into the area around Mulebbis fitting next to the 16th Turkish Division already in the line. The 2nd Light Horse Brigade had quickly detected them and engaged small groups of Turks on the 26 November and a force of four thousand Turks were observed moving in the area north the old Jewish colony of Mulebbis only the ground was cut by orchards and the main force was skilful enough to build up undisturbed for the attack.

When the 4th Anzac Battalion had taken over its new area they commenced to dig their defences, however tools were short and only superficial work was completed on the trenches which had been dug in the stony ground still since the battalion was in support of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade and would probity move, not enough of the defences had been completed at the time of the attack. The departing British 2nd Camel Battalion had informed there relief that Mulebbis village, to there northern front was full of eggs, milk and oranges nonetheless patrols from the NZ companies failed to locate any, little knowing that the Turks had filtered into the town. For the last few days indications were seen that the Turks was planning something big as columns of transport could be seen in the distance, still no Turks were seen in front of Bald Hill and escaped detection by the Light Horse.

At 6.15 am on the 27 November a intense concentrated barrage of Turkish artillery fell on Mulebbis, Bald Hill and on the 54th Division in the area of Wihelmia, the combined 4.2’s and 5.9’s of the 20th and 16th Turkish Artillery Regiments and the 73rd Heavy Artillery Battalion forced the troops to their trenches allowing a large force of around four thousand Turks to overrun and capture the town of Mulebbis from a thin skirmish line of the 6th Light Horse Regiment, who retired in front of them inflicting casualties on the Turks as they left an Almond orchard around the village. The Turkish artillery could be seen firing from the plain below while the movement of the Turks could be followed, still without any attached guns the Camel Brigade could do little to break them up. By 8.30 am a strong force of about 400 men from the 61st Turkish Infantry Regiment using this orchard as a forming up point attacked the exposed left flank of the 15th company on Bald Hill around Posts 5 and 6, the New Zealanders held their posts with difficulty as the Turks worked their way along both flanks, as an intense cross fire and bomb fight developed however in the end the section posts 5 and 6 were overrun or in the words of one kiwi “were compelled to retire” some time before 9 am.

At Post 5 during this fight Lieutenant Clifford Gorringe 15th Company soon found he was driven out by this sudden attack, then at once counterattacked with the survivors, and directed fire on the exposed Turks and inspired his men with his bravery as this contest lasted for some time till he was wounded, shot in the head. The fighting was fierce around these exposed posts and Sergeant William Trott was shot in the thigh and Private Tom Boyd was shot in the back, while others were hit by shell fire of whom Sergeant George Parsons was hit by a splinter in the arm and Private Victor Wright in the leg, while Private Charles McArthur was seriously wounded and died later in the day. The garrison was slowly reduced by casualties then fearing encirclement the company was forced to give ground. Mean while at another post Sergeant Leslie Purves soon found him self cut off by both shell and machine gun fire and carried the seriously wounded Lieutenant Sam Gooding to the rear when the company was ordered to retire. This retirement happen abruptly and the company abandoned much equipment which could not be recovered as the men quickly moved to the reserve positions around Lone Tree Hill carrying their wounded and fighting as they moved.

The sudden withdrawal by the 15th company put the entire Brigade defences in danger as the Turks were energetic to take advantage of the collapse around Bald Hill with the abandonment by the 15th company, which now exposed the 16th company, who had to fight the Turks attacking on their rear and flanks, no request for reinforcement or to retire was sent by Lieutenant Black to Lieutenant Colonel Lee and their collapse happen within half an hour of the first assault.

With the left flank of the 16th Company now in the air, they continued to struggle during which Sergeant James Adams of 16th company was prominent in the action holding post 4 against heavy odds and suffering 50% casualties. Among the casualties was Private Ash Giles, who was shot in the arm and leg, and Corporal Percy Coxhead shot in the arm, still they continued to fight as the long morning dragged on.

Around midday Lieutenant Colonel Lee became aware of the serious trouble with his command and realized that the 16th company was about to be surrounded and captured, regardless of holding on all morning, and now ordered posts 2, 3 and 4 held by the 16th company and a number of survivors of the 15th company to be abandoned before they were cut off. Despite the valiant defence by the New Zealanders its withdrawal resulted in a running fight in trenches and along a cactus hedge as the troops struggled to retire to the 18th Company positions in rear of Bald Hill near Lone Tree Hill.

On arrival Trooper Robert Maxwell of the 16th company found his mate missing during the withdrawal and returned the 500 yards threw the Turkish positions found his mate and rescued him under the eyes of the Turkish troops and regaining the 18th company trenches to the cheers of his comrades.

Part of the reason for the disaster that day was due to the lack of any artillery attached to the Camel Brigade, this had tragic consequences as the companies had been unable to break up the exposed Turkish concentrations before they reached our lines and when they reached our posts the overused New Zealand companies had little to stop the heavy flanking attacks on their exposed positions. Another reason for the collapse were the use of these new Storm Troops and tactics used by the Turks, who outflanked the posts and showered them with hand grenades while the defenders were kept to their posts by machine gun and artillery fire, this was assisted by five Taubes which were constantly over head observing for their guns which pounded our trenches continuously.

By 12.30 pm all posts had been abandoned, other then one section of the 17th company which remained in post 1, casualties thought were not heavy with one man killed and two officers and 27 men wounded during in the action.

As the exhausted troops reorganized, the Turks quickly occupied the vacant posts and turned Bald Hill into a fortress contending themselves with this valuable position instead of advancing towards Jaffa to complete their victory.

At Corps headquarters the loss of Bald Hill caused considerable alarm and much finger pointing at the Camel Brigade and forced General Chaytor to order its immediate recapture, this was in part due to the problems on the right flank with the 1/4th Northamptonshire Battalion at Wilhelma and Yehudiyeh who were under heavy pressure from the 48th and 125th Turkish regiments (16th Division) which due to the withdrawal of the Camel Brigade on their left, were in danger of being overrun. General Smith was insistent that as a matter of honour an attack is put in before dark by Lieutenant Colonel Lee and the 4th Battalion was ordered to recover the ground abandoned during the day.

Lieutenant Colonel Lee quickly began to organize this counterattack, to carry out his plan he had only the well-used 16th company, still they were familiar with the objective and were more then willing to regain their former posts, also the attacking force would have two sections each from the 17th and 18th company and a section from the newly arrived 7th company to carry out the attack while the remainder of the battalion was needed to occupy the defences. The 2nd Battalion had been released from the Anzac Mounted Division reserve at 10 am and ordered to move from Selmeh to the Camel Brigade’s exposed right flank to cover the area south from Yafa Hill and Wilhelma this allowed the 4th Battalion to concentrate for their counterattack. The 10th company relieved the single section of the 17th company at post 1 on Point 249 at 3 pm while the 7th company moved to support the 4th Battalion as the remainder of the 2nd Battalion dug support and reserve lines, the brigade machine gun squadron was committed to support the battalion, and Private William Gordon was killed by shell fire. By 7.30 pm patrols had reported the Turkish positions around the objectives and the attack went in at 8 pm in darkness.

The 16th NZ Company was after blood since it was one of there own companies who had lost Bald Hill, still what followed during the night was confused and bloody fighting. Both 16th and 18th company advanced in line on section fronts in two lines supported by the 17th company and quickly overran the first line of Turkish posts which were held by only a thin skirmish line, however the higher the troops advanced the more exposed they became. The 16th company regained posts 4 and 3 below and to the right of Bald Hill at the point of the bayonet and much butchery. Sergeant James Adams was conspicuous in this work leading a bayonet charge only to be stabbed in the struggle with a Turk, and despite his serious wound, consolidated the position won and a prisoner and machine gun were taken, only to die later from his wounds. Private Carroll Sandford and Private Bob McSkimmer were also seriously wounded during the melee and soon died from their wounds. The 17th company now moved through the 16th company to recover post 2, with Lieutenant James Archibald, who led the section of the 7th company in the assault which assisted the 17th company regaining post 2 from the Turks on Yafa Hill, during which Private John Dunlop 17th Company was mortally wounded.

As the men gained their 1st objectives, having retaken most of the posts abandoned earlier in the day it left only post 5 and 6 around Bald Hill to be recovered, still any advance by the two sections of the 18th company towards the top of the hill was meet with an overwhelming fusillade from hidden machine guns and riflemen.

The cameleers found that the Turkish position was well defended, and any advance were exposed to the enemies cross fire, still the men struggled for over an hour supported by Lieutenant Ronald Mackenzie 16th company to gain this last post and regain their honour, in spite of everything it was for naught and about 9.15 pm the troops were ordered to retire to the positions already recovered. By 9.30 most of the lower trenches were cleared having recaptured most of the lost posts, other then the main positions on Bald Hill which held out against all efforts by the 4th Anzac Battalion and with casualties mounting Lieutenant Colonel Lee ordered all companies to hold what had been gained and to await the dawn. The Turks counterattacked during the night, still never in overwhelming numbers and with the help of a captured machine gun kept them at a distance.

Once the warming rays of the mornings sun came out, patrols soon discovered that Bald Hill was now occupied by more than 500 Turks entrenched with Machine guns and was now too strong for the 4th Anzac Battalion to capture alone. Casualties in the 17th and 18th company numbered approximately 30 wounded while the losses in the 16th company were not recorded.

General Smith realized that the hill and the Turkish penetration could just as well be contained and controlled by fire from three sides and rather then risk more lives in a direct assault against the salient in the line, he instead proposed to hold his present positions provided that he was given some artillery support, this was agreed to by both General Chauvel and Chaytor and the Camel Brigade took measures to hold what had been regained with artillery batteries from the 54th Division and the 2nd Light Horse Brigade now directed to support the Camel Brigade.

While the battle was raging around Bald Hill on the 27 November the Turks had attacked in other areas along the front constantly probing for a weak spot along the Allied line, still all positions held and only Bald Hill was reported lost that day. The position of the 1/4th Northamptonshire Battalion at Wihelmia was controlled late in the day by a counterattack of the Brigade reserves and with the help of all batteries of the 54th Divisions artillery.

In the morning of the 28 November the battle had quieted down until 10.20 am when post 1 was heavily shelled till 11.30 am, while the rest of the posts continued to be shelled through the day, mortally wounding Private Sid Coleman 18th company who was hit in the head, the Turks did not attack contending themselves on working on their defences and resting after a bitter night. At 8.50 pm that night the 4th Anzac Battalion was relieved by the 3rd Battalion which had been waiting in reserve, its companies had been hard hit in the fighting at Tel el Khuweilfeh and despite the reduced strength of the companies occupied all posts and extended the old trenches as well as exchanging fire with the ever observant Turks.

The Camel Brigades position now had the 2nd Battalion south of Yafa Hill holding the right flank while over looking Willimina, next in line was the 3rd Battalion holding the old defences of the 16th company taking in Yafa Hill and Point 266 and Point 286 along the south-eastern part of Bald hill, then the 4th Battalion now concentrated around One Tree Hill. All battalions had dug both reserve and support trenches in depth and barbed wire were delivered and over the next few days the position was developed and extended. The 2nd Light Horse Brigade continued the line from One Tree Hill towards the Auja River and Tel Abu Zeitun.

On the 29 November while the Turks again remained inactive during the day, other then their artillery which again shelled the posts searching with his guns along the trenches, during which Lieutenant Aubrey Bickford MC, Adjutant 3rd Battalion was wounded when hit in the right thigh by a piece of shrapnel. At the Camel Brigade HQ General Smith and Lieutenant Colonel Lee planned a raid for that night to bomb Turkish work parties which were active on the defences of Bald Hill, this in cooperation with a raid by the 6th Light Horse Regiment who were to assist with two troops (A and B Troops) from A Squadron under Captain Stuart Tooth and would advance from the north while the cameleers attacked from the south. The 2nd Battalion was asked to assist and Captain Fleming Gregory Commanding the 7th Company was ordered to send 2 sections to support the 4th Anzac Battalion by occupying the vacant posts, Captain Gregory instead decided to bring his whole company to help and was relieved by the 9th company that morning. During the afternoon the 7th company was hit by shell fire with one shell falling on a section of trench occupied by Fleming Gregory, a well liked British officer, killing him and wounding Lieutenant James Archibald and forcing Lieutenant John Bell-Irving to assume command of the company.

Lieutenant Black’s reduced 15th company (about 60 men) was chosen to carry out the raid as it had held Bald Hill and knew the ground, and using the cover of the darkness moved up to the 3rd Battalion trench near post 4, which were the closest to the Turkish works on Bald Hill. At 10 pm an artillery barrage from B Battery HAC and the Inverness Battery fell on Bald Hill and under cover of this fire the New Zealanders of the 15th company moved forward at the rush with the bayonet and were met by the Turks with bomb and bayonet as a desperate fight developed when the New Zealand troops drove the Turks up the hill where stores lost on the 27 November by their company were recovered, still once near the top of Bald Hill they found Turkish resistance growing.

It appears at the same time the cameleers and Light Horse had attacked Bald Hill a Turkish force of 300 men were about to commence their own attack and the 6th Light Horse ran into them forcing both forces to go to ground as they became strongly engaged firing at each other in the dark, two other ranks (Ray Bloodworth and Henry Christie A Troop) were killed and Lieutenant Robert Ronald A Troop with a number men were wounded as the 6th Light Horse was forced back on their supports exposing the 15th company which despite its success had been ordered to retire at the completion of its task, the company retired back to their trenches as fighting went on during the night as the Turks shelled the 2nd Light Horse brigade and Camel Brigade defences and the night sky was lit by the flashes of exploding shells and flares till around midnight when the firing died down. All of the 15th company where safely back in the 3rd Battalion trench by 2.20 am having suffered few casualties during the night.

In morning of the 30 November the troops stood to arms however the Turks made no attempt to attack, nevertheless artillery fire on both sides increased and any movement attracted the keen eye of Turkish spotters on top of Bald Hill. To the north the night battle between the 6th Light Horse and the Turkish forces continued and the Turks who had gained a number of posts from the 6th Light Horse during the night now found themselves exposed and with help from C Squadron 7th Light Horse under Major Nat Barton counterattacked capturing two officers and 146 Turkish soldiers and four new Bergman type 15 Light machine guns and winning Lieutenant Gilbert Finlay DCM the Military Cross.

The afternoon pasted with insignificant fire as the Turks appeared demoralized by the night and morning battles, this respite allowed the men to continue working on the defences and permitted the companies to be relieved as the terrain around Bald Hill took on the appearance of the battlefields of France with large areas of trenches and wire began to appear as the companies pushed forward constructing new lines and tying in all posts held. The night of the 30 November pasted without any major fighting instead both sides contending to improve their positions as snipers ruled the dark. It was during this time that the 63rd Turkish Regiment relieved the fatigued 61st Regiment in the firing line taking over the line from Bald Hill to the Auja River while the 62nd Regiment continued the line to the area of the 16th Division around Wihelmia.

The first day of December was also quite, other then Turkish snipers and between 4.30 and 6 am the men stood to before commencing the day’s activities. The odd burst of artillery fire which all to often betrayed that intrepid person trying to move around the battlefield was all to be heard as the work continued on the defences, which around Lone Tree Hill was turned into a redoubt and new works were commenced during the day and those men not working tried to rest in the shade of their trenches from the burning sun.

German aircraft were active helping the long range artillery by spotting and one salvo scored hits on the camel lines near Brigade HQ at Ibn Ibrak and Sakia killing Lieutenant Horace Hallam R.A.S.C the Brigade Admin Officer and a large number of animals which were barracked in close formation near the watering point. The 3rd Battalion still working on the new works was shelled heavily late in the day wounding two men and damaging the posts, Private Harold Cummin 11th Company, was evacuated to the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance, only to die from his wounds that night. Once darkness came the Turks were heard working on their defences as snipers came out to snipe at the men of whom Private John Currie of the Brigade machine gun squadron was killed.

The 2 December was again quite other then irregular shelling of all posts as most of the troops tried to rest after a night of work parties, which had kept most busy doing what labour could not be done during the day, and Lieutenant Leslie White 11th Company was wounded during this exchange. Turkish long range artillery was still used to keep the supply columns under fire disrupting the resupply of the forward companies. The Camel Corps Field Ambulance had been busy over the week administering and recovering the wounded, while doing this valiant work under fire, two of its doctor’s Captain’s Henry Dolman and Sam Seccombe, along with Private Edward McMahon, a stretcher bearer, were themselves wounded on the 27 November when an enemy plane came over machine gunning the wounded around the Field Ambulance and where because of over crowding a number of the wounded were recovered to the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance who had set up a clearing station for both Brigades. The night was quite as the work continued on the defences repairing damage extending and improving the posts.

On the 3 December after stand to, another raid was ordered to take place that night, Lieutenant Colonel Lee alerted the 17th company, being the strongest company remaining in the Battalion, to move up to post 9, situated in the 3rd Battalion trenches, that afternoon, and the 18th company was alerted to support if needed. The plan was for the company to discover how strongly the enemies position were held, and three officers were attached to inspect the defences and report on them, as the force was only to be in the enemies trenches for 10 minutes before returning. The attached officers were Lieutenant Richard Camm, sent to see how many men could be held in the Turkish trenches, Lieutenant Vic Adolph, to see at what stage the Turks were at in their construction and Lieutenant Edward O’Keefe 18th Company, to check their observation posts.

The attacking company could muster six officers and 100 other ranks (with the three attached officers) to carry out the raid, the foray was to attack from the south, the same direction used on the 29 November, and a similar raid was once more planned by the 6th Light Horse to support, this raid, it was composed from A and C Squadron under Captain Doug Close with five officers and 100 men. Lieutenant Adolph the 4th Anzac Battalion intelligence officer carried out a reconnaissance of the Turkish position in the afternoon and at 7.40 pm the 17th company left its trench moving up a small nullah from post 9 to a form up point within 300 yards of the Turkish line allowing the troops to line the nullah till the artillery fell at H Hour.

At 7.55 pm after a 10 minute bombardment, Captain John Hampton signalled the attack allowing the men time to reach the trenches before the guns would be switched to cut off the Turks escape to the rear, while the Brigades machine guns would support the main attack. The 17th company started to advance in line on a section front in three waves, the Battalion Padre Captain Ignatius Bossence joined with the attacking force setting a fine example to the men, however again things began to go wrong from the start.

The Turks quickly recognized that an attack was coming, and moved out of their trenches into no mans land to escape the worst of the shell fire, which allowed them time to prepare for the attack. The attacking company ran straight into a prepared Turkish defence and a bayonet fight ensued as a line of spider holes were found 50 metres from their front line containing a skirmish line of Turks, they showered the men with bombs inflicting a large number of casualties before they were all killed, still not before disorganizing and delaying the assault. Meanwhile on the left flank the 6th Light Horse found they had been blasted out of their positions by what they believed to be a defective gun which was short shooting, they lost about 23 men wounded before the barrage lifted disorganizing their attack.

The main Turkish line was then attacked only the Turks opened with shell fire onto their own position and the cameleers could make no head way against a stiffening Turkish line, which by chance, had missed the intended point of entry and so lost the full benefit of supporting artillery and machine gun fire. The cameleers tried moving along the outer line to find a weak spot to break in and capture the Turkish posts still no where they could gain a foot hold.

Adding to their problems that night were two of the three officers attached to look at the Turkish defences, now found themselves wounded during the wild fight along the outer trenches and two sections of the 18th company were committed until they at last gained entry into the objective, which allowed only a brief inspection before the whistle was blown to order the retirement.

With the raid now completed Captain Hampton ordered all troops back to the start point, with the 10 minutes allowed for the raid long passed. When the troops retired machine guns from the 3rd Battalion opened on the enemies defences which prevented the recovery of all the wounded. Captain Hampton stayed to help and his direction of the withdrawal enabled all of the wounded to be recovered with the help of Sergeant Lionel Towner who rescued a number of men in front of the Turkish trenches, they were the last men to return with the Padre who went among the troops and wounded keeping their spirits up, and by 9.40 pm all had returned other then Lieutenant Adolph who stayed to complete a final check on the enemies works before arriving back carrying a wounded man. Only one man was believed left in the Turkish’s trenches and he had been killed and could not be recovered. The Turks still alarmed by the raid continued to shell the area till 10 pm when all fell silent.

The 6th Light Horse to the north had still advanced at H hour plus 10 and reached their objective bayoneting 20 Turks from the 2nd Battalion 57th Regiment, where they stayed long enough in the Turkish’s trenches to capture three prisoners from the 57th Regiment and one prisoner from the 1st Battalion 52nd Regiment and some rifles before returning with the required information with the loss of one officer (Owen Tooth) and one other rank (Brian Barton) killed and one officer (Norman Dickson) and 22 men wounded.

The casualties in the 17th company were reported as two other ranks killed (Albert Cox and James Fairbairn) while Corporal Henry Johnson died of wounds on the battlefield and four officers and 32 men were wounded, in the 18th company Sergeant Albert Chard was killed when hit in the head by a piece of shell fragment while waiting in support and 16 men wounded. Captain Graham Shipway the Battalion medical officer worked tirelessly throughout the night dispatching the casualties back to the rear, clearing all the wounded, by 2 am a further four men died of their wounds that night or over the next few days (Bill Bryce, Archie Duncan, Elias Pryor and Harry Punshon).

Defending Bald Hill at this time was the 63rd Turkish Infantry Regiment under Major Ahmet Muhtar, who reported coming under heavy artillery and machine gun fire around 8.30 pm, when an ambush attack was conducted on them, which they controlled the battle after a counterattack was sent in by the reserves of the Regiment. Facing the 6th Light Horse Regiment were elements of the 2nd Battalion 57th Regiment under Ali Bey to the north of Bald Hill, when their posts were attacked. Post 1 (containing 18 men) was hit hard by shell fire, and post 2 (with 20 men and two machine guns) was to the right near the road, while post 3 was held by 20 men from the 52nd Regiment. Ali Bey was in post 1 when the attack began and he at once sent a messenger for the reserves in post 4, however the messenger was killed. Ali Bey then requested help from post 2, who sent half there strength (10 men) to post 1, which now contained around 28 men. The garrison of post 1 was taken by surprise, when the Light Horse found the Turks with there heads down due to the artillery fire, killing or capturing all including Ali Bey. A reinforcement of 90 men under a Sergeant were dispatch to retake post 1, only to be hit by artillery fire which killed or wounded many of the men and broke up this move allowing the Light Horse to retire with there prisoners.

The 4 December passed quietly, other then the odd shell fire, when at 3 pm three German planes appeared overhead resulting in a storm of fire on all posts along the line till it eased off at 5.30 pm. One gun continued to fire during the night at post 10 in the 2nd Battalion area with one shell every 10 minutes and Turkish snipers were out in force till 11 pm when all went quiet.

The 2nd Battalion in the meanwhile had spent the last week covering Yafa Hill and other then suffering heavily artillery fire had not been attacked, the Battalion had supported the 54th Division on their right with fire during the emergency late on the 27 November only most of the time contending themselves with holding three posts with half companies and providing fire support for the 3rd Battalion on the left and the 54th Division at Yehudiyeh and Wilhelma.

On the 5 December the front line was relieved at 11 pm by the Auckland Mounted Rifles as the Brigade exchanged with the New Zealand Mounted Brigade. That night as the led camels were brought up and they prepared to leave the Turks constantly on the alert detected the movement and shelled all positions of whom three men were reported killed, however two men can be confirmed in the records (Arthur Peace 18th Company and Tom Bedelph Canterbury Mounted Rifles) with a number of animals. While waiting for the relief Private John Romaro was sent from the 3rd Battalion HQ with a camel and cachalots to pick up two wounded men, during his movement to the front missed the posts and wandered lost into the Turkish defences and soon found him self captured by a German Staff officer and Staff on a reconnaissance.

The Camel Brigade once relieved moved back passed Jaffa through thick mud as it had now begun to rain in buckets and the men and animals struggled passing the plains of Sharon and Gaza back to Shellal arriving 2 pm on the 11 December for a well errand rest.

One of the sad results of this battle happened two days after the Brigades return to Shellal when a Court of Inquiry was held into the loss of Bald Hill, its loss had caused some concern at GHQ and held Lieutenant Colonel Lee and Lieutenant Alexander Black, the Commanding Officer of the 4th Anzac Battalion and Officer Commanding 15th NZ Company, responsible for its capture, Lieutenant Colonel George Langley said its loss had been due to Lee not putting out patrols or forming an outpost line from the main posts on the 27 November to warn of the enemies approach, while others said that there was the problem of the tactical position occupied by the battalion in that the posts were not properly dug or wired allowing the Turks to drive the garrisons out by strong artillery fire. Only it should be said that Lee and his battalion didn’t expect to stay long in the position they were in, having been on the move for a month they believe that they would again be on the move, also they were only in support of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade and possibly that was the reason for all companies not digging in appropriately. Whether he was to blame for the loss or not is hard to say still the court of inquiry found Lieutenant Colonel Lee responsible and he was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Mills MC, who was promoted and posted from the 1st Battalion and took command on the 14 December 1917, while Lee, the son of a well known New England politician was returned to Australia, and Lieutenant Black was also replaced and returned to New Zealand.

On the 1 January the 3rd Battalion now reduced through illness and casualties were sent back to the Canal, the 13th company not having been heavily engaged over the last month was sent to the 4th Battalion on the 30th December replacing the reduced 15th (NZ) company which returned with the 3rd Battalion. The 1st Battalion arrived from the Canal on the 16th January with strength of 23 officers and 660 other ranks.

Total Brigade casualties for the month of November were recorded in the War Diary as five officers and 23 other ranks killed, 12 officers and 109 other ranks wounded and two missing, most of these losses were at Khuweilfe earlier in the month.

The Battle casualties for December at Bald Hill were reported as two officers and five other ranks killed, seven officers and 44 other ranks wounded and three missing.

The brake down of casualties for the Battalions at Bald Hill is harder to uncover for the 2nd Battalion reported only one officer (Captain Gregory) and one man killed and one officer and six men wounded with one other rank dying of wounds, still neither were they heavy engaged over the month.

New Zealanders of 15th and 16th company reported only one other rank killed and two officers and 16 men wounded of who one officer (Lieutenant Gooding) and six other ranks died of wounds, this would seem erroneous as 27 men were reported casualties on the 27 November, and probity many of these remained with their units.

The Australians of the 3rd and 4th Anzac Battalions had lost six other ranks killed while six officers and 67 other ranks were reported wounded, of whom 11 other ranks died of wounds, two other ranks were reported missing, of which one was known captured, the other killed in action and left in the Turkish trenches.

The 26th Camel MG Company reported two men killed and one officer and three other ranks wounded, of which one died of wounds.

From the Camel Brigade HQ, one officer was killed (Lieutenant Hallam)."

Mate I am sorry to say I can't put the maps on this site as I don't know how?

Cheers

S.B

[Bathe]

Dear Steve

Many thanks for this info, it is most interesting and certainly helps to put things in context. Execellent stuff.

Thanks again

Peter