Bruger:Nis Hoff/Kladde4: Forskelle mellem versioner

Den 15. oktober blev 50 osmanniske kavalerister observeret ved Rashid Bek. En gruppe rykkede ud mod Point 630 mens to panserbiler kørte rundt om bakken og beskød 12 osmanniske ryttere på 275 meters afstand, mens de var på vej tilbag fra Imleih; men pansernognene blev beskudt af osmanniske artilleri og trak sig tilbage.<ref name="AMDwd10.17"/>

 

 

 

 

Desert Column received a report from Anzac Mounted Division, at 06:50 on 19 July, that Ottoman artillery shells were being fired on the railhead of the railway to Karm, at Goz Geleib.<ref group="Note">In mid-September the railway line to Karm was under construction. [Cutlack 1941 p. 75]</ref> The day patrols went out but mist obscured the situation, and a report at 08:20 described Ottoman force occupying El Buqqar, with four light guns near Im Siri. The 2nd Light Horse Brigade was ordered to "clear up the situation towards Im Siri," and the 1st Light Horse Brigade was ordered forward, while the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade stood ready to move. It was confirmed, at 10:10, that about two regiments of Ottoman cavalry and some infantry held the El Girheir to Khasif to El Buqqar line, covered by guns at Imleih, which were in action. The Anzac Mounted Division headquarters, and the New Zealanders in reserve, moved forward to Gos el Basal, and at 10:15 the Australian Mounted Division in the Abasan el Kebir area was ordered forward. By 11:00 the Yeomanry Mounted Division at Tel el Marakeb and the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade had also been ordered to be ready to move at short notice.<ref>Desert Column War Diary July 1917 AWM4-1-64-7 Appendix 6 p. 1</ref>

Aerial reconnaissance by the EEF reported, at 11:30, one Ottoman brigade holding a position stretching from the north of Um Siri to the south of El Buqqar, another force of about two regiments at Harari, and a third regiment at the well near Sufi. Meanwhile, Ottoman artillery was continuing to cover their line, firing at targets to the east of Karm. Elsewhere, the 1st Light Horse Brigade at Goz Lakhleilat was in touch with the right of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade. At 14:20 the Australian Mounted Division at El Melek, was ordered to advance and turn the Ottoman force's left flank, while the Anzac Mounted Division continued to face the Ottoman force holding their line. By 17:30 the Ottoman force had moved back towards Beersheba, and was still holding a very strong position near Taweil el Habari, about a third of the way between Buqqar and Beersheba on the Tel el Fara to Beersheba track, when the Yeomanry Mounted Division (with the 5th Mounted Brigade attached) was ordered to bivouac near Fukhari. The Imperial Camel Corps Brigade moved to near El Garbi, and the 53rd (Welsh) Division was ordered to move a reserve infantry brigade at El Sha'uth, to take up a position stretching from Jezariye to Um Ajua to El Rueibia.<ref>Desert Column War Diary AWM4-1-64-7 July 1917 Appendix 6 p. 2</ref>

 

 

When the Australian Mounted Division arrived at Goz Lakhleilat on the left flank, the Ottoman cavalry had withdrawn behind entrenchments, defended by Ottoman infantry. These trenches, including gun emplacements, stretched from Girheir to eventually join the Bir Saba/Beersheba defences. The Australian Mounted Division subsequently withdrew to Gamli for the night, leaving one brigade at Esani. The Anzac Mounted Division was ordered to withdraw to Tel el Fara at 20:00.<ref name="DCwd7.17A63–4">Desert Column War Diary AWM4-1-64-7 July 1917 Appendix 6 pp. 3–4</ref> During the night of 19/20 July, the Anzac Mounted Division was ordered to outflank and capture an Ottoman force reported advancing towards Shellal. After riding about {{convert|5|mi|km}}, the 1st and 2nd Light Horse Brigades, supported by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade in reserve, encountered the hostile force. After an artillery duel, the Ottoman force withdrew.<ref name="Powles123"/><ref name="Cutlack74"/>

The following morning, 20 July, the Anzac and Australian Mounted Divisions moved out at 04:00, through Khasif to push the Ottoman cavalry back, but by 08:00 there was no sign of abnormal movements by any Ottoman forces. A prisoner identified the Ottoman units as part of the 16th Division, which had recently arrived at Sheria. He claimed the activity had been because a new corps commander had carried out a personal reconnaissance. Other Ottoman prisoners, captured during the operation, were from the 6th and 8th Cavalry Regiments. During these activities an aerial bombing attack on the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade killed two and wounded five, also killing 14 horses and wounding 11, while the Anzac Mounted division suffered three soldiers killed and 12 wounded. All EEF units were ordered, at 22:00, to return to their normal positions on 21 July, when the area that had been held by the Ottoman force was found to have returned to normal.<ref name="DCwd7.17A63–4"/><ref group="Note">See also sketch map of the Ottoman trenches and a sketch of the gun emplacement following Desert Column War Diary AWM4-1-64-7 July 1917 Appendix 6 pp. 3–4</ref>

 

On 9 August, the 5th Light Horse Brigade [sic]<ref group="Note">This could be the 5th Light Horse Regiment or the 5th Mounted Brigade. The 5th Light Horse Brigade was formed in mid 1918, being fully established in August 1918. [Bou 2009 pp. 189–90]</ref> rode out towards El Buqqar and Khasif where they dispersed Ottoman patrols.<ref name="DCwd8.17"/>