Background British occupation of the Jordan Valley

1 background

1.1 decision occupy valley
1.2 garrison
1.3 conditions in valley
1.4 vegetation
1.5 swimming in dead sea
1.6 water supply , mosquitoes
1.7 conditions horses

background


detail of falls sketch map no. 24 showing jericho, wadi nueiame, wadi el auja, wadi el mellaha, el musallabe, bakr ridge, el baghalat, kh fasail, meteil edn dhib, el musetter, , fords el ghoraniye, umm esh shert, mafid jozele , jisr ed damieh entrenched shunet nimrin position east overlooked el haud north east

after capture of jerusalem @ end of 1917 jordan river crossed infantry , mounted riflemen , bridgeheads established @ beginning of unsuccessful first transjordan attack on amman in march. defeat of second transjordan attack on shunet nimrin , es salt , withdrawal jordan valley on 3 5 may, marked end of major operations until september 1918.

the focus shifted german spring offensive launched ludendorff on western front, began same day first transjordan attack on amman, eclipsing failure. british front in picardy held 300,000 soldiers collapsed when powerful assaults launched on both sides of somme force of 750,000, forcing gough s fifth army amiens. on 1 day; 23 march german forces advanced 12 miles (19 km) , captured 600 guns; in total 1,000 guns , 160,000 suffered worst defeat of war. british war cabinet recognised @ once overthrow of ottoman empire must @ least postponed. effect of offensive on palestine campaign described allenby on 1 april 1918: here, have raided hedjaz railway 40 miles east of jordan & have done damage little show dwindles insufficient [insignificant] affair in comparison events in europe. overnight palestine went being british government s first priority side show.

decision occupy valley

reasons garrisoning jordan valley include – road hedjaz railway station @ amman shunet nimrin opposite ghoraniyeh crossing of jordan river, remained serious strategic threat british right flank large german , ottoman force moved amman shunet nimrin , major attack mounted valley.

it therefore decided defend eastern flank jordan valley strong garrison until september , occupy place many considered unpleasant , unhealthy place , virtually uninhabitable during hot summer months due heat, high humidity , malaria.

so important support of prince feisal s sherifial hedjaz arab force defence of eef s right flank, substantially subsidised war office. after delay in receipt of payment, high commissioner in egypt reginald wingate wrote allenby on 5 july 1918, think shall manage subsidy required £50,000 require northern operations. @ time £400,000 on way australia, while wingate asking war office additional £500,000, emphasising importance of regular payment of our arab subsidy.

the ottoman defenders maintained observation post on el haud hill dominates whole jordan valley.

at time strength estimated @ 68,000 rifles , sabres , morale of ottoman defenders strong, harvest coming in , food abundant. while eef defending line every available unit. allenby wrote in letter war office on 15 june 1918, goods in shop window. 60 miles (97 km) eef line stretching mediterranean sea jordan river strong, supported roads , communications behind. line wide in comparison size of eef it. allenby saying, best line can hold. retirement weaken it. right flank covered jordan; left mediterranean sea. jordan valley must held me; vital. if turks regained control of jordan, should lose control of dead sea. cut me off arabs on hedjaz railway; result that, shortly, turks regain power in hedjaz. arabs make terms them, , our prestige gone. right flank turned, , position in palestine untenable. might hold rafa or el arish; can imagine effect such withdrawal have on population of egypt, , on watching tribes of western desert. see, therefore, cannot modify present dispositions. must give nothing of hold. anyhow, must hold jordan valley.

garrison

chauvel given task of defending jordan valley, desert mounted corps had lost 5th mounted brigade , yeomanry mounted division, both of which, along of british infantry sent western front replaced indian army infantry , cavalry. resultant reorganisation required time work through.

british , indian officers of 18th lancers (india army) @ tel el kebir on arrival france in april 1918.

the jordan valley garrisoned in 1918 20th indian brigade, anzac mounted division , australian mounted division, until 17 may when 4th , 5th cavalry divisions arrived. took on outposts in sector outside ghoraniyeh bridgehead while 15th (imperial service) cavalry brigade held bridgehead. in august these troops joined @ beginning of month newly formed 1st , 2nd battalions british west indies regiment, in middle of month 38th battalion, royal fusiliers (the 39th follow later), both part of jewish legion , towards end of august british indian army cavalry units. force included section of light armoured motor brigade commanded captain mcintyre; armoured cars had 2 machine guns mounted on rear of each car , camouflaged bushes while making sorties attack ottoman patrols. allenby had decided hold valley mounted force because mobility of mounted troops enable them keep greater proportion of strength in reserve on higher ground.

chauvel s headquarters @ talaat ed dumm 25 april until 16 september , divided jordan valley 2 sectors, each patrolled 3 brigades while reserve of 3 brigades maintained.

an australian light horse team on road near jericho.

in garrisoned area of valley there 2 villages; jericho , rujm el bahr on edge of dead sea; other human habitations included bedouin shelters , several monasteries. arabs chose evacuate jericho during summer months, leaving heterogeneous local tribes. in vicinity of dead sea, taamara, 7,000 strong semi-settled arab tribe cultivated selected areas of slopes of dead sea wady muallak , wady nur. husbanded 3,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys , few large cattle or camels , travelled madeba district work hired carriers.

conditions in valley

at 1,290 feet (390 m) below sea level , 4,000 feet (1,200 m) below mountains on either side of scorching jordan valley, here weeks @ time, shade temperature dropped below 100 °f (38 °c) , reached 122–125 °f (50–52 °c); @ ghoraniyeh bridgehead 130 °f (54 °c) recorded. coupled heat, tremendous evaporation of dead sea keeps still, heavy atmosphere moist, adds discomfort , produces feeling of lassitude depressing , difficult overcome. in addition these unpleasant conditions valley swarms snakes, scorpions, mosquitoes, great black spiders, , men , animals tormented day , night swarms of every sort of fly. trooper r. w. gregson 2663, described jordan valley family, ...it s terrible place. never tell go hell again; tell him go jericho, , think bad enough!

from jericho jordan river invisible, 4 miles (6.4 km) across open plain; being going movement across valley. big vultures perch on chalky bluffs overlooking river, , storks seen flying overhead, while wild pigs seen in bush. river contained many fish, , marshy borders crowded frogs , other small animals.

in spring land in jordan valley supports little thin grass, fierce sun of summer scorches leaving layer of white chalky marl impregnated salt, several feet deep. surface broken movement of mounted troops fine white powder resembling flour, , covering thick blanket of dust. roads , tracks covered as 1 foot (30 cm) of white powder , traffic stirred dense, limey cloud penetrated everywhere, , stuck grittily sweat-soaked clothes. white coating of dust enshroud men returning watering horses; clothes, wet perspiration dripped knees of riding-breeches, , faces revealed sweaty rivulets.

during summer nights breathless, in morning strong hot wind, blowing north, sweeps white dust down valley in dense choking clouds. 11:00 wind dies down, , period of deathlike stillness follows, accompanied intense heat. shortly afterwards wind arises south, or violent air currents sweep valley, carrying dust devils great heights; these continue till 22:00 after sleep possible few brief hours.

the troops general careworn appearance noticeable; not ill lacked proper sleep , effects of deprivation intensified heat, dust, humidity, pressure effect, stillness of air, , mosquitoes cumulative effects of hardships of 2 previous years of campaigning caused general depression. these extremely depressing effects of region in turn contributed debility of troops after period in valley. shelter bivouac sheets barely allowed men room sit up; there few bell tents in temperatures reached 125 °f (52 °c). however, although worked long hours in hot sun patrolling, digging, wiring, caring horses , carrying out anti-mosquito work, heat exhaustion never problem (as had in sinai desert; in particular on second day of battle of romani) there easy access large supplies of pure, cool water drinking , washing. springs supplied drinking water , supplies of rations , forage transported valley jerusalem. thirst constant , large quantities of fluid; more 1 imperial gallon (4.5 l) consumed, while meat rations (in absence of refrigeration) consisted of tins of bully beef , stewed hot conditions while still in cans, , bread dry , there few fresh vegetables.

vegetation

the bush ranged 4 feet (1.2 m) height of horse; there numerous ber trees have enormous thorns (the traditional crown of thorns tree) , big prickly bushes made quite easy rig shelter sun, , near jericho woody scrub 3–4 feet (0.91–1.22 m) high, broad leaves woolly on underside, has fruit similar apples. there dense jhow jungle on either side of jordan river 200–300 yards (180–270 m), , banks sheer 5–6 feet (1.5–1.8 m) above water-level made impossible swim horses in river.

swimming in dead sea

dead sea post showing 1 of naval whalers , launch belonging dead sea detachment, motor-boat company, r.a.s.c. 5 september 1918.

while in bivouac in jordan valley, common practice when things quiet, soldiers ride few miles rujm el bahr, @ northern end of dead sea jordan river runs in, bathe , horses. inland sea 47 miles (76 km) long , 10 miles (16 km) wide steep mountain country sloping down water on each side. surface of sea lies 1,290 feet (390 m) below sea-level of mediterranean , water extremely salty, containing 25% mineral salts , extremely buoyant; many of horses perplexed @ floating high out of water. has been calculated 6,500,000 tons of water fall dead sea daily various streams, , sea has no outlet of water evaporates creating humid heat of atmosphere in valley. there opportunities swim in jordan river.

water supply , mosquitoes

bivouac on jordan river, men washing clothes , exercising horses, pontoon bridge , hills of moab in distance

the 1 generous feature of valley water supply; muddy jordan river flowed throughout year in trough 100–150 feet (30–46 m) below valley floor, fed numerous clear springs , wadis running on either side. new zealanders enjoyed physical benefits of bathing in jordan @ 1 time or during campaign in bath such luxury.

in left sector australian mounted division stationed there several sources of water; jordan river, wadi el auja, , wadi nueiameh, flowed ain el duk, , jordan @ el ghoraniyeh. latter wadi used headquarters of valley defences. section of valley patrolled anzac mounted division crossed wadis auja, mellahah, nueiameh , kelt jordan river several extensive marshes in jungle on banks. nullahs astonishingly deep, dense vegetation , quite big trees. area notorious subtertian or malignant malaria , in particular whole valley of wadi el mellahah swarming anopheles larvae, worst kind of mosquitoes.

a thousand men cut down jungle, drained marshes , swamps, streams cleared of reeds burnt, canals created there no opportunity standing water, holes filled in, stagnant pools oiled , hard standings horses constructed. cultivated area @ source of ain es sultan (jericho s water supply) treated 600 members of egyptian labour corps on period of 2 months. no breeding of larvae demonstrated 3 days after work complete areas had continually maintained special malarial squads of sanitary section , indian infantry brigade. these measures successful during 6 months september incidence of malaria in chauvel s force on 5 per cent cases occurring on front line or in no man s land; while incidence of malaria in reserve areas low.

however, despite efforts, cases of malaria reported during may , reports of fever steadily developed heat , dust increased , men became less physically fit lowered ability resist sickness. in addition malaria, minor maladies became common; thousands of men suffered blood diseases known sand-fly fever , five-day fever , manifested in excessive temperatures, followed temporary prostration, , few escaped severe stomach disorders.

conditions horses

horse lines of squadron 9th light horse regiment (3rd light horse brigade)

the climate did not affect horses in marked way rations, although plentiful, contained small proportion of pure grain insufficient nutritional value , bulky , unpalatable. while others thought forage desired , water plentiful , good. during mid summer when iron hot handle , hand placed on of horse positively painful, yet in dust, heat , many diseases, in particular surra fever carried surra fly which, in 1917 decimated ottoman transport killing many 42,000 camels in jordan valley, horses survived.

they did not thrive, however, , came out of valley in poor condition, due due insufficient number of men water, feed , groom them , conditions unfavourable exercise, essential keeping horses in health , condition. there on average 1 man after 6 or 7 horses, , @ times in regiments there 1 man every 15 horses after daily sick had been evacuated , men outposts, patrols , anti-malarial work had been found.

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