Raid on the Suez Canal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raid on the Suez Canal |
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| Part of the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I | |||||||
 Ottoman camel corps at Beersheba, 1915 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 John Maxwell |
 Djemal Pasha F. K. von Kressenstein |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 30,000 | 20,000 Other estimates: 11,400 (400 officers and 11,000 soldiers) |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 32 killed, 130 wounded | 1,500 casualties (including ~700 prisoners) | ||||||
The Raid on the Suez Canal was a major event during World War I (1914–1918). It happened between January 26 and February 4, 1915. An army from the Ottoman Empire, led by German officers, tried to attack the Suez Canal in Egypt. The canal was protected by the British Empire. This event marked the start of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign.
Even though the Ottoman forces crossed the Sinai peninsula, their attack failed. The British defenses were too strong and the defenders were ready.
Contents
Why the Suez Canal Was Important
The Suez Canal opened in 1869 and was very important to the British Empire. It was a quick way to travel and send goods between Europe and Asia. It also had good ports nearby, like Alexandria and Port Said, which made it a useful military base.
However, many people in Egypt were not happy with the British controlling their country. An agreement called the Convention of Constantinople (1888) said that ships from all countries could use the canal freely. In August 1914, about 5,000 British troops were in Egypt to protect it.
Getting Ready for Battle
When World War I began, Abbas Hilmi, the ruler of Egypt, was not in the country. The British then took control and made Prince Hussein Kamel the new Sultan of Egypt. Most people in Egypt accepted these changes, as they didn't know how the war would end.
The Ottoman Empire started planning an attack on the Suez Canal in August 1914. Their goal was to take control of this vital waterway.
The first small fight happened on November 20, 1914. A British patrol was attacked by Bedouin fighters. By December, Ottoman forces had moved into El Arish. The British decided that the best way to defend Egypt was to protect the Suez Canal itself.
Protecting the Canal
The Suez Canal is about 100 miles (160 km) long. A railway ran along its side, and it had fresh water supplies from the west. The land to the east was mostly desert with salty wells. The canal also included large lakes, which helped divide the defense into three main areas:
- From Suez to the Bitter Lakes
- From Deversoir to El Ferdan
- From El Ferdan to Port Said
The main British command center was at Ismailia. Small groups of soldiers also guarded the Sweet Water Canal and supply depots. To make the canal harder to cross, the British flooded parts of the desert near Port Said and Qantara. This made the canal shorter and created watery barriers.
By January 1915, the British had about 70,000 troops in Egypt. Major-General Sir John Maxwell was in charge. Most of his troops were from the British Indian Army, along with some British and ANZAC soldiers. About 30,000 of these troops were placed along the Suez Canal.
The British built trenches with sandbags and barbed wire on the eastern side of the canal. They also had three floating bridges at Ismailia, Kubri, and Qantara. Warships were also placed in the canal and lakes to help defend it. These ships included HMS Swiftsure, HMS Clio, HMS Minerva, and HMS Ocean. The French also had ships like the D'Entrecasteaux and Requin helping out.
The Ottoman Attack Plan
The Ottoman forces were led by German Colonel Kress von Kressenstein. He was the Chief of Staff for the Ottoman Fourth Army. His force included about 20,000 soldiers, with nine field guns and one large howitzer. They also had Bedouin, Druze, Kurdish, and Arab fighters who hoped to start a revolt against the British in Egypt.
The Ottoman army had to cross the Sinai Peninsula, which had no roads and little water. They chose a central route from Beersheba to Ismailia. This route had some tracks that would be useful once they crossed the canal.
The Ottoman Empire built a railway line to help move troops and supplies closer to the Suez Canal. German engineers helped build bridges and culverts for this railway. They knew they would need artillery and special bridges to cross the desert and attack the canal.
By mid-January, two Ottoman divisions, with another in reserve, were ready. They also had camel and horse units. The journey across the Sinai took ten days. British aircraft spotted them, but German planes also helped the Ottomans and even bombed some British positions. Kress von Kressenstein's force carried iron pontoons (floating bridges) to cross the canal at Serapeum and Tussum.
The British knew the Ottoman forces were gathering near Beersheba. By January 11, a small Ottoman force had taken Nekhl. On January 25, a regiment was seen near Qantara. The next day, 6,000 soldiers were reported near the Little Bitter Lake. On January 27, the road from El Arish to Qantara was cut.
The Ottoman force moved in three main groups:
- A northern group (about 3,000 men) moved towards Port Said.
- A central group (about 6,000-7,000 men) moved towards Ismailia, which was a key British area.
- A southern group (about 3,000 men) moved towards the town of Suez.
British aircraft bombed the main Ottoman force as they marched. Smaller Ottoman groups also launched attacks on January 26 and 27 near Qantara in the north and Suez in the south.
The Battle Begins
By January 31, the British expected a major attack. On February 1, at least 2,500 Ottoman soldiers were near Serapeum. Another 8,000 were further southeast, and 3,000 were near El Ferdan. Even larger forces were behind them.
The Ottoman forces moved only at night, thinking they were unseen. However, British scouts had already spotted them. Kress von Kressenstein's force reached the canal on February 2, 1915. The Ottomans managed to cross the Suez Canal near Ismailia on the morning of February 3, 1915.
By February 2, it was clear the main attack would be in the central area, near Lake Timsah. The British reinforced their positions with more troops and an armored train.
February 3: Main Attacks
Tussum and Serapeum
Around 4:20 AM on February 3, British soldiers saw Ottoman troops moving pontoons and rafts towards the canal. They opened fire, stopping most attempts to launch the boats. A few pontoons with soldiers did cross the canal, but the British attacked them as they landed. All the Ottoman soldiers who crossed were killed, wounded, or captured. As dawn broke, it was clear the crossing had failed.
At dawn, the Tussum Post was attacked. Ottoman artillery shelled British positions, warships in the canal, and merchant ships. The British ships Hardinge and Requin fired back. About 350 Ottoman soldiers managed to take some British trenches, but the British counterattacked and recaptured them, taking 287 prisoners.
A second attack was launched around 6:00 AM, but British troops and the ships' guns stopped it. By 3:00 AM, the Ottoman attack had failed, and they began to retreat. Many thirsty Ottoman troops started heading back to Beersheba. About 600 Ottoman soldiers who had crossed the canal were taken prisoner.
The British counterattacked, pushing Ottoman soldiers out of their trenches. The British ships, including the Requin, also fired on the Ottoman positions, stopping their advance about 1,200 yards (1,100 m) from the British front line. Later, all the Ottoman pontoons that could have been used again were destroyed.
Ismailia Ferry Post
Another Ottoman force attacked from the southeast, getting within 800 yards (730 m) of the canal defenses. Their artillery, including a large 15-cm howitzer, fired on the British. The howitzer hit the British ship Hardinge several times, forcing it to move away. The French ship Requin then became a target. However, the Requin found the howitzer's location and destroyed it with its large gun.
Fighting slowed down by 2:00 PM near Serapeum and Tussum, and by 3:30 PM near Ismailia, though artillery continued to fire. More British troops arrived to reinforce the defenses.
Minor attacks also happened at El Kubri and El Ferdan. At Qantara, a strong attack around 5:00-6:00 AM was stopped by barbed wire and heavy British fire. The British captured 36 prisoners and found 20 dead Ottoman soldiers there.
The Ottoman attacks failed to surprise the British and Indian forces guarding the canal. Only two small Ottoman companies managed to cross the canal, but they were quickly captured. The British brought in more troops, making further crossings impossible. The Ottomans held their positions until the evening of February 3, then began to retreat.
February 4: The Retreat
At dawn on February 4, the British were surprised to find that most of the Ottoman force had disappeared. British troops advanced along the east bank, clearing the area. They met a strong Ottoman rearguard, capturing 298 prisoners and three machine guns. Another 59 Ottoman soldiers were found dead.
Around noon, British cavalry and infantry marched out from Ismailia. They saw large groups of Ottoman soldiers retreating eastward. They captured 25 prisoners and 70 camels. By the next morning, British aircraft saw more Ottoman forces withdrawing. By February 10, only about 400 Ottoman soldiers remained near the Suez Canal.
The British estimated that the Ottoman forces had over 2,000 casualties, including about 716 prisoners. British losses were much lower: 32 killed and 130 wounded. The Ottoman force had reached the end of its supply lines by the time it got to the Suez Canal. This attack showed the Ottoman army how difficult future attacks would be.
The British could not launch a large counterattack. Even though they had 70,000 troops in Egypt, only the Indian infantry brigades were highly trained. Also, they didn't have the necessary equipment to quickly move a large force across the canal to chase the retreating Ottomans.
What Happened Next
After the raid, the Ottoman Army kept some troops and outposts in the Sinai Peninsula. They had larger forces at Gaza and Beersheba. Kress von Kressenstein continued to lead smaller attacks to disrupt traffic on the Suez Canal. By September 21, 30,000 Ottoman troops were near Beersheba.
In early March, many Australian and New Zealand troops from Egypt were sent to fight in the Gallipoli Campaign in Turkey. Egypt became a crucial base for supporting the fighting there.
