Battle of Mughar Ridge

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of El Mughar Ridge


caption=
partof=First World War
date=13 November 1917
place=Junction Station, Palestine
result=Allied victory
combatant1=Australia,
United Kingdom,
New Zealand
combatant2=Ottoman Empire
commander1=
commander2=Friedrich Freiherr Kress von Kressenstein|

The Battle of El Mughar Ridge on 13 November 1917 took place at Junction Station, where the Haifa-Jerusalem line branches to Beersheba. The battle succeeded in causing the Ottoman Seventh and Eighth Armies to withdraw towards Jerusalem and Haifa respectively.

Prelude

The Battle

The Charge at El Mughar [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/7089406.stm]

Through the end of October and into the beginning of November Turkish positions fell as General Allenby worked towards his aim to take Gaza, but still the Turks managed to hold the high controlling ridge from Katrah to El Mughar.

At 1245 hrs on the 13th November orders were received for the 6th Mounted Brigade, of which the Queen’s Own Dorset Yeomanry was a part, to capture this ridge. On the ridge were two prominent spurs, the Bucks Yeomanry were to attack the right hand spur and the Dorset Yeomanry the left hand spur.

At 1500hrs the Bucks Yeomanry emerged from the wadi to cross some 3,000 yards of open shot-over ground to reach their objective. The Dorset Yeomanry also emerged on their left to cover some 4,000 yards of similar ground. A squadron was ordered to gallop the spur and then attack dismounted. B and C Squadrons followed to where the dismounted horses were being held, dismounted, fixed bayonets and also charged up the hill. The Dorset Yeomanry took their spur, captured 8 machine guns and many prisoners. Capt (Adj) Robertson, although wounded, turned one of the captured machine guns on the retreating Turks and for his gallant action was awarded the MC.

In this action The Regiment lost Sergeant Guppy and 8 ORs killed, Captain Harry Hoare (the sole heir of Stourhead) mortally wounded, Captain (Adj) Robertson and Lieutenant Beechcroft and 43 ORs wounded. The Regiment won two DSOs, one MC, three DCMs and seven MMs.

Aftermath

Bibliography

* Grainger, John D, "The Battle for Palestine, 1917" (Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2006)

References

* [http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/mugharridge.htm The Battle of Mughar Ridge]
* Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/7089406.stm Estate remembers cavalry action 11 Nov 2007]