Jerusalem surrenders

[paul leeson]

Yes, I agree, keep up the tradition. How many of you sat down to the dinner ?

My Grt Uncle was there [Pte E C Groves [630169] B Coy 2/20th, a pre war Terri [1223]. Sadly he was killed on the 9th Dec, though family oral history has it 'he went over the top and dun imself in'. One day I hope to get out to his grave - perhaps in 2017.

Paul

[blighty valley]

thanks for this great post last christmas my wife and i was on a cruise one off the stops was to go to jerusalem on the way down into jerusalem to guide stopped the coach and said this was the spot that two british cooks took the surrender of the city but he never told us the whole story so thanks to you all for filling in the details michael

[KAC]

Recently the old archive from The 8th Bde R.F.A ( this became 265 Regt RA ) that had been lost, has been found and handed over to the Firepower Museum. One of the attachments within read as follows:

"In connection with the capture of Jerusalem it must be noted that the Mayor of that city handed the white flag to Major W. C. Beck commanding the 2/21st Bty 2/8th Bde R.F.A. and the keys of the City were handed to Lt Col. H. Bayley D.S.O. commanding 2/8th London Bde R.F.A.".

This is most interesting for 265 Bty, 106 Regt RA, located at Grove Park Army Reserve Centre, as two of their linage units had both taken the surrender of the city.

[KAC]

On the Saturday the 12th December 265 Air Assault (Home Counties) Battery, 106 (Yeomanry) Royal Artillery, based at Grove Park ARC, held their Annual Jerusalem Dinner. Remembering their ancestors from the 20th Battalion The London Regiment (The Queen's Own Royal West Kent's) and the 8th Brigade Royal Field Artillery. The Keys were presented to the top table by two of the Batteries Cooks, a short history was read by the Battery Commander, then a wonderful Christmas meal was had by all.

[michaeldr]

KM

Thanks for keeping us up to date on this and so glad to hear that all went off well.

Is something special planned for 2017?

regards

Michael

[michaeldr]

It is a pity that the photographs originally posted on this thread over a decade ago are no longer available, however the originals should still be accessible at the Library of Congress website. The best known photograph shows the two British sergeants, with the Mayor of Jerusalem and his party.

 

There is a first hand account of that time which is to be found in the article

My Last Days as an Ottoman Subject – Selections from Wasif Jawhariyyeh's Memoirs

which can be seen here https://oldwebsite.palestine-studies.org/sites/default/files/jq-articles/9_last_days_1.pdf

and includes a list of the names of those who made up the surrender party on that notable occasion.

 

 

They were;

Hussein Bey, the Mayor of Jerusalem

Tawfiq Muhammad Saleh al-Husseini

Ahmad Sharaf, police commissioner of Beyada

Haj 'Abdul Qader al-'Alami, police commissioner of Sawari

Shams al-Dei, policeman

Amin Tahboub, policeman

Jawad Bey ben Ismail Bey al-Husseini, wearing shorts

Burhan, son of the late Taher Bey al-Husseini

also “Carrying the white surrender flag behind Hussein Bey was the driver of Jamal Pasha, named Salim. From Lebanon, he was married to the sister of Iskandar and Hanna al-Lahham. Next to him was Hanna al-Lahham”

Edited 28 May , 2020 by michaeldr

[pudsey63]

What a wonderful clear photograph. Thank you for posting it.