wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Share Posted 12 May , 2006 As part of a planned series of tours I intend to take at the old battlegrounds of the 3rd battle of Gaza, I took a brief and hastily planned tour this morning at the area where the 4th & 12th LH were assembled and where the charge itself took place. As I was already told, the charges ground is not to "inspire" the visitor as other sites, but I did find the assembly areas and the simultaneous views on some major points, to clear many questions rising when following the plan and execution of the plan to take the city. Tel a Sab'a, Ras Ganem, The Hashem Kazne ridge and Ras Hablein, become more then names when seen all at once, and from various points. The charge itself took place on a rather flat area, now covered by some fields, a small industrial area and by some modern parts of the city. The view of the town from the Issawin hills however, knowing that was the sight seen before the charge, is the closest to "inspiration" this arid land could offer the visitor looking for that aspect of history. Visibility, as expected, was poor, but that is common for most of the year. I took many pictures, but most wont mean much unless well described. Due to short notice and pressure of time, I didn’t check for any map except for the one included in the official history, which was my main source today to establish who and what had happen where. The modern map is a 1:50,000 scale (each square is a sq Km). The red/black line represents the general route I took. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 Khashem Zanne This ridge in projecting from the main ridge to the north into the valley of Beer Sheva. It offers a great observatory post on most of the area so no wonder it was chosen for the command post. Modern Beer Sheva is seen in the horizon. The modern road (25) follows the old one. The charge took place mostly to its left, after starting at the hills out of the left margin. The old city is between the high buildings on the left of the modern town, about where the modern road is pointing. Wadi Beer Sheva is entering the picture from its right with its route getting close to the road, finally meeting it near the old city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 Khashem Zanne Looking north. On the left edge of the town seen in the horizon (Bedouin town named Tel Sheva) lies Tel a Sab'a. Wadi Beer Shevas route is just north of the village on the front and a line of trees marks its river bed curving its way to the north until it touches Tel a Sab'a. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 Issawin The name as far as I know is both for a certain peak and for a valley. Now the hills and valley are covered by Bedouin settlements that have developed there in the last 20 years. Many dirt roads covers every spot, so it is hard to tell which were the paths used during the war. This picture was taken from the hills between Khashem Zanne and Issawin to the east, looking at the long north-south valley most likely used by the forces to move and assemble through that day before the charge (it is well hidden from all enemy observation points and connected to the south to the main roads to Asluj). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 Issawin The valley of Issawin is hidden in the shadow of the ridge on the right part of the picture (looking south). The forces must have rested in this valley for the day and assembled for the charge on the hills on the right (mostly out of the picture) separating this valley, from the valley of Beer Sheva. Issawin The long north-south axis ridge of Issawin is projecting to the north and ending in Khashem Zanne. Here is a look to the south with the back to Zanne. On the right end, barely seen, are the houses of Segev Shalom (Bedouin town) and right above them Ras Ganem. The low land seen on the right margin is the valley of Beer Sheva, while the slopes on the left part are facing the valley of Issawin. This narrow chain of hills was the final assembly area of the 4th & 12th LH (the first most likely where I stand or behind me, the 2nd where the tin huts are). Issawin A picture taken from the same spot, to the west. The old city of Beer Sheva is hardly seen above the red car. Segev Shalom is in the middle with Ras Ganem above it. A tiny dark spot on the horizon above the left end of the long tin hut, is Ras Hablein. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 Khashem Zanne is seen to the north from Issawin (the probable assembly area of the 4th LH). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 A look from the probable assembly area of the 4th LH towards Beer Sheva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 A look from the highest point in Issawin towards the charge route and town. This might have been the assembly area of the 12th LH. A look from Issawin (12th LH segment) towards the charge ground and town. Looking north to the western slopes of the hills from which the charge of both the 4th and the 12th was launched. There are two dark area far in the horizon just right of the middle. These are 2 (modern) woods. They are mentioned since Tel Skatti is close to them (but not seen due to poor visibility) thus could be a point from the charge could have been seen (which was a question raised here once). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 A typical look of the charge ground. A look from the charge ground (12th LH) back to the hills from where it started (hiding behind them the valley of Issawin). The ridge of Issawin seen from the west (about 1.5 km). 5 Kms (appx) to Beer Sheva. The charge ground of the 12th LH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIDMED Posted 12 May , 2006 Share Posted 12 May , 2006 Hello Wroclaw Outstanding post many thanks............ Have you ever visited Deir El Balah military cemetery.?, there is a London Regt grave here i would very much like see. Again many thanks Tom............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 Ras Ganem is dominating the charge ground from the south. Another look from the charge ground back to the Issawin ridge. Ras Hablein dominating the charge ground from south west. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 Little more then 1km to the old city (on the left quarter of the picture). The Turkish trenches are said to have stretched between the grove on the right towards the south west (to the far left). Wadi Beer Sheva is behind the grove, getting close to the south edge of town. The grey bridge above the left grove, is the modern railway bridge shadowing the old Turkish bridge. The OH map shows the charge to pass near that bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 12 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 May , 2006 The remaining area between the bridge and the old town is covered by modern buildings. I suspect there are no remains of any of the trenches facing the charge (though there are some near Tel a Sab'a). On the hill from where the 12th LH charged, I have found this bullet case, but once it was cleaned it turned it belongs (maybe) to another world war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen D Posted 12 May , 2006 Share Posted 12 May , 2006 Very interesting photos.Thanks for sharing them. Could you make them abit smaller though? Reminds us that there was more to the Great War than just The Western Front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill Woerlee Posted 12 May , 2006 Share Posted 12 May , 2006 wroclaw G'day mate If I have sung your praises once I will sing them many more times. These pix are just fabulous. Thank you for taking them and even more, making them available to us on the site. Accept my heartfelt appreciation. Cheers Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 13 May , 2006 Share Posted 13 May , 2006 Super snaps and an impressive grasp of the battlefield terrain. I wouldn't fancy running down some of those slopes let alone doing it on a charging horse and riding into Gawd knows what... Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 13 May , 2006 Share Posted 13 May , 2006 Fantastic, mate. It brings to life, the ground that the men and horses rode over that day. Thankyou very much for these and the descriptions. Cheers Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 13 May , 2006 Share Posted 13 May , 2006 Thanks Wroclaw for posting these superb and evocative pics. The terrain is deceptively open, as much of it seems to be strewn with loose, fist-sized rocks that must have been hell to ride over. I recently saw a quote from a trooper who said "We were lucky - no barbed wire and none of the horse-pits too wide to jump over". The cavalry on the Western Front would have given their eye teeth for such an opportunity. Thanks for sharing your memorable pics and impressions. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryK Posted 13 May , 2006 Share Posted 13 May , 2006 Shalom Gal, Thank you for posting these photographs. I visited this area several times in 2001, and your comments are in accord with my conclusions then. As you know, my primary interest is the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, which captured Tel el Saba prior to the 4th LH Brigade charge. I will post some pictures of the tel and its wadi when I get home in two weeks (I am currently in Australia). Regards Terry Kinloch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 14 May , 2006 Share Posted 14 May , 2006 Which ever way you look at it, the distance covered by these horses, three quarters of it at the gallop, having had no water for at least 36hrs, in the heat, and on iron rations, is a testament to the tenacity and breeding of the Walers. This was not a walk in the park, they were tough neddies. Cheers Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 14 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 14 May , 2006 wroclaw G'day mate If I have sung your praises once I will sing them many more times. These pix are just fabulous. Thank you for taking them and even more, making them available to us on the site. Accept my heartfelt appreciation. Cheers Bill I took some 60-70 different pictures. I hope to upload them to a site with correlations to the map so they could be useful for more then just a general impression. The stressing time table and heat had me shorten this trip. I hope to take a second tour sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 14 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 14 May , 2006 Hello Wroclaw Outstanding post many thanks............ Have you ever visited Deir El Balah military cemetery.?, there is a London Regt grave here i would very much like see. Again many thanks Tom............. Sorry mate, I’ve never been there and I cant see any way I could visit it in the known future. Both gaza strip cemeteries are practically out of reach now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wroclaw Posted 14 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 14 May , 2006 Thanks Wroclaw for posting these superb and evocative pics. The terrain is deceptively open, as much of it seems to be strewn with loose, fist-sized rocks that must have been hell to ride over. I recently saw a quote from a trooper who said "We were lucky - no barbed wire and none of the horse-pits too wide to jump over". The cavalry on the Western Front would have given their eye teeth for such an opportunity. Thanks for sharing your memorable pics and impressions. Mick Knowing that you charge right into the enemies heart with no immediate reinforcements to follow you as fast as you need, puts this charge in the right light. Knowing that the Turks were ready to retreat and all their positions about to fall, its tempting to see the charge as “just” a reasonable move. One of my main goals was not to identify the specific locations (for I already knew these are nothing more then open lands kind of which you could see for miles around), but to try and see how that charge is “placed” in the whole picture of that 4pm. The whole order and size of the attacking forces was discussed many times, and I’m no expert for that. What I could see standing in that open ground, was that those horseman had charged a system of trenches of unknown nature with no knowledge of how ready the defenders were. The unique characteristic as I saw it, was not just the nature of the charge (long range, open flat ground, inappropriate weapons for maximization of such an attack) but more of the fact they penetrated deep into the enemies lines in a war where so many attacks have barely reached half of that advance and for higher casualty rate. “Knowing” the possible consequences of open ground charge of that war and that theatre, they took much more then a calculated risk. Shalom Gal, Thank you for posting these photographs. I visited this area several times in 2001, and your comments are in accord with my conclusions then. As you know, my primary interest is the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, which captured Tel el Saba prior to the 4th LH Brigade charge. I will post some pictures of the tel and its wadi when I get home in two weeks (I am currently in Australia). Regards Terry Kinloch Much to my embarrassment I have never been to Tel a Sab’a, even though as a former archaeologists, it was definitely more then relevant to my field research. A similar walk in the Wadis river bed following a Oct 31st assault, is also “on queue”. Unfortunately, the whole segment of the battlefield where the NZMR had their offensive, seems to be covered by the town… The map that I’ve added notes that there are Turkish fortifications still in the national park. I know that the mound itself was “shaved” by the archaeologists, so I wonder what is actually left there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryK Posted 14 May , 2006 Share Posted 14 May , 2006 The tel is crowned by a modern observation tower, and a lot of the very old buidling foundations have been excavated. That work has lowered the profile of the tel, as you suggest. I was not aware of the Turksih fortifications when I visited, so have not seen them. The modern town does cover part of the battlefield, but the Wadi Saba is accessible, and it is possible to get a good idea of what happened there. When I post the photos you will see what I mean. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 20 May , 2006 Share Posted 20 May , 2006 Terry, you mentioned photos? Cheers Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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