The Plan to Capture General Otto Liman von Sanders
by the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry, Palestine 1918
Seventeen year old William Mervin Ractliffe and his cousin, Theodore Raymond Lewis, enlisted together in Stroud’s ‘B’ Squadron of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry (RGHY) on the same day of 3rd July 1911. Because Theo was an orphan by the age of 12 Mervin’s parents became his guardians and being the same age, Theo and William, (who was always known as ‘Mervin) grew up as brothers. Both would become young Sergeants by 1916, going through the Hell of Gallipoli and the Egyptian campaigns and both served throughout the Great War until discharged together in April 1919. The bond was strong and the ‘brothers’ inseparable, when they suddenly found themselves serving in ‘A’ Squadron for the Nazareth Operation in 1918 to kidnap the enemy’s most senior General in Palestine.
The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (Gloucestershire Yeomanry) was formed in 1795 following William Pitt's 1794 order to raise volunteer bodies of men to defend Great Britain and by 1908 had been incorporated into the new Territorial Force as Yeomanry for the defence of Britain in time of war. [1]
On mobilisation in August 1914 the regiment was expanded to three regimental sized formations and the 1/1st RGHY served overseas, whilst the other two regiments were based at home in a training role feeding new replacement recruits to the senior echelon in Egypt and Palestine. [2]
On 15 April 1915 the 1/1st RGHY sailed to Egypt, but on 11 August orders were changed and the regiment embarked for Gallipoli in an infantry role where they suffered severe casualties during the Battle of Scimitar Hill when ordered to cross open ground in daylight under Turkish point blank artillery shelling.
On return to Egypt, the RGHY took part in many of the battles that formed the Sinai and Palestine Campaigns, primarily as part of the Imperial Mounted Division, which was later renamed Australian Mounted Division when the Hussars played a support role at the famous Battle of Beersheba. By early 1918 the regiment was placed under the command of the newly raised 5th Cavalry Division (itself part of the Desert Mounted Corps) for the 19 September commencement of the Palestine Offensive, with orders to move through the Turkish lines and drive fifty miles to Nazareth in under twenty four hours as part of 13th Cavalry Brigade for a secret mission. [3]
At 0430 hours the next day, Friday 20 September 1918, 24 year old Sergeant Ractliffe drew his sword and waited for the command to charge into the town centre of Nazareth whilst the enemy was still sleeping to capture General Otto Liman von Sanders, the German commander of the Turkish armies in Palestine. By the end of the day Ractliffe will have been cited as a hero.
The Allied Egyptian Expeditionary Force Situation December 1917
By the 9th December 1917, after the Allies under General Sir Edmund Allenby had captured the city of Jerusalem, the war was going badly for the Ottoman Empire in the Holy Land. The Turkish Yilderim Armeegruppe (the nearest translation is ‘Lightening Bolt Army Group’) under the command of General Otto Liman von Sanders (the victor at Gallipoli in 1915) comprised the Ottoman Fourth, Seventh and Eighth Armies, plus the German Asia Corps. It was dug in along a static defence line in Palestine from Jaffa on the coast 60 miles inland to the shores of the Dead Sea. [4]
Allenby was determined to open his offensive (later known as the ‘Battle of Megiddo’) in the New Year, but critical forces were removed from his theatre to go to the Western Front. This delayed his plans until September 1918 when reinforcements were made available from France. These included critically needed additional cavalry, which unlike the conditions in Europe, the unrestricted flat open nature of the desert terrain in the Holy Land favoured the role of cavalry, which provided Allenby with the same mobility that armoured vehicles did for Montgomery and Rommel during the Second World War; in fact analysis reveals that the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) ‘Desert Mounted Corps’ daily rate of advance between 19 and 21 September 1918 (the period of action covered in this article) was twice as fast as the German Panzer Corps 1941 invasion of the USSR. [5]
After the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was broken up in France and sent to Egypt in March 1918 the mounted arm of the EEF was reorganised, which included the British 2nd Mounted Division, now incorporating British yeomanry with Indian Cavalry and being renamed as the Anglo-Indian 5th Cavalry Division commanded by Major General H. J. M. MacAndrew CB DSO. A component of 5th Cavalry Division was the 13th Cavalry Brigade comprising the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry, 9th Hodson’s Horse (Indian Lancers) 18th King George’s Own (Bengal) Lancers and 19th Machine Gun Squadron under the command of Brigadier General Philip James Vandeleur Kelly CMG DSO. [6]
Allied headquarters had already discovered that Liman von Sanders Army Group HQ was at Nazareth (the biblical home of Jesus’ parents) which in 1918 had a population of 15,000 living in white walled homes built at the bottom and on the steep sides of a depression in the Galilean Hills. EEF Intelligence hatched a plan that if von Sanders could be captured by a daring surprise cavalry raid, thus paralysing Turkish control and command, then the war in the Eastern theatre could well be over in a matter of weeks! The task was given to the 5th Cavalry Division, but it soon defaulted to Kelly’s 13th Cavalry Brigade.
The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (Gloucestershire Yeomanry) was formed in 1795 following William Pitt's 1794 order to raise volunteer bodies of men to defend Great Britain and by 1908 had been incorporated into the new Territorial Force as Yeomanry for the defence of Britain in time of war. [1]
On mobilisation in August 1914 the regiment was expanded to three regimental sized formations and the 1/1st RGHY served overseas, whilst the other two regiments were based at home in a training role feeding new replacement recruits to the senior echelon in Egypt and Palestine. [2]
On 15 April 1915 the 1/1st RGHY sailed to Egypt, but on 11 August orders were changed and the regiment embarked for Gallipoli in an infantry role where they suffered severe casualties during the Battle of Scimitar Hill when ordered to cross open ground in daylight under Turkish point blank artillery shelling.
On return to Egypt, the RGHY took part in many of the battles that formed the Sinai and Palestine Campaigns, primarily as part of the Imperial Mounted Division, which was later renamed Australian Mounted Division when the Hussars played a support role at the famous Battle of Beersheba. By early 1918 the regiment was placed under the command of the newly raised 5th Cavalry Division (itself part of the Desert Mounted Corps) for the 19 September commencement of the Palestine Offensive, with orders to move through the Turkish lines and drive fifty miles to Nazareth in under twenty four hours as part of 13th Cavalry Brigade for a secret mission. [3]
At 0430 hours the next day, Friday 20 September 1918, 24 year old Sergeant Ractliffe drew his sword and waited for the command to charge into the town centre of Nazareth whilst the enemy was still sleeping to capture General Otto Liman von Sanders, the German commander of the Turkish armies in Palestine. By the end of the day Ractliffe will have been cited as a hero.
The Allied Egyptian Expeditionary Force Situation December 1917
By the 9th December 1917, after the Allies under General Sir Edmund Allenby had captured the city of Jerusalem, the war was going badly for the Ottoman Empire in the Holy Land. The Turkish Yilderim Armeegruppe (the nearest translation is ‘Lightening Bolt Army Group’) under the command of General Otto Liman von Sanders (the victor at Gallipoli in 1915) comprised the Ottoman Fourth, Seventh and Eighth Armies, plus the German Asia Corps. It was dug in along a static defence line in Palestine from Jaffa on the coast 60 miles inland to the shores of the Dead Sea. [4]
Allenby was determined to open his offensive (later known as the ‘Battle of Megiddo’) in the New Year, but critical forces were removed from his theatre to go to the Western Front. This delayed his plans until September 1918 when reinforcements were made available from France. These included critically needed additional cavalry, which unlike the conditions in Europe, the unrestricted flat open nature of the desert terrain in the Holy Land favoured the role of cavalry, which provided Allenby with the same mobility that armoured vehicles did for Montgomery and Rommel during the Second World War; in fact analysis reveals that the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) ‘Desert Mounted Corps’ daily rate of advance between 19 and 21 September 1918 (the period of action covered in this article) was twice as fast as the German Panzer Corps 1941 invasion of the USSR. [5]
After the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was broken up in France and sent to Egypt in March 1918 the mounted arm of the EEF was reorganised, which included the British 2nd Mounted Division, now incorporating British yeomanry with Indian Cavalry and being renamed as the Anglo-Indian 5th Cavalry Division commanded by Major General H. J. M. MacAndrew CB DSO. A component of 5th Cavalry Division was the 13th Cavalry Brigade comprising the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry, 9th Hodson’s Horse (Indian Lancers) 18th King George’s Own (Bengal) Lancers and 19th Machine Gun Squadron under the command of Brigadier General Philip James Vandeleur Kelly CMG DSO. [6]
Allied headquarters had already discovered that Liman von Sanders Army Group HQ was at Nazareth (the biblical home of Jesus’ parents) which in 1918 had a population of 15,000 living in white walled homes built at the bottom and on the steep sides of a depression in the Galilean Hills. EEF Intelligence hatched a plan that if von Sanders could be captured by a daring surprise cavalry raid, thus paralysing Turkish control and command, then the war in the Eastern theatre could well be over in a matter of weeks! The task was given to the 5th Cavalry Division, but it soon defaulted to Kelly’s 13th Cavalry Brigade.
Brigadier General Kelly’s Orders
Kelly’s prime objective was to advance 13th Cavalry Brigade through the Turkish front line on the early morning of the 19 September 1918 under cover of artillery bombardment and supported by the whole of its 5th Cavalry parent division; then break away from the main mounted force of Lieutenant General Harry Chauvel’s Desert Mounted Corps and advance behind the Turkish lines for over fifty miles using a little known track from Sindiane to Abu Shusheh. Then twenty four hours later, enter the Plain of Esdraelon (also known as the Jezreel Valley and the Plain of Armageddon) to execute the capture and occupation of Nazareth and afterwards clear the plain as far east as Afule, thus blocking the Nazareth to Tiberius road. Whilst the main aim objective of the Nazareth offensive was the occupation of the town, an important secondary objective was inserted to locate the enemy army group headquarters there and capture Liman von Sanders himself. Allenby, not surprisingly, took a personal interest in this latter caveat. [7]
Using all three of his regiments, but not the divisional artillery, which came on slowly from behind, Kelly was not uncomfortable with the task since his entire brigade comprised over 1,200 horses. Additionally, each regiment had a machine gun squadron and could call on reinforcement from 14th Cavalry Brigade (which had its own objectives to worry about) plus the divisional motorised units comprising the 12th Light Armoured Motor Battery and 7th Light Car Patrol; or so was the original plan.
EEF Intelligence were ‘reasonably sure’ that von Sander’s headquarters building was the Germania Hotel in the centre of the town near to a large Turkish mechanised transport lorry park, but with the added instruction to search any other nearby substantial looking buildings.
Kelly’s prime objective was to advance 13th Cavalry Brigade through the Turkish front line on the early morning of the 19 September 1918 under cover of artillery bombardment and supported by the whole of its 5th Cavalry parent division; then break away from the main mounted force of Lieutenant General Harry Chauvel’s Desert Mounted Corps and advance behind the Turkish lines for over fifty miles using a little known track from Sindiane to Abu Shusheh. Then twenty four hours later, enter the Plain of Esdraelon (also known as the Jezreel Valley and the Plain of Armageddon) to execute the capture and occupation of Nazareth and afterwards clear the plain as far east as Afule, thus blocking the Nazareth to Tiberius road. Whilst the main aim objective of the Nazareth offensive was the occupation of the town, an important secondary objective was inserted to locate the enemy army group headquarters there and capture Liman von Sanders himself. Allenby, not surprisingly, took a personal interest in this latter caveat. [7]
Using all three of his regiments, but not the divisional artillery, which came on slowly from behind, Kelly was not uncomfortable with the task since his entire brigade comprised over 1,200 horses. Additionally, each regiment had a machine gun squadron and could call on reinforcement from 14th Cavalry Brigade (which had its own objectives to worry about) plus the divisional motorised units comprising the 12th Light Armoured Motor Battery and 7th Light Car Patrol; or so was the original plan.
EEF Intelligence were ‘reasonably sure’ that von Sander’s headquarters building was the Germania Hotel in the centre of the town near to a large Turkish mechanised transport lorry park, but with the added instruction to search any other nearby substantial looking buildings.
William Mervin Radcliffe wearing his Royal Nazareth, just after the First World War
Gloucestershire Hussars 'dress blues', early 1914
‘H’ Hour Thursday 19 September
The 5th Cavalry Brigade was only one element of the mass of cavalry General Allenby had entrusted to the Australian Lieutenant General Harry Chauvel, who with over 25,000 horse under command was the last general to command cavalry on such a scale, reminiscent of the cavalry Corps of the American Civil War. Several deception plans had encouraged the enemy to expect this great mobile force to strike deep on the desert flank, but Allenby had instead concentrated them in well hidden orange groves on the coastal flank only 10 miles from the front line.
The opening offensive phase of the successful ‘Battle of Megiddo’ (from which Allenby would later take the name when elevated to the peerage) was termed the ‘Battle of Sharon’. This required the infantry to punch a hole on the coastal edge of the enemy front line, preceded by a heavy artillery bombardment at 0430 hours, thus allowing the Desert Mounted Corps to move through and set off along the beaches at 0600 hours and then turn inland into the Plain of Sharon, 5th Cavalry Division in the van and 13th Cavalry Brigade on point. When they reached the rough and narrow Shushu Pass over the Mount Carmel Range, MacAndrew was forced to leave the 15th Cavalry Brigade and the divisional artillery behind. Because the 14th Cavalry Brigade had its own objectives, Kelly found himself the sole executive responsible for what was originally proposed as a divisional strength task.
Prisoner Supervision and Town Garrison Duty Reduce Kelly’s Effectives
By 0900 hours the Indian lancers of 9th Hodson Horse in the van lost men detailed to deal with Turkish infantry surrendering in large batches of 50 to 80 at a time and escort them back to the Allied lines. Soon afterwards the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry had an identical manpower loss dealing with unexpected POWs when a small flank detail, led by Corporal Wiseman, suddenly confronted twenty men attempting to limber up two Turkish field guns. His patrol dashed towards them when they immediately offered their surrender to half a dozen startled Territorials! Soon after when thirty seven supply wagons came into sight, Private Forrest (of the same regiment) single handedly took the surrender of four officers and 100 men; the whole column surrendering to him without being asked. This regimental record for a single trooper still stands today! [8]
At 1130 hours the brigade led by RGHY reached Liktera, a principal enemy transport and supply depot manned by a garrison regiment (that withdrew) and 200 German mechanics who surrendered without protest, plus a complete training establishment of 400 Turks with a German commandant and staff who were astonished at the approach of the British Territorials. These enemy soldiers also went into the ‘bag’, but needed supervising. Kelly had no option but to leave a portion of his dwindling brigade at Liktera as an occupying force, plus others to escort the large number of prisoners back to the Allied lines. Because of the importance of this place Kelly decided to leave two squadrons of the 18th Bengal Lancers there on garrison duty. Brigadier General Kelly was later severely criticised for this action and for the other garrisons he had left behind from his dwindling brigade en route. [9]
After a rest stop at 1800 hours during the late afternoon of 19 September, necessitated by a proportion of the brigade’s mounts giving out due to the fast pace over very difficult terrain, the RGHY lined up in the rear of the 18th Bengal Lancers for the night march through the Esdraelon / Armageddon Valley along rocky tracks, which allowed only slow single file progress with Kelly and his staff leading. This took the brigade via the villages of Zerg Heniyeh, Dufeis, Jarak and Junjar, upon which the column became badly stretched out and the Bengal Lancers (with the Brigadier in tow) veered off lost in the dark, not to catch up until later in the night. An officer of the RGHY wrote the following account in his diary…
19 September 1918: I discovered to my horror that the Indian’s in front of me, whom I was following, had lost touch with the main body at the critical moment when the mountain track divided into four well worn paths across the vale in four different directions. This was a terrible affair and I pictured myself lost at the head of the regiment and I saw Gen. Kelly with 18th Bengal Lancers in their glory advancing on Nazareth. I was furious with the Indian’s in front of me and I cursed them up hill and down dale. That being of no avail I settled down, halted and dismounted. I had meanwhile made up my mind that one of the paths leading across the valley must be right. We went along, soon came up with Major Mills, the 2nd in command of the Lancers, whom I was delighted to meet, until he told me that he had also lost the Brigadier and staff, who had gone on in front. After half an hour we found the Brigadier near the railway (line) much to everyone’s relief. [10]
After the column stopped to blow up the railway line, it continued on its fast pace towards Nazareth, which was now forty miles distant.
At 0300 hours on 20 September upon arriving at the foothills the 13th Cavalry Brigade pushed on up the track via Jebata and El Mujeidil towards Nazareth. Kelly decided to seize El Mujeidil which in the dark was initially mistaken for Nazareth. It was found full of Turkish infantry who were sleeping and Kelly directed the 18th Bengal Lancers to surround it to block all exits and sent two Troops into the village. [11]
Kelly had no choice but to leave the rest of the 18th Bengal Lancers behind to occupy and deal with the prisoners. Thus from an originally planned dual Brigade attack ( hopefully supported by divisional artillery and motorised troops) Brigadier General Kelly was left with only the under-strength Royal Gloucestershire Hussars as a complete regiment of three squadrons and their machine gun detachment, plus a partial regiment of 9th Hodson’s Horse (lagging well behind). With these Kelly was to attack, occupy and secure the Nazareth garrison, its Army Group HQ and documents, plus search for and capture General Liman von Sanders. Unfortunately Kelly’s command lacked precise intelligence which building in the town housed the General’s Headquarters.
With the 18th Bengal Lancers left behind for the present, the reduced Brigade pressed on up the main road with the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry taking the lead. ‘Shortly afterwards the houses of Nazareth appeared in front gleaming white and silent in the moonlight’. The only information that the Brigade had as to the possible location of the enemy GHQ was that it was a large building near a big motor-lorry park, so they planned to aim for the centre of the town, find the lorry park and rush any big houses or substantial buildings near by. [12]
The commanding officer of the RGHY was Lieutenant Colonel A. C. Watson DSO and in the small hours of the 20 September only Watson and his under strength regiment of Hussars, numbering 17 officers and 283 other ranks, was all that Kelly could call on as they prepared to charge into Nazareth before daybreak. The regimental Adjutant, Second Lieutenant E. Laurence, made the following entry in the regimental war diary later that day…
0425 Hours 20/9/18: The regiment gained sight of NAZARETH and orders were issued to Squadron Leaders. Lt. Pretty and a Troop from ‘B’ Sq. plus 2nd/Lt. Cornwall and a Troop from ‘D’ Sq. were sent out to siege tactical points North of town and 2 M.G.’s attached. The (balance of the) regiment drew swords and galloped into the town. [13]
The ‘tactical points’ outside the town referred to by Second Lieutenant Laurance were placed to block the roads leading north-east to Tiberias and north-west to Haifa, whilst cutting all telegraph wires leading into and out of Nazareth.
Charge with Swords Drawn!
As the Troops making up ‘A’ Squadron charged into the town centre, Sergeant’s Ractliffe and Lewis amongst them, a machine gun position was noticed just on the threshold of the town on the right. This was rushed and its crew of nine were taken prisoner. Swords drawn, horses galloping, the Hussars poured into its streets and the garrison was completely taken by surprise. The enemy soldiers, both Germans and Turks, were mostly unarmed and barley awake, with hundreds of them surrendering amidst the noise and shock of the British Yeomanry galloping through the streets. It was now imperative to locate General von Sanders GHQ building as quickly as possible and this task was given to Second Lieutenant Greene and his Troop. [14] [15] [16]
The RGHY war diary records the following on this objective…
0425 hours 20/9/18: Lt. Greene and Troop was dispatched with orders to siege General Von Sanders and his headquarters; several houses were entered without achieving the capture (it was subsequently reported that he had left at 21.00 hours on the 19th, but this information requires confirmation). [17]
The above report was taken from the mayor of Nazareth, who when questioned insisted that the General had left on the previous evening after (sic) hearing that British cavalry were over the Iskanderun (whereby he probably meant the Plain of Armageddon). But this was a ruse to put the Hussars off the scent because the garrison was totally surprised and von Sanders was still in situ hiding, dressed only in his night clothes! [18]
Greene’s handwritten After-Action Report illustrates his frustration at not having been furnished with better intelligence…
REPORT ON MISSION CARRIED OUT BY LT. T. K. GREENE 20/9/18. On entering the town of Nazareth I was ordered to stop some German motor lorries at the southern end of town that were endeavouring to escape and had started to turn around. When I had accomplished this I rejoined the regiment, but by this time my squadron was engaged in the fighting in the town.
I went off at once collecting what men I could and proceeded to carry out a search. I did not know which his house was, but I was looking for anything in the nature of a place which might be a headquarters.
In the Hotel Germania several officers were captured, but I could see no trace of an office. I turned out the German officers and handed them over to an escort. I then went to a large building beyond the Hotel Germania, which I entered. In there I succeeded in capturing a number of prisoners, which did not offer any resistance. These I subsequently handed over to two men who called in shortly afterwards. I then searched the rooms on the first and second floors. I looked through the desks and drawers and on the walls, but did not find anything of value. Most of the papers seem to have been removed.
Having completed the search I rejoined my Squadron. It was about ¾ of an hour after entering the town that I went into the building containing the officers. Signed Terrence K. Greene 2/Lt. South Irish Horse, attached Royal Gloucester Hussars. [19]
Although Lieutenant Greene did not know that the Hotel Germania was the German GHQ mess and that their actual command centre (and von Sanders personal office and accommodation) was 500 yards further on in the Monastery of Casa Nuova, Greene still managed to scoop up important documents and capture some middle ranking German staff officers, one of which refused to believe that the regiment had covered 50 miles overland in 24 hours and must have disembarked from transports at the port of Haifa. [20] [21]
Whilst soldiers at the monastery started to destroy sensitive papers, von Sanders made his escape under cover of a counter attack provided by his office clerks outside his HQ building and he got away just in time. According to his housekeeper, who was questioned later, ‘the General at the first alarm dashed down the staircase and out onto the street in his pyjamas and together with his personal staff, made off in a car along the Tiberias road’. From there he drove to on to Samakh in the afternoon to organise a strong rearguard. But for most of that day Liman von Sanders was unable to communicate and direct his forces, leaving the Turkish Fourth, Seventh and Eighth Armies without orders or directions. This proved fatal, since the war in the East was all over by the end of the following month. [22] [23]
According to General Liman von Sander’s war memoirs, “Five Years in Turkey”, where he can be excused for putting the best spin on events and adjusting the timing of his escape to much later in the day, his account is as follows...Soon a report came that somehow the exit of the city towards Tiberias had remained free. The enemy could have closed it easily with a few mounted men and machine guns, blocking the only open exit from Nazareth. At 8.30am I rode up to the French orphanage where I found Major Wurth von Wuthenau’s depot regiment. I ordered him to attack at once. After the attack had failed twice, I ordered a third attempt no matter what cost, which succeeded at 10.15am when the British commenced to withdraw from the heights. I left Nazareth at 1.15pm with General Kiazim, Major Prigge and Captain Hecker. We had to pass an endless column of fugitives before we reached Tiberias at 3.30pm.
Nevertheless in the early phase of the battle for Nazareth the RGHY had showed great initiative and dash and within the first hour had captured over 1,500 prisoners, mostly Germans. These included some staff officers of field rank, plus German telegraphists, mechanics and other technical troops. [24] [25]
Gloucestershire Hussars 'dress blues', early 1914
‘H’ Hour Thursday 19 September
The 5th Cavalry Brigade was only one element of the mass of cavalry General Allenby had entrusted to the Australian Lieutenant General Harry Chauvel, who with over 25,000 horse under command was the last general to command cavalry on such a scale, reminiscent of the cavalry Corps of the American Civil War. Several deception plans had encouraged the enemy to expect this great mobile force to strike deep on the desert flank, but Allenby had instead concentrated them in well hidden orange groves on the coastal flank only 10 miles from the front line.
The opening offensive phase of the successful ‘Battle of Megiddo’ (from which Allenby would later take the name when elevated to the peerage) was termed the ‘Battle of Sharon’. This required the infantry to punch a hole on the coastal edge of the enemy front line, preceded by a heavy artillery bombardment at 0430 hours, thus allowing the Desert Mounted Corps to move through and set off along the beaches at 0600 hours and then turn inland into the Plain of Sharon, 5th Cavalry Division in the van and 13th Cavalry Brigade on point. When they reached the rough and narrow Shushu Pass over the Mount Carmel Range, MacAndrew was forced to leave the 15th Cavalry Brigade and the divisional artillery behind. Because the 14th Cavalry Brigade had its own objectives, Kelly found himself the sole executive responsible for what was originally proposed as a divisional strength task.
Prisoner Supervision and Town Garrison Duty Reduce Kelly’s Effectives
By 0900 hours the Indian lancers of 9th Hodson Horse in the van lost men detailed to deal with Turkish infantry surrendering in large batches of 50 to 80 at a time and escort them back to the Allied lines. Soon afterwards the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry had an identical manpower loss dealing with unexpected POWs when a small flank detail, led by Corporal Wiseman, suddenly confronted twenty men attempting to limber up two Turkish field guns. His patrol dashed towards them when they immediately offered their surrender to half a dozen startled Territorials! Soon after when thirty seven supply wagons came into sight, Private Forrest (of the same regiment) single handedly took the surrender of four officers and 100 men; the whole column surrendering to him without being asked. This regimental record for a single trooper still stands today! [8]
At 1130 hours the brigade led by RGHY reached Liktera, a principal enemy transport and supply depot manned by a garrison regiment (that withdrew) and 200 German mechanics who surrendered without protest, plus a complete training establishment of 400 Turks with a German commandant and staff who were astonished at the approach of the British Territorials. These enemy soldiers also went into the ‘bag’, but needed supervising. Kelly had no option but to leave a portion of his dwindling brigade at Liktera as an occupying force, plus others to escort the large number of prisoners back to the Allied lines. Because of the importance of this place Kelly decided to leave two squadrons of the 18th Bengal Lancers there on garrison duty. Brigadier General Kelly was later severely criticised for this action and for the other garrisons he had left behind from his dwindling brigade en route. [9]
After a rest stop at 1800 hours during the late afternoon of 19 September, necessitated by a proportion of the brigade’s mounts giving out due to the fast pace over very difficult terrain, the RGHY lined up in the rear of the 18th Bengal Lancers for the night march through the Esdraelon / Armageddon Valley along rocky tracks, which allowed only slow single file progress with Kelly and his staff leading. This took the brigade via the villages of Zerg Heniyeh, Dufeis, Jarak and Junjar, upon which the column became badly stretched out and the Bengal Lancers (with the Brigadier in tow) veered off lost in the dark, not to catch up until later in the night. An officer of the RGHY wrote the following account in his diary…
19 September 1918: I discovered to my horror that the Indian’s in front of me, whom I was following, had lost touch with the main body at the critical moment when the mountain track divided into four well worn paths across the vale in four different directions. This was a terrible affair and I pictured myself lost at the head of the regiment and I saw Gen. Kelly with 18th Bengal Lancers in their glory advancing on Nazareth. I was furious with the Indian’s in front of me and I cursed them up hill and down dale. That being of no avail I settled down, halted and dismounted. I had meanwhile made up my mind that one of the paths leading across the valley must be right. We went along, soon came up with Major Mills, the 2nd in command of the Lancers, whom I was delighted to meet, until he told me that he had also lost the Brigadier and staff, who had gone on in front. After half an hour we found the Brigadier near the railway (line) much to everyone’s relief. [10]
After the column stopped to blow up the railway line, it continued on its fast pace towards Nazareth, which was now forty miles distant.
At 0300 hours on 20 September upon arriving at the foothills the 13th Cavalry Brigade pushed on up the track via Jebata and El Mujeidil towards Nazareth. Kelly decided to seize El Mujeidil which in the dark was initially mistaken for Nazareth. It was found full of Turkish infantry who were sleeping and Kelly directed the 18th Bengal Lancers to surround it to block all exits and sent two Troops into the village. [11]
Kelly had no choice but to leave the rest of the 18th Bengal Lancers behind to occupy and deal with the prisoners. Thus from an originally planned dual Brigade attack ( hopefully supported by divisional artillery and motorised troops) Brigadier General Kelly was left with only the under-strength Royal Gloucestershire Hussars as a complete regiment of three squadrons and their machine gun detachment, plus a partial regiment of 9th Hodson’s Horse (lagging well behind). With these Kelly was to attack, occupy and secure the Nazareth garrison, its Army Group HQ and documents, plus search for and capture General Liman von Sanders. Unfortunately Kelly’s command lacked precise intelligence which building in the town housed the General’s Headquarters.
With the 18th Bengal Lancers left behind for the present, the reduced Brigade pressed on up the main road with the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry taking the lead. ‘Shortly afterwards the houses of Nazareth appeared in front gleaming white and silent in the moonlight’. The only information that the Brigade had as to the possible location of the enemy GHQ was that it was a large building near a big motor-lorry park, so they planned to aim for the centre of the town, find the lorry park and rush any big houses or substantial buildings near by. [12]
The commanding officer of the RGHY was Lieutenant Colonel A. C. Watson DSO and in the small hours of the 20 September only Watson and his under strength regiment of Hussars, numbering 17 officers and 283 other ranks, was all that Kelly could call on as they prepared to charge into Nazareth before daybreak. The regimental Adjutant, Second Lieutenant E. Laurence, made the following entry in the regimental war diary later that day…
0425 Hours 20/9/18: The regiment gained sight of NAZARETH and orders were issued to Squadron Leaders. Lt. Pretty and a Troop from ‘B’ Sq. plus 2nd/Lt. Cornwall and a Troop from ‘D’ Sq. were sent out to siege tactical points North of town and 2 M.G.’s attached. The (balance of the) regiment drew swords and galloped into the town. [13]
The ‘tactical points’ outside the town referred to by Second Lieutenant Laurance were placed to block the roads leading north-east to Tiberias and north-west to Haifa, whilst cutting all telegraph wires leading into and out of Nazareth.
Charge with Swords Drawn!
As the Troops making up ‘A’ Squadron charged into the town centre, Sergeant’s Ractliffe and Lewis amongst them, a machine gun position was noticed just on the threshold of the town on the right. This was rushed and its crew of nine were taken prisoner. Swords drawn, horses galloping, the Hussars poured into its streets and the garrison was completely taken by surprise. The enemy soldiers, both Germans and Turks, were mostly unarmed and barley awake, with hundreds of them surrendering amidst the noise and shock of the British Yeomanry galloping through the streets. It was now imperative to locate General von Sanders GHQ building as quickly as possible and this task was given to Second Lieutenant Greene and his Troop. [14] [15] [16]
The RGHY war diary records the following on this objective…
0425 hours 20/9/18: Lt. Greene and Troop was dispatched with orders to siege General Von Sanders and his headquarters; several houses were entered without achieving the capture (it was subsequently reported that he had left at 21.00 hours on the 19th, but this information requires confirmation). [17]
The above report was taken from the mayor of Nazareth, who when questioned insisted that the General had left on the previous evening after (sic) hearing that British cavalry were over the Iskanderun (whereby he probably meant the Plain of Armageddon). But this was a ruse to put the Hussars off the scent because the garrison was totally surprised and von Sanders was still in situ hiding, dressed only in his night clothes! [18]
Greene’s handwritten After-Action Report illustrates his frustration at not having been furnished with better intelligence…
REPORT ON MISSION CARRIED OUT BY LT. T. K. GREENE 20/9/18. On entering the town of Nazareth I was ordered to stop some German motor lorries at the southern end of town that were endeavouring to escape and had started to turn around. When I had accomplished this I rejoined the regiment, but by this time my squadron was engaged in the fighting in the town.
I went off at once collecting what men I could and proceeded to carry out a search. I did not know which his house was, but I was looking for anything in the nature of a place which might be a headquarters.
In the Hotel Germania several officers were captured, but I could see no trace of an office. I turned out the German officers and handed them over to an escort. I then went to a large building beyond the Hotel Germania, which I entered. In there I succeeded in capturing a number of prisoners, which did not offer any resistance. These I subsequently handed over to two men who called in shortly afterwards. I then searched the rooms on the first and second floors. I looked through the desks and drawers and on the walls, but did not find anything of value. Most of the papers seem to have been removed.
Having completed the search I rejoined my Squadron. It was about ¾ of an hour after entering the town that I went into the building containing the officers. Signed Terrence K. Greene 2/Lt. South Irish Horse, attached Royal Gloucester Hussars. [19]
Although Lieutenant Greene did not know that the Hotel Germania was the German GHQ mess and that their actual command centre (and von Sanders personal office and accommodation) was 500 yards further on in the Monastery of Casa Nuova, Greene still managed to scoop up important documents and capture some middle ranking German staff officers, one of which refused to believe that the regiment had covered 50 miles overland in 24 hours and must have disembarked from transports at the port of Haifa. [20] [21]
Whilst soldiers at the monastery started to destroy sensitive papers, von Sanders made his escape under cover of a counter attack provided by his office clerks outside his HQ building and he got away just in time. According to his housekeeper, who was questioned later, ‘the General at the first alarm dashed down the staircase and out onto the street in his pyjamas and together with his personal staff, made off in a car along the Tiberias road’. From there he drove to on to Samakh in the afternoon to organise a strong rearguard. But for most of that day Liman von Sanders was unable to communicate and direct his forces, leaving the Turkish Fourth, Seventh and Eighth Armies without orders or directions. This proved fatal, since the war in the East was all over by the end of the following month. [22] [23]
According to General Liman von Sander’s war memoirs, “Five Years in Turkey”, where he can be excused for putting the best spin on events and adjusting the timing of his escape to much later in the day, his account is as follows...Soon a report came that somehow the exit of the city towards Tiberias had remained free. The enemy could have closed it easily with a few mounted men and machine guns, blocking the only open exit from Nazareth. At 8.30am I rode up to the French orphanage where I found Major Wurth von Wuthenau’s depot regiment. I ordered him to attack at once. After the attack had failed twice, I ordered a third attempt no matter what cost, which succeeded at 10.15am when the British commenced to withdraw from the heights. I left Nazareth at 1.15pm with General Kiazim, Major Prigge and Captain Hecker. We had to pass an endless column of fugitives before we reached Tiberias at 3.30pm.
Nevertheless in the early phase of the battle for Nazareth the RGHY had showed great initiative and dash and within the first hour had captured over 1,500 prisoners, mostly Germans. These included some staff officers of field rank, plus German telegraphists, mechanics and other technical troops. [24] [25]
Original citation for Sergeant Radcliffe's MM Sergeant Radcliffe's medals
Unexpected Determined Counter Attack
Up until now the street fighting had been spasmodic having caught the Turkish garrison by complete surprise, but at 0800 hours ‘B’ and ‘D’ Squadrons RGHY guarding the escape roads met a determined counter attack from the high ground outside of the town, which allowed von Sander’s to escape. At the same time ‘A’ Squadron RGHY, which was dispersed on foot in the town centre and lorry park area, was busily putting all the motor transport vehicles out of action. (This was a futile effort because after their requisition they all had to be repaired again for use by the Allies). The ‘A’ Squadron troopers were suddenly fired on by machine guns mounted with a clear field of fire from windows and balconies, supported by German office workers armed with rifles who joined in shielded by German lorries parked along the sides of the narrow streets . [26]
The most alarming problem for ‘A’ Squadron was that the machine guns were gunning down their lead horses (four horses are held by each horse-holder) thus eliminating any quick mobile exit from the town. It was at this point that Sergeant Ractliffe leapt into action and with quick thinking organised rapid counter machine gun fire, secured the horses and lead them to safety before returning to save the lives of his wounded machine gun crew. The following is the citation handwritten by Ractliffe’s CO which he recorded later the same day, recommending Ractliffe for a gallantry award…
REPORT ON SERGEANT RADCLIFFE (sic): On the morning of the 20/9/18 at Nazareth when in charge of a party of men in the vicinity of the (Turkish) Barracks, this NCO showed great coolness and imitative and by the skilful handling of his men (he) enabled one of our M.G.’s to get into such a position as to silence the enemy fire in this part (of town). The enemy opened up a heavy M.G. fire from another direction, which enfiladed his led horses, he at once found cover for them, the Nos- 1 & 2 of his gun team were wounded and he attended them and brought them away under heavy fire. Signed A. C. Watson Lieut Col Cmdg Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. [27]
For his initiative that day Mervin Ractliffe was gazetted the Military Medal. [28]
Kelly’s urgent request to be reinforced by the 14th Cavalry Brigade operating near Afulah (only 10 miles distant) was refused by 5th Cavalry Division HQ because of the state of 14th Brigade’s horses. Luckily, soon after 1000 hours, two and a half squadrons of the 18th Bengal Lancers arrived, followed shortly afterwards by a squadron of 9th Hodson’s Horse, which had finally caught up. These reinforcements doubled the strength of Kelly’s cavalry, but the Allied counter attack was held off and finally Brigade ordered the complete withdrawal of the Hussars, bringing out with them their 1,500 plus prisoners down the Afule Road, the withdrawing Hussars being covered by the Indian Lancer squadrons. The tally of casualties, first reported as only two killed, ended up being thirteen RGHY Troopers killed, nine Hodson’s Horse Lancer’s killed and twenty eight horses destroyed by the devastating enemy machine gun fire. [29] [30]
Unexpected Determined Counter Attack
Up until now the street fighting had been spasmodic having caught the Turkish garrison by complete surprise, but at 0800 hours ‘B’ and ‘D’ Squadrons RGHY guarding the escape roads met a determined counter attack from the high ground outside of the town, which allowed von Sander’s to escape. At the same time ‘A’ Squadron RGHY, which was dispersed on foot in the town centre and lorry park area, was busily putting all the motor transport vehicles out of action. (This was a futile effort because after their requisition they all had to be repaired again for use by the Allies). The ‘A’ Squadron troopers were suddenly fired on by machine guns mounted with a clear field of fire from windows and balconies, supported by German office workers armed with rifles who joined in shielded by German lorries parked along the sides of the narrow streets . [26]
The most alarming problem for ‘A’ Squadron was that the machine guns were gunning down their lead horses (four horses are held by each horse-holder) thus eliminating any quick mobile exit from the town. It was at this point that Sergeant Ractliffe leapt into action and with quick thinking organised rapid counter machine gun fire, secured the horses and lead them to safety before returning to save the lives of his wounded machine gun crew. The following is the citation handwritten by Ractliffe’s CO which he recorded later the same day, recommending Ractliffe for a gallantry award…
REPORT ON SERGEANT RADCLIFFE (sic): On the morning of the 20/9/18 at Nazareth when in charge of a party of men in the vicinity of the (Turkish) Barracks, this NCO showed great coolness and imitative and by the skilful handling of his men (he) enabled one of our M.G.’s to get into such a position as to silence the enemy fire in this part (of town). The enemy opened up a heavy M.G. fire from another direction, which enfiladed his led horses, he at once found cover for them, the Nos- 1 & 2 of his gun team were wounded and he attended them and brought them away under heavy fire. Signed A. C. Watson Lieut Col Cmdg Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. [27]
For his initiative that day Mervin Ractliffe was gazetted the Military Medal. [28]
Kelly’s urgent request to be reinforced by the 14th Cavalry Brigade operating near Afulah (only 10 miles distant) was refused by 5th Cavalry Division HQ because of the state of 14th Brigade’s horses. Luckily, soon after 1000 hours, two and a half squadrons of the 18th Bengal Lancers arrived, followed shortly afterwards by a squadron of 9th Hodson’s Horse, which had finally caught up. These reinforcements doubled the strength of Kelly’s cavalry, but the Allied counter attack was held off and finally Brigade ordered the complete withdrawal of the Hussars, bringing out with them their 1,500 plus prisoners down the Afule Road, the withdrawing Hussars being covered by the Indian Lancer squadrons. The tally of casualties, first reported as only two killed, ended up being thirteen RGHY Troopers killed, nine Hodson’s Horse Lancer’s killed and twenty eight horses destroyed by the devastating enemy machine gun fire. [29] [30]
Liman von Sanders Sergeant Theodore Raymond Lewis
Aftermath
The Brigade rested at 1800 hours in preparation for another attempt at Nazareth the next day, reinforced by ‘B’ Battery HAC, but on the early morning of the 21 September the force discovered the enemy had secretly withdrawn to Tiberius during the night. Upon finding the town empty the RGHY occupied it unopposed, after first clearing out Arabs who were in the process of looting everything in sight. [31]
General Allenby was not pleased that the opportunity to bag General Liman von Sanders had failed and wrote this letter home to his wife on the evening of the 20 September…
‘My cavalry are now in rear of the Turkish Army…One of my cavalry divisions surrounded Liman von Sander’s headquarters at Nazareth at 03:00 today; but Liman had made a bolt.’ [32]
Brigadier James Kelly, the commander of 13th Cavalry Brigade, was (arguably) held responsible by Allenby and lost his command as a result. He was seen to have weakened his brigade strength by too many diversions and detachments en route. He had failed to capture Nazareth on the first day of attack, failed to cut the escape road to Tiberius and had not captured the enemy Army Group Commander. Kelly was replaced three weeks later by Brigadier General G. A. Weir DSO. Philip Kelly was however re-employed during the Second World War in the Home Guard as the commanding officer of 14th West Riding Battalion at the age of forty three. [33][34]
Otto Liman von Sanders was replaced on 31 October 1918 as commander of the Yilderim Army Group by his Seventh Army commander, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, later to become the first President of Turkey. The Eastern Theatre Armistice was signed between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire the same day, but Liman von Sanders remained on the strength of the new Turkish Defence Force until he retired in 1929 at the age of seventy four. [35]
Having tried his hand at pastoral farming in outback Australia, Sergeant Mervin Ractliffe returned to his roots and died in Cheltenham in 1964. His cousin and fellow Hussar, Theo Lewis, migrated to New Zealand in 1923 to set up a taxi co-op, but although Theo was killed in a road accident in 1931, the two families stayed in close touch. Mervin’s five-medal set, including the Military Medal and Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, passed to his nephew, John Barton of Rugby, who generously gifted them to Theo’s only child, Thomas Lewis of New Zealand, to be retained and passed down through his line of the family. Tom, who was 84 this year, wears them with pride at his local town annual ANZAC Day Parades. [36]
The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars remain today on the establishment of the Territorial Army as ‘C’ (RGH) Sqn Royal Wessex Yeomanry. Their current role is to provide tank replacement crews for the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank, as well as supporting the Regular Army on current operations. In recent years serving soldiers have served in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. [37]
Written by Graham Caldwell, this article first appeared in issue 101 (September 2014) of "Stand to!", the journal of the Western Front Association.
References
[1] Woodward
[2] Jones p. 19
[3]Preston p. 200
[4] Perrett p. 23
[5] Perrett p. 85
[6] Perry 5th Cav Div.
[7] Preston p. 200-201
[8] Fox p. 262
[9] Fox pp 262-263
[10] Fox p. 264 (the officer is unnamed)
[11] Preston p.206
[12] Preston p.207
[13] RGHY War Diary
[14] Fox p. 265
[15] RGHY War Diary
[16] Fox pp. 265-266
[17] RGHY War Diary
[18] Hawera & Normanby Star p. 7
[19] Greene Report
[20] Fox p.267
[21] Falls Vol 2 pp. 525
[22] Preston p. 207
[23] Falls Vol 2 pp. 511
[24] Hawera & Normanby Star p. 7
[25] Preston p. 207
[26] Falls p. 526
[27] Watson Report/Citation
[28] London Gazette issue 31512 p. 10559
[29] RGHY War Diary
[30] Falls Vol 2 pp. 527
[31] RGHY War Diary
[32] Hughes
[33] Falls Vol 2 pp. 526
[34] Wikipedia
[35] Wikipedia
[36] Caldwell
[37] British Army Website
Sources
British Army Website Territorials and Reserves http://www.army.mod.uk/
Caldwell, Graham Lawrence, Pals and Cousins Go Off To War who Fought in the Holy Land with the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars 1914 – 1918. Private publication, Langwarrin, Victoria, Australia: prepared for the Lewis and Ractliffe family history project 2013. [email protected]
Falls, Cyril, Military Operations Egypt and Palestine from June 1917 to the End of the War. Official History of the Great War, Volume 2 Part II, H.M. Stationary Office London.
Fox, Frank The History of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry 1898 – 1922 Philip Allan 1923.
Greene, Terrance K. 2nd Lieut, South Irish Horse (attached RGHY) After Action Report 20/09/18 found with RGHY War Diary same date. TNA WO95/4518.
Hawera & Normanby Star The Capture of Nazareth – Just Quitted By Turkish German Generalissimo. Volume LXXIV 23 September 1918.
Hughes, Mathew ed. Allenby in Palestine: The Middle East Correspondence of Field Marshall Viscount Allenby June 1917 – October 1919. Sutton Publishing 2004.
Jones, Brigadier E. A. British Regiments Naval and Military Press 2009 p.19.
London Gazette (Second Supplement) issue 31512 for Wednesday 20th August 1919, page 10559. Military Medal Awards for Bravery in the Field: 235054 Sgt Ractliffe, W. M. Glouc Yeo (Cirencester) (EGYPT).
Perrett, Bryan Megiddo 1918. Osprey Publishing 1999 p. 23.
Perry, F. W. Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B, Indian Army Divisions. Ray Westlake Military Books, 1993.
Preston, Lieut-Colonel the Hon. R. M. P. The Desert Mounted Corps in Palestine and Syria 1917 – 1918. Naval and Military Press 2007 p. 200.
RGHY War Diary: The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars War Diary for Sept-Oct 1918. TNA WO95/4518.
Watson, A. C. Watson Lieut Colonel, CO RGHY After Action Report & Citation for Sgt. W. M. Radcliffe (sic) 20/09/18 found with RGHY War Diary same date. TNA WO95/4518.
Wikipedia, Online Encyclopaedia (1) Sir Philip James Vandeleur Kelly potted biography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_James_Vandeleur_Kelly (2) Generalleutnant Otto Liman von Sanders potted biography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Liman_von_Sanders
(3) Yilderim Armeegruppe Order of Battle 1918/19 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yildirim_Army_Group
Woodward, David R Yeoman Soldiers – The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry 1795 – 1920. Telford Books 2008
Aftermath
The Brigade rested at 1800 hours in preparation for another attempt at Nazareth the next day, reinforced by ‘B’ Battery HAC, but on the early morning of the 21 September the force discovered the enemy had secretly withdrawn to Tiberius during the night. Upon finding the town empty the RGHY occupied it unopposed, after first clearing out Arabs who were in the process of looting everything in sight. [31]
General Allenby was not pleased that the opportunity to bag General Liman von Sanders had failed and wrote this letter home to his wife on the evening of the 20 September…
‘My cavalry are now in rear of the Turkish Army…One of my cavalry divisions surrounded Liman von Sander’s headquarters at Nazareth at 03:00 today; but Liman had made a bolt.’ [32]
Brigadier James Kelly, the commander of 13th Cavalry Brigade, was (arguably) held responsible by Allenby and lost his command as a result. He was seen to have weakened his brigade strength by too many diversions and detachments en route. He had failed to capture Nazareth on the first day of attack, failed to cut the escape road to Tiberius and had not captured the enemy Army Group Commander. Kelly was replaced three weeks later by Brigadier General G. A. Weir DSO. Philip Kelly was however re-employed during the Second World War in the Home Guard as the commanding officer of 14th West Riding Battalion at the age of forty three. [33][34]
Otto Liman von Sanders was replaced on 31 October 1918 as commander of the Yilderim Army Group by his Seventh Army commander, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, later to become the first President of Turkey. The Eastern Theatre Armistice was signed between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire the same day, but Liman von Sanders remained on the strength of the new Turkish Defence Force until he retired in 1929 at the age of seventy four. [35]
Having tried his hand at pastoral farming in outback Australia, Sergeant Mervin Ractliffe returned to his roots and died in Cheltenham in 1964. His cousin and fellow Hussar, Theo Lewis, migrated to New Zealand in 1923 to set up a taxi co-op, but although Theo was killed in a road accident in 1931, the two families stayed in close touch. Mervin’s five-medal set, including the Military Medal and Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, passed to his nephew, John Barton of Rugby, who generously gifted them to Theo’s only child, Thomas Lewis of New Zealand, to be retained and passed down through his line of the family. Tom, who was 84 this year, wears them with pride at his local town annual ANZAC Day Parades. [36]
The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars remain today on the establishment of the Territorial Army as ‘C’ (RGH) Sqn Royal Wessex Yeomanry. Their current role is to provide tank replacement crews for the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank, as well as supporting the Regular Army on current operations. In recent years serving soldiers have served in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. [37]
Written by Graham Caldwell, this article first appeared in issue 101 (September 2014) of "Stand to!", the journal of the Western Front Association.
References
[1] Woodward
[2] Jones p. 19
[3]Preston p. 200
[4] Perrett p. 23
[5] Perrett p. 85
[6] Perry 5th Cav Div.
[7] Preston p. 200-201
[8] Fox p. 262
[9] Fox pp 262-263
[10] Fox p. 264 (the officer is unnamed)
[11] Preston p.206
[12] Preston p.207
[13] RGHY War Diary
[14] Fox p. 265
[15] RGHY War Diary
[16] Fox pp. 265-266
[17] RGHY War Diary
[18] Hawera & Normanby Star p. 7
[19] Greene Report
[20] Fox p.267
[21] Falls Vol 2 pp. 525
[22] Preston p. 207
[23] Falls Vol 2 pp. 511
[24] Hawera & Normanby Star p. 7
[25] Preston p. 207
[26] Falls p. 526
[27] Watson Report/Citation
[28] London Gazette issue 31512 p. 10559
[29] RGHY War Diary
[30] Falls Vol 2 pp. 527
[31] RGHY War Diary
[32] Hughes
[33] Falls Vol 2 pp. 526
[34] Wikipedia
[35] Wikipedia
[36] Caldwell
[37] British Army Website
Sources
British Army Website Territorials and Reserves http://www.army.mod.uk/
Caldwell, Graham Lawrence, Pals and Cousins Go Off To War who Fought in the Holy Land with the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars 1914 – 1918. Private publication, Langwarrin, Victoria, Australia: prepared for the Lewis and Ractliffe family history project 2013. [email protected]
Falls, Cyril, Military Operations Egypt and Palestine from June 1917 to the End of the War. Official History of the Great War, Volume 2 Part II, H.M. Stationary Office London.
Fox, Frank The History of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry 1898 – 1922 Philip Allan 1923.
Greene, Terrance K. 2nd Lieut, South Irish Horse (attached RGHY) After Action Report 20/09/18 found with RGHY War Diary same date. TNA WO95/4518.
Hawera & Normanby Star The Capture of Nazareth – Just Quitted By Turkish German Generalissimo. Volume LXXIV 23 September 1918.
Hughes, Mathew ed. Allenby in Palestine: The Middle East Correspondence of Field Marshall Viscount Allenby June 1917 – October 1919. Sutton Publishing 2004.
Jones, Brigadier E. A. British Regiments Naval and Military Press 2009 p.19.
London Gazette (Second Supplement) issue 31512 for Wednesday 20th August 1919, page 10559. Military Medal Awards for Bravery in the Field: 235054 Sgt Ractliffe, W. M. Glouc Yeo (Cirencester) (EGYPT).
Perrett, Bryan Megiddo 1918. Osprey Publishing 1999 p. 23.
Perry, F. W. Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B, Indian Army Divisions. Ray Westlake Military Books, 1993.
Preston, Lieut-Colonel the Hon. R. M. P. The Desert Mounted Corps in Palestine and Syria 1917 – 1918. Naval and Military Press 2007 p. 200.
RGHY War Diary: The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars War Diary for Sept-Oct 1918. TNA WO95/4518.
Watson, A. C. Watson Lieut Colonel, CO RGHY After Action Report & Citation for Sgt. W. M. Radcliffe (sic) 20/09/18 found with RGHY War Diary same date. TNA WO95/4518.
Wikipedia, Online Encyclopaedia (1) Sir Philip James Vandeleur Kelly potted biography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_James_Vandeleur_Kelly (2) Generalleutnant Otto Liman von Sanders potted biography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Liman_von_Sanders
(3) Yilderim Armeegruppe Order of Battle 1918/19 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yildirim_Army_Group
Woodward, David R Yeoman Soldiers – The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry 1795 – 1920. Telford Books 2008