How Jerusalem Was Won: Being the Record of Allenby's Campaign in Palestine

In Short

This historical account details General Edmund Allenby’s 1917 Palestine campaign, focusing on the strategic maneuvers required to break the formidable Turkish defensive line between Gaza and Beersheba. Through meticulous preparation, railway construction, and the coordinated movement of infantry, cavalry, and naval support, the British forces advanced through the Judean hills to occupy Jerusalem and Jericho. Written in the immediate aftermath of the war, the narrative serves as both a tactical record and a testament to the endurance of the troops who transformed the arid, hostile landscape into a functioning theater of war.

The Story

The campaign begins with a daunting strategic impasse: a heavily fortified Turkish line stretching from the Mediterranean coast to the desert outpost of Beersheba. Under the direction of German engineers, the Turkish army has constructed a series of land works that have already repelled two British attempts to advance. The narrative follows the arrival of General Allenby, who inherits a situation requiring a complete re-evaluation of tactics. Relying on the comprehensive military appreciation provided by Lieutenant-General Sir Philip Chetwode, Allenby spends four months personally inspecting the front, fostering a culture of rigorous training, and overseeing a massive logistics operation that includes laying railways and developing water supplies in a region where water is the primary arbiter of movement.

The offensive opens with the capture of Beersheba, a victory that forces the Turkish command to reconsider their entire defensive posture. The narrative tracks the subsequent, grueling push through the Gaza defenses. As the British force breaks into the open, the story emphasizes the immense physical strain placed on the soldiers, who often perform multiple bayonet charges in a single week while struggling with severe supply shortages. The cavalry, particularly the Anzac Mounted Division, plays a vital role in harassment and pursuit, despite being frequently hampered by a lack of water and the necessity of navigating treacherous, boulder-strewn terrain.

As the army moves toward the Judean hills, the geography becomes the central antagonist. The climactic push toward Jerusalem involves fighting through narrow wadis and scaling precipitous slopes under heavy fire. The narrative highlights key engagements, such as the defense of Nebi Samwil, where British forces maintain their position against repeated, ferocious Turkish counter-attacks. The actual occupation of Jerusalem is presented not as a mere military success, but as a deliberate effort to preserve the sanctity of the Holy City. The story details the logistical nightmare of feeding a city suffering under the corruption of Turkish administration and the profiteering of occupying officers, who had forced the local population into near-famine conditions.

The final phase of this volume covers the securing of the city and the subsequent push to occupy the rugged hills north of Jerusalem and the town of Jericho. By controlling these heights and the approaches to the Jordan, the British command effectively creates a buffer zone that prevents any Turkish attempt to retake the Holy City. The narrative concludes with the successful crossing of the Auja river and the consolidation of the new defensive line, setting the stage for the wider, sweeping maneuvers that will eventually drive the Turkish armies out of the war entirely.

How It Unfolds

The strategic impasse The account opens with the tactical deadlock of the Gaza-Beersheba line, where Turkish forces, aided by German engineering, have successfully held their ground. It establishes the necessity of a new, comprehensive plan of attack that prioritizes supply lines and water development over traditional frontal assaults.

Building the infrastructure The narrative moves to the logistical feats required to sustain an army in the desert, including the rapid expansion of railways and the use of diverse labor forces like the Raratongas. These chapters illustrate how the mundane work of road-making and ammunition transport forms the actual backbone of the operational success.

The breakthrough at Gaza The story details the shift in momentum following the fall of Beersheba, describing the coordinated artillery barrages and the infantry’s relentless advancement through the Turkish lines. It captures the frantic nature of the pursuit as the British army exploits the enemy’s disarray.

The ascent to Jerusalem The focus shifts to the intense, localized fighting in the Judean hills, where individual acts of bravery—such as those of Corporals Train and Thornhill—become critical to overcoming fortified positions. The account culminates in the successful capture of the city and the immediate humanitarian efforts required to stabilize the civilian population.

Securing the prize The final section describes the transition from active maneuver to the consolidation of a defensive perimeter north of the city. It concludes with the occupation of Jericho and the establishment of a line that effectively secures the Holy City against future threat.

The People

General Edmund Allenby serves as the central architect of the campaign, characterized by his personal diligence and his willingness to spend months inspecting the front line before ordering an advance. He relies heavily on the "master military mind" of Lieutenant-General Sir Philip Chetwode, whose strategic foresight and planning for the Judean hill operations provide the framework for the eventual victory.

The soldiers, ranging from the staff at headquarters to the "humblest private," are portrayed as individuals of remarkable fortitude. The narrative frequently highlights the contribution of the colonial troops and local labor units; for instance, the Raratongan laborers on the Belah beach are noted for their physical strength and their competitive spirit, which they bring to their work as if it were a sport.

Major-General J. Hill emerges as a figure of quiet competence, pushing his Lowland Scots through mud and water to cross the Auja river despite the skepticism of his superiors. On the other side of the conflict, the German General von Kressenstein appears in excerpts as a voice of tactical realism, expressing deep frustration with the corruption and desertion plaguing his Turkish troops. His letters reveal the internal collapse of the Turkish administration, which prioritizes the enrichment of individual officers through currency manipulation while the military front deteriorates.

In Its Own Voice

The capture of that ancient town, with the possession of a line of rugged hills a dozen miles north of Jerusalem, secured the Holy City from any Turkish attempt to retake it.

This passage summarizes the ultimate military purpose of the campaign detailed in the book.

It is remarkable that in the short period of ten days the plans could be worked out in detail and carried through to a triumphant issue, notwithstanding the bad weather and the almost overwhelming difficulties of supply.

The author emphasizes the compressed and challenging timeline under which the final assault on Jerusalem was executed.

What It's Really About

The book is a study of the interplay between geography and military will. It argues that modern warfare, despite its reliance on advanced machinery like aircraft and armored cars, remains fundamentally anchored in the ability to solve basic, ancient problems: the movement of water, the construction of transport routes through hostile terrain, and the endurance of the infantryman. Beneath the operational details lies an argument about the "civilizing hand" of the British presence, which the author contrasts sharply with the administrative corruption of the Turkish occupation. The central question is how an army can fulfill a monumental objective—the liberation of a holy site—without sacrificing the discipline and humanitarian responsibility required to sustain both its own ranks and the population it has come to hold.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the logistics of war and the history of the Middle East will find this book an invaluable, granular look at a campaign often overshadowed by the Western Front. The prose is clear and unpretentious, capturing the grit of the desert and the steep, rocky reality of the Judean hills. It offers a fascinating, if period-specific, perspective on the British Imperial mindset during the First World War, particularly in the way the author describes the diverse groups of laborers and the perceived moral duty of the army.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the author's unabashedly patriotic and Eurocentric tone, which reflects the attitudes of 1919. The level of tactical detail—down to the names of individual hills and the specific dates of brigade movements—can be dense, making this a better choice for someone seeking a deep dive into military history rather than a casual narrative. What stays with the reader is the stark contrast between the "romantic" goal of taking Jerusalem and the brutal, mud-caked reality of digging in to hold it. It is a work that succeeds because it keeps its focus firmly on the men who did the work, rather than just the flags on a map.