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Remembered Today:

7th (Meerut) Division


Marigold1

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A Wikipedia article says the following:

'The 7th (Meerut) Division moved from Mesopotamia to Egypt in December 1917, and then on 1st April 1918 it relieved the 52nd (Lowland) Division, which was on its way to the Western Front. The EEF [Egyptian Expeditionary Force] undertook few operations during the hot weather of summer 1918, but the Meerut Division captured North Sister and South Sister Hills on 8th June, and raided Piffer Ridge on 27th June'.

 

Does anyone know where North Sister and South Sister Hills and Piffer Ridge are? Possibly Egypt, Sinai or Palestine?

Any ideas most gratefully received.

Marigold

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Marigold,

 

All three sites are in Israel today, the Palestine campaign (I'm careful with the usage of the terms Israel and Palestine, as today they have a completely different meaning [political, of course] than way back then. Personally, I prefer to use the term "The Holy Land Campaign"). The three sites were a part of the western sector of the Ottoman front line. The line between the opposing sides was created gradually between December 1917 till March 1918. The line almost didn't change between March till September 1918 (Actually, the capture of the Sister Hills was one of the very few exceptions). The line, that crossed the country from the River Jordan in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west was nicknamed The line of the two Auja's.  

 

This is today's map of the area, with rough indications to the Sister Hills (Open area, next to road # 2) and Piffer Ridge (Today within Ra'anana):

1153255137_Roughlocationstoday.jpg.4fd6efd31ccd238b41dd38f891d6fdfc.jpg

 

Next map is of the Action of Arsuf - the capture of the Sister Hills (June 8th, 1918)

870162402_ActionofArsuf.jpg.1187bcf78f729d8066464a5301bfe78f.jpg

 

Next one is showing that sector in the early hours of September 19th, 1918. The Sister Hills can be seen, but Piffer Ridge is not (See next map):963005540_WesternsectoroftheBattleofSharon.jpg.c070eaa2bcc1d3b42af32412f81733bb.jpg

 

Last, a map of the action of 2nd Bn, Black Watch, 7th (Meerut) Division. Sister Hills & Piffer Ridge are clearly marked:

1501944985_BattleofSharon-TheactionofTheBlackWatch.jpg.cf5c68cf2b9f1dd70b4abecebe5012b2.jpg

 

Eran

 

 

 

 

Edited by Eran Tearosh
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Marigold,

 

Adding to the excellent info provided by Eran, the German map below (from an IWM/WFA map disc) shows in slightly more detail, the Ottoman defence system as it stood at 19 September 1918. To assist in your orientation, Mukhtar Tepe appears near the centre of Eran's 4th map, while on the German map it appears as Muchtar Tepe in square No.9382 (map's bottom line, second square from the right)

 

It may also be worth having a look at A brief record of the advance of the Egyptian expeditionary force under the command of General Sir Edmund H. H. Allenby ... July 1917 to October 1918

seen here https://archive.org/details/briefrecordofadv00grearich/page/58 - putting Meerut into the book's search also brings up a few more refs to this Division

 

regards

Michael

 

989309665_GermanmapPalestinecoast1915-1918.jpg.926e1bfda06d65c90be81e47489a1955.jpg

 

 

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Dear Michael,

 

Thank you so much for adding to Eran's information and particularly for the link to the publication. I will look at that straightaway.

 

Marigold

 

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