Ninety Sixth Day of the Third Battle of Ypres and the Third Battle of Gaza

Saturday 3rd November 1917

A victory has been won at Gaza. The attack began on the night of 1st and 2nd and has resulted in part of the town falling to our men. We have heard at length from the adjutant of 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, of which more anon.

The overall picture seems to be that XXI Corps made the attack - a formation comprising 52nd (Lowland) Division, 54th (East Anglian) Division and 75th Division, the Imperial Cavalry Service Brigade of Indian lancer regiments, and attached troops. The attack was aimed at three main areas - Umbrella Hill, raided twice by the Bedfords earlier this year, El Arish Redoubt and the coastal defences. It was designed to bottle up the garrison and prevent it interfering with our forces’ advance to the south-east at Beersheba.

The initial attack on Umbrella Hill was made by 52nd Division which succeeded in taking the hill. The division then moved on and attacked El Arish Redoubt, supported by six tanks. The eastern half of the redoubt was taken and then the western half was attacked by 54th Division, supported by four tanks. Both divisions then attacked the south-western portion of Gaza, which they took, along with Rafa Redoubt, assisted by fire from vessels of the Royal Navy.

Thus the attack has achieved its desired outcome and more, with a portion of the town itself falling into our men’s’ hands. The adjutant of the Bedfords has given us a good description of his unit’s endeavours. At 2.10 am they left their bivouac area, passing Sheikh Ajlin at 3.10. By 3.45 they were within 150 yards of Sea Post, right on the shoreline. Between 4.10 and 4.30 they moved forward about three hundred yards. Companies moved off and Battalion Headquarters were established about 150 yards south of Cricket Well, waiting here until Advanced Battalion Headquarters reported that Tomb Spur had been cleared and the Advanced Headquarters established there.

About 5.10 Battalion Headquarters moved to Tomb Spur where they came under heavy machine gun fire from the ridge between Rafa and Belah. Next came an attack on Sheikh Hasan: “carried out absolutely to programme” and by six o’clock yesterday morning Hasan Garden was cleared right through and consolidated. Thirteen Turkish officers and 140 other ranks were taken prisoner and sent back - “a number of Turks were killed, twenty have been counted, there are probably more as the locality is too big to reach properly. Three Machine Guns, fragments of a fourth over 200 rifles many thousand rounds of small arms ammunition, bombs, engineers’ material, quarter master stores, papers and booty is being collected, but owing to consolidation no proper salvage arrangements can be put into operation”.

The adjutant went on: “In the attack one platoon led by Second Lieutenant E A Phillips, Royal Berkshire Regiment, attached this until, with more dash than thought for his orders reached and entered Turtle Hill. The Turks put up the white flag, but a machine-gun in the rear opened on the platoon and nearly all of them were wiped out. Second Lieutenant Phillips was killed”.

“During the advance through the garden our shrapnel barrage is said to have been erratic, or it may have been the keenness of the men, but we suffered most of our casualties there from our own shell fire. The tanks were not on time and only vehicle Number 5 turned up eventually at 6.25, this off-loaded its Royal Engineers’ material and proceeded forward, but soon afterwards it broke down. From about 6.15 to 8.30 the enemy shelled us heavily”. Efforts were made to support the attack by 1st/4th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment on Lion and Tiger Trenches, north-east of Sheikh Hasan, but owing to smoke and mist visibility was bad.

During the morning the Bedfords suffered from enemy machine-gun and rifle fire from Tortoise Hill and Turtle Hill. At 2.30 pm the 1/4th Northamptons attacked Tortoise Hill and Belah unsuccessfully and were driven back. At the same time the whole locality came under very heavy enemy shell fire again and a very strong enemy counter-attack developed between Tortoise Hill and Turtle Hill. The Bedfords reinforced their right, and all communications being cut by shells fired the SOS signal for a barrage which then came down and this together with their own machine-gun fire stopped the enemy.

One disturbing part of the adjutant’s account follows: “At the same time Turks were reported advancing from the direction of Tiger Trench and this was confirmed by the action of the Navy who opened fire on them at once and this stopped the movement. It is said that this party was, in fact, the remains of the Northamptonshires returning to our lines”(1). During last evening the remaining Northamptons and one company of 1st/11th Battalion, London Regiment (Finsbury Rifles) were put under the orders of the 1st/5th Bedfords. Ominously the adjutant ended his message with: “We are under close observation from Turtle Hill and it is beginning to tell”.

Here at Ypres there has been some activity today. Drake Battalion of 63rd (Royal Naval) Division took the front line up to the swampy morass that is the Paddebeek and then captured Sourd Farm. Meanwhile the 3rd Canadian Division took Graf House, but had to abandon it due to enemy machine-gin fire. Similarly they took Vanity and Vine Cottages but had to yield them up again.

Source: X550/6/8

(1) The Northamptonshire Regiment suffered 63 dead on 2nd November compared with 14 for the Bedfords.

Sixty Fourth Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Tuesday 2nd October 1917

The outlook here has been relatively quiet today, with no attacks, just the usual registering of guns, sniping and random barrages from trench mortars and the like. It has been the first day with rain in about two weeks though it has been remarkably hot - 76 degrees!(1)

I am not sure of the temperature in Palestine but we have heard news from the 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, near Gaza. Early yesterday Second Lieutenant Pinchin took out a patrol of four men and did a ground reconnaissance of the ground between Hereford Ridge and Umbrella Hill. Then Second Lieutenant K M Watt went out with three men to select sniping posts for day use but the patrol failed to return. Second Lieutenant R E Otter took out a patrol of fourteen other ranks for the purpose of gaining any information possible about Second Lieutenant  Watt but no traces of the patrol were found(2).

Sources: X550/6/8

(1) about 24.5°C

(2) Second Lieutenant Watt was evidently killed, his body being recovered later as he is buried in Gaza War Cemetery. One of the members of his patrol was probably Private Edward W Jordan who was killed on 1st October and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial, having no known grave. This suggests that the other two men from the patrol were captured. 

The Second Raid on Umbrella Hill

Map of Umbrella Hill from The History of the 5th Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment (TA)

Sunday 29th July 1917

1st/5th Battalion carried out a second raid on Umbrella Hill, south of Gaza on the night of 27th. We have today received their report of the action. The Zero hour was fixed for 21.00 (9 p.m.) as before. At dawn it was found that the gaps which had been cut by our guns in the enemy's wire had been mended in the night. During the afternoon their wire was again cut by the guns.

At 21.00 in accordance with the programme the artillery bombardment started then and the raiders and their support moved through the gap in our wire. Again our barrage seemed perfect but it did not have the same demoralizing effect as before on the Turks, who opened fire at 21.03 and kept it up till our men dashed into the work at 21.06. A machine-gun was on the Turkish parapet firing but it was rushed, captured and passed back to the supports, where the two men detailed to carry it lost it!

A stubborn resistance was met with everywhere, but the raiding parties were of a more handy size than before and there was no crowding or confusion but each dashed for its objective and, after a number of hard bombing duels, the Turks began to give way and everything appeared to be going in the raiders’ favour when a whistle was blown, it is thought by the Turks, and as this was taken for the evacuation signal, the raiders and supports withdrew.

There had been no time to collect prisoners or booty, but in all some fifty Turks had been killed. The raiders’ casualties were three killed, seven missing and twenty-three wounded including four who remain at duty. Second Lieutenants Coate and W H E Smith were also wounded.

As before the enemy put down a heavy barrage of high explosive on the Bedfords’ lines. Owing however to the more flexible arrangements for the return of the raiding party few, if any, casualties occurred and the enemy barrage was successfully negotiated.

At 11 p.m. a patrol went out to look for the lost machine-gun and returned about half-an-hour later.  The machine-gun was not found, but two Turks who fired on the patrol were killed.

Source: X550/6/8

Patrols to See if the Enemy are Retiring

The area patrolled by the 2nd Battalion - Jeffrey Trench shown in red, Jeffrey Support Trench in yellow and Jeffrey Reserve Trench in blue. The objective for B Company is the trench line immediately north of Jeffrey Support Trench and continuing it north-east

Saturday 28th July 1917

Last evening, 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, in the front line east of Zillebeke received a report that the enemy was evacuating his front line trenches north of Ypres. Accordingly, at half-past midnight this morning two strong patrols were ordered to go out and reconnoitre the enemy's front line to ascertain if they were withdrawing on the front opposite the Battalion.

Lieutenant Jacob [X550/1/81]

Patrols from A and B Companies went out. A Company patrol, under Lieutenant G R Jacob, was 3 officers, 14 non-commissioned officers and 43 men. Each man carried two bombs and 220 rounds of small arms ammunition. Nearly all men had shovels and two boxes of bombs were sent to the second line to be carried up as a Company Reserve. The Company went out into No Man’s Land under their platoon sergeants.

Second Lieutenant Collins [X550/1/81]

Jeffrey Trench was safely reached and men came back with the message that it was clear. On this supposition Second Lieutenant I T M Collins and three men were sent out to link up with them and move on to Jeffrey Reserve Trench. He sent back a runner with a message. The runner was wounded and lost the message. All the other patrols in Jeffrey Trench came back without orders and it is assumed that Second Lieutenant Collins is left now with two men somewhere in front of Jeffrey Trench(1).

Captain Holbrook [X550/1/81]

B Company patrol under Captain W J Holbrook consisted of one other officer and forty other ranks with the intention of occupying the enemy line as shown above. With this party were two Lewis Gun Teams. The sentry on duty in an advanced sap reported six Very lights fired from 11 pm to midnight from the enemy’s first line, second line, and also behind the ridge, this was confirmed by Captain Holbrook’s own observation.

He despatched immediately a patrol of five men. On returning they reported having reached enemy wire wire roughly at the spot marked on the map by a pink cross. A Very Light was put up and several forms were seen moving in the trench. They were this time lying on the parapet. As only half of the party returned Captain Holbrook sent out a second patrol to find the remainder. Both parties however returned individually but their reports were identical, additionally one party heard mumbling in the enemy front line and movement on their duck boards. The other party was sniped at on their way back.

At 1.15 a.m. British artillery shelled the enemy’s front line system and fifteen minutes later machine guns fired into No Man’s Land. At 1.45 the battalion on the left of the Bedfords reported that none of them had gone over from their front and said the enemy was still there. At 2 a.m. the enemy traversed the whole of Captain Holbrook’s front line some few times with machine-guns so he dedcided not to go forward.

At 2.30 a.m., however, he sent out two patrols each of five men, with instructions to establish themselves in the enemy's front line. Both parties going to different parts of the trench reported they were fired on by machine-guns and rifles. Captain Holbrook got into touch with the Trench Mortar Officer who arranged to put a barrage on the enemy system from 5 a.m. to 5.15 a.m. This he did, and at 5.15 a.m. our own Artillery barrage opened. The enemy then opened heavy artillery fire on the front line system combined with machine-gun and rifle fire.

Captain Holbrook told me on the telephone: “I did not consider it advisable for a party to leave the trench until 5.35 a.m. when matters had eased somewhat. This they did under cover of smoke and dust and got through the wire and on to Bosche parapet. A sentry on their left immediately shot at them, shouted, and our patrol heard answering shouts in the near neighbourhood. They retired and reached our front line without casualties”.

So it seems the enemy is not making any retrograde movement.

Yesterday 1st/5th Battalion in Palestine carried out another raid on Umbrella Hill. We are still awaiting details.

Source: X550/3/WD

(1) He seems to have been taken prisoner, at any rate he is not listed as dead by Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Raid Practice and a Solemn Dinner

Friday 27th July 1917

The adjutant of the 1st/5th Battalion has wired with news of practise for the next raid on Umbrella Hill. He noted that, profiting by the first raid the dug-outs were on ground unregistered by enemy artillery - as evidenced by no shell holes being about. They are also smaller and fitted with overhead cover to a depth of about 4 feet 3 inches of sand. The dump for supplies, too, has been made unostentatious and concealed by sand bags.

Captain Oliver Kingdon [X550/1/82]

The adjutant of 7th Battalion, Captain Colley, notes that today is the second anniversary of the Battalion’s arrival in France. A celebratory dinner is to be held in Steenvoorde and which the following, who landed with the Battalion in 1915 will be present: Brigadier-General G D Price (the former commanding officer, now commanding 55th Brigade, in the same Division as 7th Bedfords), Lieutenant-Colonel G P Mills, now commanding 7th Bedfords, Major J H Bridcutt (as a guest), Major A E Percival, Captain W W Colley, Captain H Driver, Captain O Kingdon, Captain H Ramsbotham, Lieutenant S R Chapman, Lieutenant and Quarter Master F Corner. Captain L H Keep will not attend, so soon after the death of his brother, which will cast something of a pall over proceedings.

Sources: X550/6/8; X550/8/1

Another Raid Planned on Umbrella Hill

Wednesday 25th July 1917

The adjutant of 1st/5th Battalion has wired to tell us that the Battalion has been ordered to carry out another raid on Umbrella Hill in a few days time. Preparations were started at once and the various modifications - especially in the size of the parties employed were discussed and decided on. Practice started at once. Turkish prisoners report that there are still three machine-guns and three mortars in the works, also one light 37 mm quick-firing gun.

The raiding party will be split into two groups - raiders and support, it being felt that no reserve is necessary. Instead a trench party of sixty one under the Regimental Sergeant Major will man the Battalion’s own front line trench to assist the raiders and support after withdrawal, directing them as to the best way through the lines in case of a hostile barrage. The size of each of the two raiding groups has been reduced to avoid bunching at the end of the raid, which presents targets for other Turkish positions.

Source: X550/6/8

Medals and Gassing

Tuesday 24th July 1917

The adjutant of the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, tells me that three officers and three other ranks have been decorated. Military Crosses have been allotted to Captain H A W Pearse, Second Lieutenant P D Sisley and Second Lieutenant A S Trotter. Meanwhile 8721 Sergeant R T C Lansbury and 10055 Sergeant Puddiphatt have been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and 28207 Sergeant Sinclair a bar to his Military Medal(1).

Captain Pearse [X550/1/81]

The adjutant of the 1st/5th Battalion has wired to say that “gongs” have been handed out there, too. Nineteen Military Medals have been given to members of the recent raiding party at Umbrella Hill, sixteen of them being members of the Bedfords.

Second Lieutenant Sisley [X550/1/82]

Yesterday the 6th Battalion, in the front line near Kemmel, was gassed. Today there have been five more gas casualties as well as one man wounded and one killed by other means. Three officers have arrived as reinfocrements.

Source: X550/2/5; X550/6/8; X550/7/1

(1) Company Sergeant Major R T Lansbury DCM, MM would be killed in action on 20th July 1918. Sergeant J Sinclair DCM, MM would die near Ypres on 12th November 1917.

An Account of the Umbrella Hill Raid

Umbrella Hill from The History of the Fifth Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment (TA)

Sunday 22nd July 1917

Colonel Brighten, commanding officer of the 1st/5th Battalion has sent an account of the recent raid on Umbrella Hill: “In accordance with orders received the party detailed for the Raid assembled at the entrance to K39 trench at about 20.15. Stores were issued, four bridges thrown across our trenches, our own wire gapped and all preliminaries completed by 20.50”.

“The night was then dark and everywhere along the line things were quite quiet. Zero was fixed for 21.00. At 20.55 two flashes in the distance were seen and after what seemed a long time two dull roars and a heavy droning noise, growing louder and louder, were heard, then two vivid flashes on Umbrella Hill followed almost at once by the tremendous crash of two 8-inch shells exploding shook the night. Two minutes of silence then two more 8-inch shells: two more minutes and yet another pair hurtled over. A minute more and at Zero started a veritable inferno. Flashes were all over the sky from the guns behind and from the shells bursting in front lit up Umbrella Hill and showed that it was wreathed in a bank of smoke which grew denser each moment. The noise was deafening so that when the machine-gun barrage from 24 guns started at 21.05, at first there appeared to be little more added to the din than the noise of a stick being run over a split-oak fence and later, one was quite oblivious of any machine-gun fire at all”.

Lieutenant B W Smythe

“At 21.00 the Raiders, closely followed by the supports, moved quickly over the trench bridges and disappeared through the gap in our wire. So rapid was the advance across "no-man's land" that it was found necessary to halt for one minute at the Beanfield. At 21.06, a minute ahead of time, the screen under Lieutenant B W Smythe dashed up to the wire with the shrapnel of our barrage bursting right over their head and soon found the gaps in the wire. They shouted through the smoke to the Raiders, who, though close on their heels, were quite invisible and so guided, they later dashed into the front trench at about 21.07, bayoneted the few Turks who offered any resistance and captured a machine-gun which was found in position”.

“Having arrived and established touch with the enemy, Captain H S Armstrong fixed his headquarters and the various parties as detailed in orders began to move to their allotted objectives, though at first some confusion occurred owing to the dense smoke & the large number of men crowded together. Lieutenant B W Smythe, after his first task of guiding the Raiders through the gap had been accomplished, collected a small party and dashed across the open to Cross Cut, which he cleared and made good, thus affording a measure of local protection while the deployment mentioned above took place”.

“To follow briefly the fortunes of various parties. The Left Sector party under Lieutenant W A Shaw moved along Side Trench, Silk Alley and finally obtained touch with the Right Sector at Tassel Corner. Bombing sections were quickly pushed up Cover Alley and Side Trench. So thoroughly demoralised were the Turks in most cases that they had to be bombed in their dugouts, each of which contained from three to six and refused to come out or indeed to do anything except cower down on the ground. A few Turks offered resistance in Cover Alley but they were speedily overcome. Soon after the evacuation signal went and in consequence the time was found insufficient for reaching Stick Alley and Point Trench”.

“The Right Sector party under Second Lieutenant R H Smith entered the enemy trenches at Stay Alley, passed through Echelon and made for Tassel Corner, where there was some congestion of troops. Dug-Out Alley was then visited and a large number of Turks killed. As before, little resistance was encountered. When the evacuation signal went, this party had just reached the bottom of Dug-out Alley”.

“Meanwhile a section of bombers had been working successfully along Echelon Trench. They killed some ten Turks and took several prisoners. A large minenwerfer(1) was met with and being far too bulky for removal, was put out of action very ingeniously by the Section who exploded bombs in its working parts”.

“While these parties had been at work killing or capturing the garrison, a party of Royal Engineers under Lieutenant Mendham, 484th Field Company, had been systematically destroying the enemy works and wrecking the trenches. They left several heavy charges of gun-cotton in the principal dug-outs which were exploded subsequent to the evacuation by time fuses”.

“Soon after the raid started, the enemy began to shell the Hollow about 50 yards in the rear of our front line very heavily with 5.9-inch high explosive shells and some shrapnel from much smaller guns. It was afterwards calculated that about 500 shells fell during the night here. By sheer bad luck the shelling was limited to an area of little more than 150 yards radius and in that was situated the signal office, headquarters dugout and aid post. The area was fairly full of people, orderlies, stretcher bearers, a dump party and headquarters details found themselves in the open under this heavy fire. For about two hours an intense bombardment was maintained, the heavy shells falling in salvos at first and later in quick succession. Later the bombardment died down to intermittent shelling with a single gun and this finally died down altogether. During the bombardment candles were continually blown out by the concussion, wounded were killed in some cases at the aid post and the dense smoke rendered the evacuation of wounded a matter of great difficulty. Though it was successfully carried out and by 02.30 all the wounded had been evacuated”.

Captain Miskin

“When it was perceived that the returning raiders and supports would suffer heavily if allowed to enter the shelled area, which practically did not touch our front line, parties were organised by the Reserve Commander, Captain  C H Miskin, who was wounded while so engaged, to direct them. Partly owing to this organisation and partly owing to the control still exercised by the officers over the raiders and supports most of these were held up at our front line and after a short interval worked away to the left flank and evacuated by the communication trenches leading back from the neighbourhood of Samson Ridge. Many casualties were undoubtedly avoided in this manner”.

“About 01.00 it was found possible to hand over the defence of bays 21-28 to the 5th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment and our reserves were withdrawn except for a small party repairing our wire and those attending to the wounded”.

“An officer’s patrol of six worked in no man's land for an hour in search of wounded and dead but none were found. By this time a thick mist had added to the difficulty to seeing anything so no good could be done”.

“At dawn and just before the mist lifted a patrol of two went out again for a short time. A revolver and some equipment was found, but none of our casualties”.

“Artillery Support. This was perfect and completely demoralised the Turks. Not one of our men was hit by our own guns.The machine-gun barrage also worked without a hitch”.

“The elaborate system of telephones was found of little value, at any rate forward of Battalion Battle Headquarters. Nothing could be heard and the wires were soon cut”.

“Booty was brought in as follows: 25 rifles; 6 bayonets; 1 revolver; 1 machine-gun on a sledge mounting, complete; 7 belt boxes; 6 full belts of ammunition; 1 37mm gun; 79 shells for the gun; 1 bag of spare parts; 1 set of equipment; 2 gas masks”.

“Enemy Casualties. No count was possible in Cover Alley and Stay Alley and those killed by our guns are not included. The counted casualties are: Echelon Trench 24; Front Trench and Cross Cut 15; Side Trench 1 officer, 30 other ranks; Dug-Out Alley 35. Total 105”.

Source: X550/6/8

(1) “mine thrower” a German trench mortar.

The Umbrella Hill Raid

Umbrella Hill from The History of the Fifth Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment (TA)

Saturday 21st July 1917

The adjutant of the 1st/5th Bedfords has managed to telephone me all the way from Palestine with details of last night’s raid. At 5.40 a.m. yesterday morning the General Officer Commanding 162nd Brigade inspected the raiders of 1st/5th Battalion and watched a rehearsal by the six new rifle sections added to the raid. Between six and eleven o’clock the Regimental Sergeant-Major and his party laid out stores at the place of assembly in proper dumps. The afternoon passed without incident.

At seven o’clock last evening the whole raiding party marched out, arriving at the place of assembly at about 20.15. Stores were issued. Everything was quite ready by about 20.50 and all stores issued. The raiders left the place of assembly at 20.55 in accordance with programme and the raid was carried through very successfully in accordance with the programme.

By sheer bad luck the enemy had put up an intense bombardment of 5.9 inch high explosive shells onto a very small area near the place of assembly and almost the whole of the casualties are due to this except for the missing and probably two or three killed on the hill and perhaps eight or ten wounded there.

Captain Miskin

About 9.45 pm the raiders, followed by the supports, came back to our front line. With so many men and in view of the tremendous noise and dense smoke some confusion was inevitable but the officers and non-commissioned officers of these parties quickly appreciated the situation and with the assistance of some parties organised by the reserve commander Captain Miskin, managed to retain most of their men in our front trench which was comparatively safe as the enemy barrage was plastering a zone some fifty to one-hundred -and-fifty yards in the rear of the front line. After some reconnaissance it was found possible to move the men to the flanks along the front line and so out of the barrage. They were then passed down communication trenches or in small parties in the open. The garrison had been relieved and all except wounded evacuated by 01.30.

The large number of wounded were evacuated by about 2.30 a.m. At 3.30 a patrol of one officer and five other ranks went in the direction of the Beanfield, about 150 yards short of Umrealls Hill, but found nothing. Everything was quiet on the hill itself. The remnants of the smoke and a thick mist made visibility difficult.

At four o’clock this afternoon a patrol of two went out, just as the dawn was breaking and the lifting mist enabled one to see. They only stayed out about ten minutes and found one dead body - from a former engagement - and some equipment which was brought in.

Today the dead, comprising one from the Royal Army Medical Corps, one from the divisional signalling company, one from 484th Company, Royal Engineers, one from the Machine Gun Corps, one from an unknown unit and sixteen from the Bedfords were buried in a cemetery near the headquarters of the raid(1). The remainder of today has been spent resting and writing reports.

One feature of the reports was that every commander of a Unit from officers commanding supports, reserves and raiders down to individual "mopping-up sections" has been asked for a written report of his own work. These will be forwarded to divisional headquarters.

Source: X550/6/8

(1) Now Gaza War Cemetery

Perfecting the Plan

Friday 20th July 1917

The raiders of 1st/5th Battalion continued their practice yesterday, especially with six new rifle sections which have been added as an addition to the reserve. A gap of about thirty yards width was cut in front trench of Umbrella Hill by our artillery during the afternoon.

During the morning the Regimental Sergeant Major and party had been at work on the dump of stores at the place of assembly for the raid. This was shelled for a time and one sergeant was wounded.

Source: X550/6/8

More About Planning the Umbrella Hill Raid

Map of Umbrella Hill from The History of the Fifth Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment

Thursday 19th July 1917

The intention in the raid on Umbrella Hill to be carried out by 1st/5th Bedfords is, as usual with such raids, to kill and capture as many of the enemy as possible and capture or destroy as much of their material as can be achieved in the limited time available.

Captain Maier

The personnel forming the party will be: one officer and twelve other ranks from 484th Field Company, Royal Engineers; sixteen officers and 511 other ranks of the Bedfords under Captain H S Armstrong and a stretcher-bearer sub-division of 2nd/1st East Anglian Field Ambulance. Of the Bedfords, five officers and 231 other ranks will be the raiders, Captain E T Maier, two other officers and 134 men will be in support and the rest, under Captain C H Miskin will be in reserve.

Captain Miskin

The amounts of ammunition have been carefully calculated, for example: the raiders will carry 736 Mills bombs and the support troops 120 more, in horses nose-bags each containing fifteen grenades, with 184 in the reserve section. The raiders will have 27 wire-cutters, 4 picks and 22 bill-hooks. There will be four stretchers taken with the raiders, eight with the support troops and sixteen in reserve.

All ranks will wear jackets, shorts and puttees. Helmets (with chin straps down) will also be worn as will equipment but without pack, haversack, waterbottle or entrenching tool and handle. Each man will carry 120 rounds of small arms ammunition and each Lewis gun team will; have twelve full drums. Bayonets will be fixed by all at the place of assembly (except men who are ordered to have rifles slung). Two sandbags will be carried on each man’s belt. All possible marks of identification will be removed (including both identity discs). No papers, letters, envelopes or notes of any sort are to be carried on the person.

All ranks will wear a white armlet three inches wide, securely fastened on each arm. These armlets will be numbered consecutively in indelible pencil and registered with the regimental number rank and name of the wearer, in a special roll to be prepared beforehand and kept at the place of assembly by Company Sergeant Major Lewsey and four men of A Company.

The Raiders will carry with them white name boards with clear black lettering in accordance with the tracing of Turkish position issued. The boards will be placed under careful supervision as the position is captured to assist all ranks in finding their way about the enemy position. Similar boards are also be used in the replica of the position during rehearsals.It has been carefully explained to all ranks that while every care has to be taken to construct correctly the replica of the position used during regearsals - there may be certain points in which it is not quite accurate, also the contour of the ground on which it is situated is known to be different.

The raiders are being carefully taught that they must keep right up to the artillery barrage which will precede them, like a creeping barrage so often used with success on the Western Front. Such an operation is almost unknown here and the men have been told that it is quite safe to keep within one hundred yards of the exploding shells and to get to such a point that our shrapnel bursts immediately overhead. The success of the whole operation depends on the raiders dashing into the enemy trenches as the barrage lifts, and before the enemy has time to recover from it. The raid is expected to take thirty-five minutes

A warning has been issued to all ranks: the enemy's line lies to the east and that our line lies to the west. The men are to be tested to see that they know how to find their direction by the stars. Every man is to be warned if inadvertantly he should be taken prisoner by the enemy he is obliged to give his Regimental Number, Rank, Name and Regiment. All ranks are also to be cautioned not to take any notice of any order shouted out or whistle blown unless they are absolutely sure that it is given by one of our own side, who, from his position, is entitled to give it, and that it is meant for them.

Source: X550/6/8

The Geography of Umbrella Hill

Map Showing Umbrella Hill from The History of the Fifth Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment (TA)

Wednesday 18th July 1917

It is unlikely any Turks will be reading this, so the adjutant of the 1st/5th Battalion has shared with me some details about the Umbrella Hill position south of Gaza, due to be raided by the Battalion. The Turkish trenches on the hill form an advanced work some 500 yards in front of his main line of defences and 550 yards from the British lines. On the north and south the trenches are protected by a line of barbed wire entanglement two to four yards broad and four feet high and on the west by improvised obstacles of sharpened stakes known as knife rests. The hills on which the work is situated are entirely of sand, their maximum height being about thirty feet above the general level. The work appears to consist of a fire trench following the crests of the hills with a trench at the foot of the rear slopes off which short passages lead to dugouts, burrowed into the rear slopes and with numerous communication trenches into the fire trench. Three communication trenches lead back to the main position and a sunken road on the south-east appears to be used also. Nothing is known of the strength of the garrison nor of the position of machine-guns. It is unlikely that there are any deep dugouts or fire trenches other than those on the crests of the hills. All trenches are wide, probably only partially revetted with sandbags and not very deep.

Source: X550/6/8

Planning the Umbrella Hill Raid

Tuesday 17th July 1917

Members of the 1st/5th Battalion raiding party practised some more yesterday. In consequence of fresh aeroplane photographs the replica, on which practice had been going on, was altered and modifications in personnel were made. Some shelling took place on the beach where bathing was in progress. Three small shrapnel shells fell and one man was slightly wounded.

Source: X550/6/8