Editing First Battle of Gaza (section)

==Background==
[[File:Falls SkBEasternDesert.jpeg|thumb|The Eastern Desert (also known as the Negev)]]
As the [[Allies of World War I|Allied]] operations in the [[Middle East]] were secondary to the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] campaign, reinforcements requested by General Sir [[Archibald Murray]], commander of the [[Egyptian Expeditionary Force]] (EEF), were denied. Further, on 11 January 1917, the [[War Cabinet]] informed Murray that large scale operations in Palestine were to be deferred until September, and he was informed by [[Field Marshal]] [[William Robertson (British Army officer)|William Robertson]], the [[Chief of the Imperial General Staff]], that he should be ready to send possibly two infantry [[division (military)|division]]s to [[France]]. One week later, Murray received a request for the first infantry division and dispatched the [[42nd (East Lancashire) Division]]. He was assured that none of his mounted units would be transferred from the EEF, and was told "that there was no intention of curtailing such activities as he considered justified by his resources."<ref name="falls1p272">Falls 1930. Vol. 1 p. 272</ref><ref name="Bruce92–3">Bruce 2002, pp. 92–3</ref> Murray repeated his estimate that five infantry divisions, in addition to the mounted units, were needed for offensive operations.<ref name="Falls273">Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 273</ref>

After 26 February 1917, when an [[Supreme War Council|Anglo-French Congress]] at Calais decided on a spring offensive, Murray received strong encouragement. The decision by the Supreme War Council was given increased impetus for "Allied activity" on 8 March when the [[Russian Revolution]] began. By 11 March [[Baghdad]] in [[Mesopotamia]] had been occupied by British Empire forces, and an offensive in [[Macedonia (region)|Macedonia]] had been launched. In April the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]] was launched by the British, and the French launched the [[Second Battle of the Aisne|Nivelle offensive]].<ref name="Falls279">Falls 1930. Vol. 1 p. 279.</ref> Britain's three major war objectives now were to maintain maritime supremacy in the [[Mediterranean Sea]], while preserving the balance of power in Europe and the security of Egypt, India, and the Persian Gulf. The latter could be secured by an advance into Palestine and the capture of [[Jerusalem]]. A further advance would ultimately cut off the [[Military of the Ottoman Empire|Ottoman forces]] in Mesopotamia from those on the [[Arabian Peninsula]] and secure the region.<ref name="Woodward68–9">Woodward 2006, p. 68–9</ref>

By 5 February the water pipeline from the [[Egypt]]ian [[Sweet Water Canal]], which carried water from the [[Nile]], had reached El Arish, while the railway line was being laid well to the east of that place. The creation of this infrastructure enabled a strong defensive position and a forward base to be established at El Arish.<ref name="Falls276">Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 276</ref> There were now two possible directions for an advance towards Jerusalem by Eastern Force to take: through Rafa on the coast, or inland through [[Auja al-Hafir|Hafir El Auja]], on the Ottoman railway. [[Lieutenant General]] [[Charles Macpherson Dobell]], commanding Eastern Force, thought that an advance along the coast could force the Ottoman Army to withdraw their inland forces, as they became outflanked and subject to attack by the EEF from the rear. He proposed keeping two divisions at El Arish, moving his headquarters there, while his mounted division would advance to reoccupy Rafa (captured by the [[Desert Column]] on 9 January during the [[Battle of Rafa]]).<ref name="Falls273"/>

With the 11 January War Cabinet decision reversed by the 26 February Congress, the EEF was now required to capture the stronghold of Gaza as a first step towards the capture of Jerusalem.<ref name="Woodward68–9"/> The town was one of the most ancient cities in the world, being one of five cities of the Palestine Alliance, which had been fought over many times during its 4,000-year history.<ref name="Falls281"/> By 1917 Gaza had an important depot for cereals with a German steam mill. In the area barley, wheat, olives, vineyards, orange groves, and wood for fuel were grown, as well as the grazing of many goats. Barley was exported to England for brewing into beer. Maize, millet, beans, and watermelon were cultivated in most of the surrounding localities, and harvested in early autumn.<ref name="McPherson172–3"/><ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name="Moore68"/>

===Mounted units reorganised===
A pause in the EEF's advance was necessary to enable the [[lines of communication]] to be lengthened and strengthened. While this work was being carried out, the mounted brigades were reorganised into two mounted divisions.<ref>Falls 1930 Vol. 1 pp. 272, 278</ref><ref>Bruce 2002 p. 88</ref> This was prompted by the arrival of the [[6th Mounted Brigade]] and [[22nd Mounted Brigade]] from the [[Macedonian front (World War I)|Salonika campaign]]. Instead of grouping the two new mounted brigades with the [[5th Mounted Brigade]] to form a new [[Imperial Mounted Division]], the [[3rd Light Horse Brigade]] was transferred from the [[Anzac Mounted Division]] to the new division, and replaced by the 22nd Mounted Brigade. The Imperial Mounted Division, established 12 February 1917 at Ferry Post on the Suez Canal under the command of [[Major General]] [[Henry West Hodgson]], was established with the 3rd Light Horse Brigade and [[4th Light Horse Brigade]] (which was in the process of formation at Ferry Post and was scheduled to leave for the front on 18 March) along with the 5th and 6th Mounted Brigades.<ref name="Bou162–3">Bou 2009, pp. 162–3</ref><ref name=IMDwdAWM4_1_56_1_1>Imperial Mounted Division War Diary AWM4-1-56-1 Part 1</ref><ref>3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary AWM4-10-3-26</ref> Within Dobell's Eastern Force, General [[Philip Chetwode]] commanded the Desert Column, which included the Anzac Mounted Division, the partly formed Imperial Mounted Division, and the [[53rd (Welsh) Division]] of infantry.<ref name="Bruce92–3"/> After the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division left for the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]], Dobell's Eastern Force consisted of four infantry divisions; the [[52nd (Lowland) Division]], the [[53rd (Welsh) Division]], the [[54th (East Anglian) Division]] and the [[74th (Yeomanry) Division]], which had recently been formed by converting [[yeomanry]] regiments into infantry battalions.<ref name="Bruce92–3"/>

===EEF raid on Khan Yunis===
[[File:ShellalOzPrisoners00117v.jpg|thumb|Australian prisoners captured at Shellal]]
Dobell thought the victory at Rafa should be quickly exploited by attacking Gaza; "an early surprise attack was essential&nbsp;... otherwise it was widely believed the enemy would withdraw without a fight."<ref>Bruce 2002, p. 90</ref><ref>Carver 2003, pp. 196–7</ref> He ordered Rafa to be occupied by mounted troops while two infantry divisions of Eastern Force remained at El Arish to defend his headquarters.<ref name="Falls273"/>

On 23 February, the Anzac Mounted Division and the 53rd (Welsh) Division, commanded by Major General S.F. Mott, were camped on the beach at [[Sheikh Zowaiid]]. Here they were joined by the 22nd Mounted Brigade, replacing the 5th Mounted Brigade which returned to El Burj.<ref name=Powles82>Powles 1922, p. 82</ref> That day, the New Zealand Mounted Rifles and the 2nd Light Horse Brigades commanded by [[Edward Chaytor]] made a reconnaissance in force to [[Khan Yunis]] {{convert|5|mi|km}} past Rafa. Khan Yunis was held in strength, and the Chaytor's Column withdrew after "a brush" with the defenders. The town was found to be part of a line of strong posts held by the Ottoman Army protecting southern Palestine. Known as the Hans Yonus–El Hafir line, these posts consisted of well-dug trenches. They were located at Shellal, which was a particularly strongly fortified position, at [[Weli Sheikh Nuran]], at [[Beersheba]], and at Khan Yunis.<ref name="Falls276"/><ref name="Erickson2001_161">Erickson 2001, p. 161</ref>

As a consequence of the reconnaissance to Khan Yunis, and the growing strength of EEF units in the area, the Ottoman Army garrisons realised the line was nevertheless too weak to be successfully defended. In February, [[Enver Pasha]], [[Friedrich Freiherr Kress von Kressenstein]], and [[Cemal Pasha]] withdrew from the line, retiring {{convert|14|mi|km}} northwards. Here they established much more formidable defences in front of Gaza, to stop any Allied advance up the coast. This withdrawal was completed by mid–March when the Ottoman Fourth Army was in position.<ref>Powles 1922, pp. 83–4</ref><ref>Keogh 1955, pp. 78–9</ref><ref>Bruce 2002, pp. 90–1</ref><ref name="Downes616">Downes 1938, p. 616</ref> Their new defensive line stretched north and north east, from Gaza on the north side of the [[Wadi Ghuzzee]] to Tel esh Sheria, where the [[Palestine Railways|Palestine railway]] crossed the Wadi esh Sheria.<ref name="Downes616"/><ref name="Falls277–8">Falls 1930 Vol. 1 pp. 277–8</ref>

On 28 February, Chetwode's Desert Column occupied Khan Yunis unopposed and the headquarters of the Column was established at Sheikh Zowaiid, while Eastern Force headquarters remained at El Arish.<ref name="Falls276"/> The ancient town of Khan Yunis on the main road to Gaza was said to be the birthplace of Delilah. With bazaars, narrow streets and a castle, it was one of several villages in this fertile area of southern Palestine, {{convert|6|mi|km}} north of Rafa and the Egyptian–Ottoman frontier. Here was found the largest and deepest well in the area, and after engineers had installed a pumping machine, it gave an unlimited supply of water for both men and horses. The village quickly became an important forward site for supply depots and bivouacs.<ref name="McPherson172–3">McPherson 1985 pp. 172–3</ref><ref name="Blenkinsop184">Blenkinsop 1925 p. 184</ref> Around Khan Yunis gardens, orange orchards, fig plantations and grazing were carried on by the local population, while in the Rafa and Sheikh Zowaiid areas barley and wheat were grown.<ref name="McPherson172–3"/><ref name="ReferenceA">Secret Military Handbrook 23 January 1917 Supplies pp. 38–49 Water pp. 50–3 Notes pp. 54–5</ref><ref name="Moore68">Moore 1920 p. 68</ref>

{{blockquote|The area across the border&nbsp;... was "delightful country, cultivated to perfection and the crops look quite good if not better than most English farms, chiefly barley and wheat. The villages were very pretty&nbsp;– a mass of orange, fig and other fruit trees&nbsp;... The relief of seeing such country after the miles and miles of bare sand was worth five years of a life."|Lieutenant Robert Wilson<ref>Bruce 2002 p. 87</ref>}}

===EEF aerial bombing===
A series of bombing raids on the railway from Junction Station to Tel el Sheria aimed to disrupt the Ottoman lines of communication during the build-up to the battle. No. 1 Squadron [[Australian Flying Corps]] and No. 14 Squadron bombed Beersheba in mid February, destroying 3 German planes, and on 25 February assisted a French battleship's shelling of Jaffa, by directing the ship's fire. On the same day, the German aerodrome at Ramleh was bombed. Then on 5 March six aircraft of the [[Royal Flying Corps]] (RFC) conducted [[Airstrike|bombing attacks]] intended to interfere with the Ottoman withdrawal from the Khan Yunis line. They bombed Beersheba and the Palestine railway at Tel esh Sheria {{convert|12|mi|km}} to the northwest. Although the damage was not great, the railway at Tel esh Sheria continued to be bombed in moonlight on 7 March, by relays of aircraft. Junction Station and supply depot, an important junction of [[Palestine Railways#Ottoman military railways|southern Palestine railways]] with the [[Jaffa–Jerusalem railway]] many miles to the north, was also bombed on 9, 13, and 19 March.<ref name="Falls277–8"/><ref>Cutlack 1941, pp. 56–9</ref>