Battle of Tabsor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Tabsor |
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| Part of the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I | |||||||
 Anebta on the Tulkarm to Nablus road |
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Egyptian Expeditionary Force
XXI Corps's
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Yildirim Army Group
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The Battle of Tabsor was a major fight during World War I in the Middle East. It happened on September 19–20, 1918. This battle was part of a bigger attack called the Battle of Megiddo. The British Empire's forces, including soldiers from British India, fought against the Ottoman and German armies.
The battle took place in the last months of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. The British forces, known as the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF), attacked the Ottoman Eighth Army. This army was made up of German and Ottoman soldiers. The British won, which led to the destruction of a large part of the Ottoman army. Many thousands of soldiers were captured, and the British gained a lot of land. After this battle, the British chased the retreating Ottoman and German soldiers all the way to Damascus.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
By the summer of 1918, Germany's big attacks in France had failed. This meant the British could focus more on the war in the Middle East. General Edmund Allenby, who led the British Egyptian Expeditionary Force, wanted to attack in September. His goal was to capture the main headquarters of the Ottoman Seventh and Eighth Armies. These were located in Tulkarm and Nablus.
New Troops for the British
Many British soldiers had been sent from the Middle East to fight in France. To make up for this, new soldiers from the British Indian Army joined the British forces in Palestine. These new units were made up of one British battalion and three Indian battalions. This change helped to strengthen the British army for the upcoming attacks.
Some of these Indian battalions were very experienced. Some soldiers had fought in many different places since 1914. However, some of the new Indian battalions had less experience. Also, many British officers could not speak Hindustani, which made communication with their Indian soldiers difficult.
The Front Line
By September 1918, the battle line was very long. It started near the Mediterranean Sea, about 12 miles (19 km) north of Jaffa. From there, it stretched southeast across a flat area called the Plain of Sharon. Then, it went east over the Judean Hills, rising to about 1,500 to 2,000 feet (457 to 610 meters) high. The line then dropped sharply into the Jordan Valley, which was below sea level.
Planning the Attack
The British planned a big attack. They gathered many soldiers and guns on the Plain of Sharon. They had about 35,000 infantry (foot soldiers) and 9,000 cavalry (soldiers on horseback). They also had 383 artillery guns. This was a much larger force than the Ottoman Eighth Army had in that area.
The main attack, called the Battle of Sharon, would start with a strong push on an 8-mile (13 km) part of the front line. The British wanted to break through the German and Ottoman defenses quickly. Their goal was to create a big enough gap for their cavalry to ride through and attack the enemy from behind.
After breaking through, the British infantry divisions would attack the Tabsor defenses. These were strong enemy trenches. Then, they would push further north and east, cutting off Ottoman supply lines and capturing important towns like Tulkarm and Nablus.
Ottoman Defenses
The Ottoman forces were led by Otto Liman von Sanders. His army group had about 40,000 soldiers. The Ottoman Eighth Army, with about 10,000 soldiers, held the front line near the coast. They had strong defenses, including many machine guns.
The Ottoman soldiers were very experienced. Some had fought in the Gallipoli campaign. However, the Ottoman armies were not at full strength. They had problems getting supplies and many soldiers were deserting. They were also greatly outnumbered by the British forces.
Tabsor Defenses
The Tabsor defenses were the strongest part of the Ottoman front line. They had two or three lines of trenches and strongholds, stretching for miles. These defenses were centered around the village of Tabsor. The Ottomans had also started building a third line of defenses further back.
The Battle Begins
September 19
The Bombardment
The battle began at 4:30 AM with a massive bombardment. British artillery, trench mortars, and machine guns fired heavily on the German and Ottoman front lines. This intense shelling lasted for half an hour. The British guns were placed very close together, about one every 50 yards (46 meters) on the coastal side.
As the British infantry advanced, the artillery fire moved forward in front of them. This was called a "creeping barrage." It helped protect the advancing soldiers.
British Attacks
Three British infantry divisions attacked the Tabsor defenses: the 7th (Meerut) Division, the 75th Division, and the 3rd (Lahore) Division.
- 7th (Meerut) Division Attack: This division attacked the western part of the Tabsor defenses. They advanced quickly under the creeping barrage. They captured many prisoners and guns. They pushed forward to the Et Tire defensive line, facing strong resistance but eventually succeeding. By 8:40 AM, they had advanced far enough for the British cavalry to begin their push.
- 75th Division Attack: This division attacked the center of the Ottoman lines. Their artillery fire was so accurate that their soldiers could stay very close to the exploding shells without getting hurt. They quickly captured the main trenches and Ottoman artillery batteries. They faced strong resistance at Et Tire, which was defended by the Ottoman 46th Division. After fierce fighting, the British captured Et Tire by 11:00 AM. The 75th Division suffered 518 casualties in this attack.
- 3rd (Lahore) Division Attack: This division attacked the eastern part of the Tabsor defenses. They moved forward quickly, despite heavy Ottoman shelling. They broke through the Ottoman lines, capturing many prisoners and guns. They pushed east, capturing important villages like Jaljulye and Qalqilye. By nightfall, they had captured Jiyus.
Ottoman Response
By 5:45 AM, telephone communication to the Ottoman front lines was cut. All German and Ottoman reserves were ordered to the front. By 8:50 AM, the Ottoman Eighth Army reported that its 7th Division was "out of the fight." The 19th Division was also under heavy attack.
Small groups of Ottoman soldiers tried to fight back as they retreated. The Ottoman commander, Liman von Sanders, ordered more troops to try and stop the British advance. However, the Ottoman forces were being pushed back and losing many soldiers and guns. By the end of the day, the Ottoman front line had been completely broken.
September 20
The British continued their attack on September 20. Their goal was to push the Ottoman armies further back into the hills and cut off their escape routes.
- 7th (Meerut) Division: This division continued to advance northeast through the hills. They faced strong rearguard positions from the Ottoman and German forces. They had to fight hard to capture villages like Beit Lid.
- 3rd (Lahore) Division: This division also continued its advance. They encountered strong German resistance in a valley. After a tough fight, they captured the village of Azzun, which had been an important headquarters for the German Asia Corps.
Ottoman Retreat
After being forced out of his headquarters, the Ottoman commander Liman von Sanders had to retreat. The Ottoman Seventh and Eighth Armies were being pushed back. Many Ottoman soldiers and their equipment were bombed from the air as they tried to retreat along the roads. Thousands of vehicles and guns were destroyed.
By the end of September 20, the British had completely broken the Ottoman Eighth Army. They had captured 7,000 prisoners and 100 guns. The British XXI Corps suffered 3,378 casualties, with 446 killed. The remaining Ottoman soldiers were captured in the following days.
Aftermath
The British continued to pursue the retreating Ottoman forces. The 7th (Meerut) Division captured Masudiye Station, along with an engine and 16 train carriages. They also captured a hospital with over 400 sick soldiers.
The 3rd (Lahore) Division continued its advance, meeting some resistance near Nablus. They captured a long line of territory.
Ottoman Army Retreats
Most of the Ottoman Seventh Army retreated down a road where they were heavily bombed by British and Australian aircraft. This caused them to abandon many guns and vehicles. Thousands of Ottoman soldiers were captured in the following days.
The remaining soldiers from the Ottoman Eighth Army were captured by British cavalry at Jenin. The commander of the Eighth Army left his headquarters, marking the end of that army.
The German Asia Corps also tried to retreat, but their escape routes were cut off. They were forced to abandon their guns and baggage. Many of them were captured by the British.
By September 21, General Allenby reported that his infantry had captured Tulkarm and were chasing the enemy towards Nablus. His cavalry had captured Afulah and Beisan, cutting off the enemy's last escape route. The Battle of Tabsor was a key victory that helped the British win the war in the Middle East.
Images for kids
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General Edward Bulfin (third from right) with other generals in Jerusalem, March 1918
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Megiddo at zero hour, September 19, 1918
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Megiddo situation at 24:00, September 19–20, 1918
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Kefre Saba, completely destroyed by guns fired from Ras el Ain (September 19, 1918)
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Otto Liman von Sanders, Hans-Joachim Buddecke, and Oswald Boelcke in Turkey, 1916
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Attack on Tabsor defenses and advance to Et Tire
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Desert Mounted Corps advances from September 20 to 25, 1918. Also shows line reached by XXI Corps at 24:00 on September 19–20 and lines of retreat bombed by aircraft.
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Megiddo situation at 21:00, September 20, 1918
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Megiddo situation at 21:00, September 21, 1918
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Transport destroyed by aerial bombing on the Nablus to Jenin road
