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Remembered Today:

Night attack at the River Auja, 28 November 1917


eyman

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A century has passed since this night-time raid by the 1/5th Essex Regiment (TF) on the Turkish position South of the River Auja. There is a full account in Appendix B to Burrows Vol 5, Essex Units in the Great War, written by Lieut Cyril F J Keeling who led the raid.

This was less than a month after the victory at the Third Battle of Gaza when the Battalion had suffered some heavy losses.

 

The raid consisted of 40 men drawn from A and C Companies. The raid killed at least 23 Turks, and “eight were taken prisoner, with a machine gun. Two of the latter were also disabled”.

 

The British casualties were seven killed (including Sgt Upchurch, A Company and L Cpls Newman and Richardson) and two wounded. “Lieut Keeling was awarded the Military Cross and Sgt Piper (C Company) and Private Cook (A Company) were also given the Military Medal – all well earned decorations.” 

 

I have traced nine members of 1/5th Essex recorded in "Soldiers Died" as having been killed in action on 28 November 1917, and assume that they were all killed on this raid.

 

I have three groups of medals to men who took part although I can be certain about only one of them. It would be interesting to hear if other forumites know of or have the medals to other men who took part in the raid.

I will add some pictures shortly.

 

In the meantime, it is an honour to recognise the bravery and service of those who took part, one hundred years later.

Ian

Ernest William COOK

Military Medal (Geo V: 250101 Pte, 1/5 Essex R – TF), 1914-15 Star trio (1468 Pte, Essex R), Territorial Force Efficiency Medal (Geo V: 250101 Pte, 5/Essex R) – these five mounted as worn; plus Imperial Service Medal (EIIR; Ernest William Cook MM)

 MM London Gazette 10 April 1918 p4387 250101 Pte E W Cook, Essex R (Springfield)

ISM COOK, Ernest William, M.M, Postman, Norwich. London Gazette 1 March 1955 p1264

TFEM 250101 Pte    Army Order 507/1920

 

“Private Cook, carrying a machine gun, dashed straight through the barrage towards our own lines. We disabled two other guns and threw them into the river. I then got my men and the prisoners moving off to the right to round the barrage and to avoid the frontal fire, which was getting very heavy. On the way Cook came back through the barrage to help in removing the casualties, an extremely brave action.” (from Lieut Keeling's account)

 

 

Percy Douglas ALLEN

 

British War Medal and Victory Medal (37264 Pte P D Allen, Essex R)

Memorial plaque PERCY DOUGLAS ALLEN

 

Born 28 May 1891

 

Born and lived Ponders End, enlisted Edmonton; formerly T4/14574, ASC

5th Battalion, Essex Regiment - killed in action on 28 November 1917, age 26.

Son of George and Ellen Allen, of Mill Lodge, Ponders End, Middx.  Commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.

 

 

Sidney George BULLOCK

 

British War medal and Victory medal (4307 Pte, Essex R)

C Coy, 1/5th Bn

Born East Hanney, Wantage; lived in Cumnor, Oxford, enlisted at Oxford

Formerly 82141, R.H. & R.F.A.

Killed in action as 251375 on 28 November 1917 age 30 

Son of the late Mrs. Bullock, of Wantage, Berks; husband of Alice Bullock, of 33, Old Rd., Heading ton, Oxford

Buried in Grave K9, Ramla War Cemetery

Edited by eyman
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Ian,

 

thank you for your above post drawing my attention to this raid, which is quite new to me.
I have since made a quick search of the few books which I have but without success in finding any mention of it
Thanks to your useful ref above I have however found on-line the Appendix B account by Keeling
http://lib.militaryarchive.co.uk/library/infantry-histories/library/Essex-Units-In-The-War-1914-1919/HTML/index.asp#/543/zoomed

 

Can you confirm the exact site of this raid? 
Was the bridge mentioned the remains of the pontoon bridge at Jerishe built by the A & NZ engineers at the time of their raid on 24th/25th?
Or was it the stone bridge at Khan Hadra?

 

regards

Michael

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On 30/11/2017 at 01:06, michaeldr said:

Or was it the stone bridge at Khan Hadra?

 

Ian,

 

The Essex raid of the 28th November 1917 was on a Turkish position they were trying to re-established on the southern bank of the Auja at the Hadra bridge. That bridge carried the Jaffa-Nablus road and was therefore important to them.

 

I was lucky enough to be invited to attend an event this morning where the two crossing [that attempt in November which included the Essex, and the successful one in December] were commemorated at a special conference held by the IDF at their Camp Aviv. Later there was a guided tour of a small part of the battlefield along the norther bank of the Auja, today's Yarkon

 

 

 

 

On 29/11/2017 at 21:17, eyman said:

I will add some pictures shortly.

I look forward to seeing anything further which you can add here

 

regards

Michael

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