Ottoman trenches in southern Jordan

[domsim]

Thought the pals might be interested to see this aerial photograph taken in 2002 of part of the Ottoman Army trench system around the Hejaz Railway station at Ma'an in southern Jordan.

It comes from a new book of aerial photographs of archaeological sites in Jordan.

Cheers

Dominic

[domsim]

And close up showing gun pits, command point and traverses-pretty good preservation!

Cheers

[Nick]

Dominic.

Very interesting photograph, and considering it's around 85 years old the preservation is remarkable and the engineering very precise.

Still, I suppose it gave the Turks who were bottled up at Ma'an something to do! ;-)

Was the position ever tested?

Nick

[domsim]

Nick

Yes these defences were tested. Over a period of 4 days (17th-21st April 1918) elements of the regular Arab Northern Army as well as Huwaitat and Hijazi tribesmen led by Colonel Nuri Al- Said attacked the railway station at Ma'an. Despite briefly capturing the engine shed they were beaten off by a Turkish counter attack. These trenches form a roughly triangular bastion to the west of the railway station and were sited on the only high ground near the station. It is likely that the Turkish counter attack came from here.

The whole area around Ma'an has lots of these remains around it (stone revetted machine gun points covering the railway etc.) as it was a major garrison on the Hejaz railway, had an airfield and machine shops to repair the railway and engines.

Cheers

Dominic.

[Paul Hederer]

Hello,

Here's a link to a website I set up for pictures I took while in the Hijaz back in 1999. That was a unique trip along the railway Lawrence and his Arabs attacked.

It was incredible to find the trains still off to the side of the old railway bed.

There are also some pictures of trenches and postions left from the war:

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/8634/hejaztri.html

Paul

[Guest Simon Bull]

Hello,

Here's a link to a website I set up for pictures I took while in the Hijaz back in 1999. That was a unique trip along the railway Lawrence and his Arabs attacked.

It was incredible to find the trains still off to the side of the old railway bed.

There are also some pictures of trenches and postions left from the war:

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/8634/hejaztri.html

Paul

Thanks Paul.

Super photographs. An amazing landscape.

[Paul Hederer]

Simon,

Thanks. I have 100's. If interested contact me and I can send more along.

Paul

[armourersergeant]

Paul,

I was amazed at the ones of the train.

Military aside some nice scenes.

regards

Arm.

[JulianB]

I was in Saudi in the '80s and took quite a few photographs of the line, trains stations etc. however, don't believe that all the trains have been in their present position since 1917-18, many have been moved, and in fact the Damascus Medina line was briefly reopend in the 1920s. Railway lines have become rof beams and the iron sleepers have become fence posts.

Dom - its nice that that book (Kennedy & Bewley 2004, for anyone wanting to know) has quite a few views of 'modern sites'

Julian