Jerusalem Surrenders

Sunday 9th December 1917

Exciting news has reached us from the adjutant of the 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in Palestine early this morning. The army has been putting continual pressure on the Turks in Jerusalem from the west and the south. The Turks, readers will remember, had tried to attack the Bedfords and failed to make any significant ground. This pattern was repeated elsewhere and it seems that this forced the enemy to realise that Jerusalem could not be held.

By 7th December the 53rd (Welsh) Division was just south of Bethlehem. Yesterday the Turks abandoned our Lord’s birthplace. As with the situation to the south of Jerusalem, so it was to the west, our troops advancing close to the city. This morning Jerusalem has been abandoned by the enemy and surrendered to British and Imperial forces! The text of the surrender, we understand, reads as follows: "Due to the severity of the siege of the city and the suffering that this peaceful country has endured from your heavy guns; and for fear that these deadly bombs will hit the holy places, we are forced to hand over to you the city through Hussein al-Husseini, the Mayor of Jerusalem, hoping that you will protect Jerusalem the way we have protected it for more than five hundred years." Thus are Bethlehem and Jerusalem restored to Christendom just before Christmas.

More from Gaza

The Battle of Gaza from The Official History of the Great War

Wednesday 28th March 1917 from our correspondent in the field

We understand in a wire from 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment that no members of the Battalion became casualties in the Battle of Gaza on 26th March. They were south of the town in the rear of the attacking 53rd (Welsh) Division near a narrow, dry ravine called Wadi Ghuzze.

Yesterday the Battalion was ordered to concentrate near a place called Tel el Armar, which they did partly under shell fire. In the evening they marched to a place called Nuseirat, a few miles south-west of Gaza and bivouacked. They are evidently prepared for more offensive preparations.

Source: X550/6/8

The Battle of Gaza

First Battle of Gaza from The Official History of the Great War

Tuesday 27th March 1917 from our correspondent in the field

News has reached us today of a battle in far-away Palestine. The adjutant of the 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, which is part of 54th (East Anglian) Division wired to say that the Battalion had taken a minor part in a battle near Gaza. Their part consisted in moving a mile along a track towards Gaza itself then taking up an outpost line in extension of the right flank and to the south of 53rd (Welsh) Division which carried out the principal attack.

By speaking with other correspondents we have been able to piece out roughly what happened. It seems the Turks were well dug-in around Gaza but the British and Imperial troops managed to encircle them. The Welsh seem to have been in position by about 9.30 am ready to attack from the south and east, however, the attack seems to have been delayed for reasons which are unclear, though its seems fog was at least partially to blame (Gaza is only a short distance from the coast). The attack seems to have met with mixed fortunes and 161st (Essex) Brigade of 54th Division was also involved, coming under the orders of 53rd Division. After some time the attack was supported by mounted men - the ANZAC Mounted Division, Imperial Mounted Division and Imperial Camel Corps. It seems that the resistance was too great and the attacks had to be called off and some captured ground given up. Our troops are reckoned to have sustained about 4,000 casualties. We understand from some of our colleagues that the commanding officer of 53rd Division, Major-General A G Dallas has received criticism in some quarters for his handling of operations.

Source: X550/6/8