"At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened a man - they were an awe inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze - knee to knee and horse to horse - the dying sun glinting on bayonet points..." Trooper Ion Idriess
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre aims to present an accurate history as chroniclers of early Australian military developments from 1899 to 1920.
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre site holds over 12,000 entries and is growing daily.
Contact:Australian Light Horse Studies CentreLet us hear your story:
You can tell your story, make a comment or ask for help on our Australian Light Horse Studies Centre Forum called:
The Third Battle of Gaza, Palestine, Z - 5, 26 October 1917, Map Topic: BatzP - 3rd Gaza
The Third Battle of Gaza
Palestine, Z - 5, 26 October 1917
Map
The Third Battle of Gaza, Palestine, Z - 5, 26 October 1917, Map detailing the location of Allied Forces.
[Click on map for larger version]
The use of the term "Z"
Z = Zero.
Z was the traditional letter allocation to the time when an offensive was due to be launched. It has later been supplanted with "D" Day and "H" Hour with the most famous D-Day being 6 June 1944 commencing with the assault by the Allied forces on the beaches of Normandy. However, in 1917, the term used was "Z" to indicate the precise time and day.
The origin of the map series.
During and after the end of the Third Battle of Gaza, the Egyptian Expeditionary Force Headquarters staff produced a series of maps that detailed the daily disposition of forces, firstly Allied and then Allied and Turkish, during the entire conflict. The maps were never published. For the reader of these events, when seen in conjunction with the various War Diary entries, one is able to understand the scale of the operation and thus the immense amount of planning and training that went into achieving its goals.
The Third Battle of Gaza, Palestine, Z - 5, 26 October 1917, Egyptian Expeditionary Force War Diary Account Topic: BatzP - 3rd Gaza
The Third Battle of Gaza
Palestine, Z - 5, 26 October 1917
Egyptian Expeditionary Force War Diary Account
War Diary account of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, Z - 5, 26 October 1917.
The transcription:
Kelab, 26 October 1917
0635 - Desert Mounted Corps report all clear and situation normal.
0832 - Wire from Desert Mounted Corps saying that one Brigade group of 53rd division moved out position by 2200 last night covering railway construction.
For position of troops for the day see Appendix A.
0805 - XXI Corps reported that our artillery had carried out the bombardment of Out Post Hill according to programme.
1137 - Report received from Desert Mounted Corps that an enemy aeroplane flew within 1,000 feet over railway north of Basal flying north east.
1240 - XX Corps wire that General Officer Commanding XX Corps had assumed command as required in Paragraph 3 of Force Order No. 52 of 17 October 1917.
1230 - Instructions were issued to all concerned with regard to the reporting by priority wire of any bombing or machine gunning of our troops by hostile aircraft.
1807 - XX Corps reports situation normal and that there was considerable enemy movement on hills across Wadi Imlieh about 1100 this morning.
1800 - Desert Mounted Corps report all clear.
1800 - Wire received from XXI Corps that 2 Deserters had surrendered.
1950 - Evening report to London and Baghdad. All well, nothing special to report.
0400 - Rear Admiral Egypt and Red Sea that he was preparing his orders in accordance with Force Order No. 54 and they refer to list of targets mainly as finding suitable targets and notifying certain targets which must not be used at certain times. (2000 after).
Instructions sent to General Officer Commanding Desert Mounted Corps to place on Squadron of the Yeomanry Mounted Division at the disposal of General Officer Commanding XX Corps from midnight Z-1/2 until the Yeomanry Mounted Division are withdrawn from General Headquarters Reserve.
Wrote Colonel Newcombe with reference to his move from Auja to Asluj.
Circular Memorandums with regard to Signal Addresses and Signal Traffic - wire issued to all concerned.
Orders were issued for the move of Detachments of the 569 BAT Company Royal Engineers from Kantara and Kelab to Rafa when they are to report to Officer Commanding 46th Base Park Company Royal Engineers.
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre is a not for profit and non profit group whose sole aim is to write the early history of the Australian Light Horse from 1900
- 1920. It is privately funded and the information is provided by the individuals within the group and while permission for the use of the material has been given for this
site for these items by various donors, the residual and actual copyright for these items, should there be any, resides exclusively with the donors. The information on
this site is freely available for private research use only and if used as such, should be appropriately acknowledged. To assist in this process, each item has a citation
attached at the bottom for referencing purposes.
Please Note: No express or implied permission is given for commercial use of the information contained within this site.
A note to copyright holders
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre has made every endeavour to contact copyright holders of material digitised for this blog and website and where
appropriate, permission is still being sought for these items. Where replies were not received, or where the copyright owner has not been able to be traced, or where
the permission is still being sought, the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre has decided, in good faith, to proceed with digitisation and publication. Australian Light
Horse Studies Centre would be happy to hear from copyright owners at any time to discuss usage of this item.
