World War I Photographs ands Stories of Samaria

Photographs from the Australian Calvary Campaign * in Samaria in 1918:

A wadi in Samaria

Just outside of Shchem

Jenin

and the Mas'udiyeh Railway station, the site of the first attempt in Samaria to establish Elon Moreh (read Chapter 2 here).

On the Battle of Turmos Aya, nearby Shiloh.  Here's from a research effort:

...the 12th March 1918, when the 1/4th Battalion [of the Northamptonshire Regiment] was in a major action at El Mezeirah Ridge, named 'Operation Wadi Deir Ballut'; part of the 'Actions of Mount Tell Asur (to the Turks 'The Battle of Turmus Aya). Here again the Turks were repulsed.

And a second description:

During the next night the 53rd Division made a substantial advance, and by 9 o'clock on the morning of March 11 had crossed the wadi Kola and had established themselves 3000 yards north of it. The 231st Brigade still advancing on the eastern side of the Nablus road had to face desperately bad country in the darkness of the night, and their trials were increased by heavy rain and sticky ground. Nevertheless they managed to get to the tomb of Sheikh Salim, not far from the 53rd Division's advanced post, by 11 o'clock. It was not possible for the 230th Brigade to move, and only
after extraordinary exertions were they able to send
rations to the men in the line. The 231st Brigade could not drive its attack right home to its objective because the position of the 53rd Division left the right flank open, but about midday the brigade gained touch with the 230th Brigade and began an advance on Turmus Aya, a little village almost
abreast of Sinjil. On the flat surrounding Turmus Aya there was no cover and our line had to be withdrawn slightly. When the 230th Brigade got on the move it made a rapid advance, and, though under continuous shell fire, won the ridge overlooking Sinjil from the west, compelling the Turks to abandon that place. The 10th and 74tli Divisions were ordered to consolidate the positions gained, the 53rd Division pushing forward again during the night and reaching
all their objectives by the morning of the 12th with the exception of Amurieh. We held these positions for months afterwards and there never was a fear that the enemy could break through them.

Landscape of Ein-Sinyeh and Yabroud:-

________

*

The Middle East campaign began in 1916 with Australian troops participating in the defence of the Suez Canal and the allied reconquest of the Sinai peninsula. In the following year Australian and other allied troops advanced into Palestine and captured Gaza and Jerusalem; by 1918 they had occupied Lebanon and Syria. On 30 October 1918 Turkey sued for peace.

Here, p. 13, is one soldier's list of battles in the area:

8 December 1917 - Battle of Jerusalem
9 December 1917 - Beit Iksa
15 December 1917 - Beit Hanina
21 December 1917 - Wadi Moya
27 December 1917 - Beit Izza
29 December 1917 - Ram Allah capured (now West Bank of Israel)
3 January 1918 - Beit Izza
5 January 1918 - Beit Likia
9 January 1918 - Beit Sira
18 February 1918 - Kurbeha Ibn Harith
4 March 1918 - Balua Lake (near Ram Allah)
9-12 March 1918 - Advanced towards Nablus (Yebrud and Burj Badawile occupied)
13-26 March 1918 - Turmus Aya outpost line
7 April 1918 - Burj Badawile (leaving Palestine)
8 April 1918 - Near Beitunia (Leaving Palastine)
9 April 1918 - Beit Sira (marching to leave Palestine)
10 April 1918 - Kubub
11 April 1918 - Sura Fend near Ludd

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