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"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.
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WARNING: This site contains: names, information and images of deceased people; and, language which may be considered inappropriate today. Desert Column Forum
Jordan Valley 1918
Jordan Valley Maps
Contents
Items
Maps
El Ghoraniye Bridges, 1893 - 2010
Campaign Maps
February 1918
Jericho Operations, Southern Map Section
Jericho Operations, Northern Map Section
Further Reading:
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: Jordan Valley 1918, Jordan Valley Maps, Contents
Jordan Valley 1918
Jordan Valley Maps
El Ghoraniye Bridges, 1893 - 2010
Jordan Valley photograph highlighting the region around the El Ghoraniye Bridge
The El Ghoraniye Bridgehead was seen as an important crossing point from Jerusalem to the west of the Jordan River over to the east into the hills of Moab. When the Allied forces arrived in the Jordan Valley during February 1918, the problem of pursuing the war into Moab required excellent communications between the two sides of the river, a major natural barrier.
The Ottomans had erected a wooden bridge in 1893 for the specific purpose of facilitating trade from Amman to Jerusalem. The bridge was designed to collect various tolls and taxes from the travelling merchants and whomever else could afford to use the bridge
El Ghoraniye Bridge built by the Ottomans in 1893
The Ottoman El Ghoraniye Bridge was burnt in 1918 in response to the Allied advance into the Jordan Valley. When the allied forces had secured both sides of the Jordan River around the El Ghoraniye Bridgehead, they proceeded to construct a temporary bridge from pontoons.
El Ghoraniye Pontoon Bridge
This temporary bridge served to allow the Allied forces to enter into Moab and attack Amman during March 1918.
Subsequent to this attack, a more permanent and stable bridge was required and this was quickly erected.
El Ghoraniye Trestle Bridge
The trestle bridge was a more stable structure but its main feature militating against any long term solution was the trestles themselves which blocked any amenity to the river, let alone snagged every piece of debris floating down the river, including Ottoman devices to destroy the bridge.
El Ghoraniye Suspension Bridge
As the occupation proceeded, a more substantial suspension bridge was built which satisfied all military requirements and was a great asset to the locals.
Post War El Ghoraniye Suspension Bridge in civilian use
The free use of the suspension bridge by the local people meant that commerce could thrive between both sides of the Jordan River, regardless of whom occupied the various territories.
After the Great War, the traffic became so intense that plans for a better bridge at El Ghoraniye were laid.
Allenby Bridge Opening 1919
In 1919, the newly built bridge, named by the British Occupation Force as the Allenby Bridge after General Allenby, was opened.
Allenby Bridge, 1919
Over the next decade traffic grew until the single lane bridge proved to be rather cumbersome and prone to traffic jams and hold-ups. The British Palestine Authority began the construction of the two lane bridge which was opened in 1934.
New Allenby Bridge, 1934
This bridge became both the focus of trade between east and west Jordan but also a symbol for those bent on destruction of that communication. The New Allenby Bridge was damaged in 1946 by the Jewish underground army, the Palmach.
The Palmach damage to the Allenby Bridge, 1946
The bridge was repaired and once again traffic resumed.
After the granting of independence to Israel and Jordan in 1947, the Allenby Bridge became part of the Jordan state infrastructure and remained that way until the Six Day in 1967, when this time the 1934 bridge was completely destroyed.
The destroyed Allenby Bridge on 1 June 1967
At the end of the war, through secret meetings between Israel and Jordan, the bridge was sufficiently restored to allow foot traffic, and so keep the flow of commerce going between the east and west banks.
The Allenby Bridge restorred for foot traffic, 1967
While the Bridge was repaired for limited traffic, the needs of commerce required a bridge capable of sustaining wheeled traffic. Even though Israel and Jordan were in a state of war, the reality of commerce forced these two erstwhile enemies to make agreements regarding a new bridge. Anything of substance was not going to be built during the state of war but a cheap truss style bridge was constructed by the engineering troops of Israel and Jordan. The temporary bridge was opened in 1968.
The replacement Allenby Bridge built in 1968
As the years of truce turned into decades, more and more work was undertaken on the temporary bridge to make it more stable and accessible.
Additional work on the 1968 Allenby Bridge
By 1980, the bridge was quite substantial again although the size meant it was restricted to only one lane of traffic.
The breakthrough occurred with the Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty at the border crossing for the bridge on 26 October 1994. With a state of peace declared between the two nations, thoughts again went to constructing a new bridge, something to reflect the harmony between these two very ancient nations.
To celebrate the Peace Treaty, the Japanese Government gifted a new bridge to Jordan and Israel with construction to begin in 1996 and projected to conclude in 1999.
The Japanese constructed Bridge next to the truss bridge, 1999.
This unique photograph illustrates the nature of the Jordan River and the two bridges spanning the river, as well as the scale of the project.
In 1999, the new, four lane bridge was ready to be opened. The name of the bridge was already part of the contention so in the end, a compromise was worked out. It would carry two names.
The Japanese constructed Bridge
On the Israeli side it was called the Gesher Alenbi or Allenby Bridge while on the Jordanian side, it bore the name Jisr al-Malek Hussein or in English, the King Hussein Bridge. The bridge forms an important and symbolic meeting between the hills of Judea and the hills of Moab, a symbiosis between these two areas which has been ongoing for many thousands of years.
Further Reading:
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: Jordan Valley 1918, Jordan Valley Maps, El Ghoraniye Bridges, 1893 - 2010
Australian Service Personnel
Photograph Albums
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Album Contents
Lieutenant General Sir Henry Merrick Lawson KCB (1859 – 1933)
During the difficult days of man-power shortage in the Middle East, General Henry Merrick LAWSON, a well known specialist in combing out rear areas for front line soldiers, was sent to Egypt to perform a similar function as he had done on the Western Front.
This album comprises his report. Each report page is posted twice, the first post being a full sized document while the second is of smaller size noted with an "s" at the end of the link.
Listings in the Album:
Page 1
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Cover
The Author, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Merrick Lawson KCB (30 January 1859 – 1933)
The Author, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Merrick Lawson KCB (30 January 1859 – 1933), Portrait
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 1
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 2
Page 2
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 3
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 4
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 5
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 6
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 7
Page 3
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 8
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 9
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 10
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 11
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 12
Page 4
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 13
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 14
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 15
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 16
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 17
Page 5
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 18
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 19
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 20
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 21
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 22
Page 6
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 23
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 24
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 25
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 27
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 28
Page 7
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 29
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 30
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 31
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 32
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 33
Page 8
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 34
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 35
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 36
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 37
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 38
Page 9
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 39
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 40
Man-Power in Egypt, Report, 17 May 1917, Page 41
Further Reading:
Australian Service Personnel, Photograph Albums
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Australian Service Personnel
Photograph Albums
The AIF XI Tour of South Africa, 1919, Album Contents
The AIF XI South African Touring Team, 1919
At the conclusion of the Great war, an AIF Test Team XI was selected to tour of South Africa in 1919 as a moral boosting initiative. From 18 October to 12 December 1919, 1919, the team played 10 matches of between 3 to 5 days, depending upon the team they were up against.
This album aims to document features of this series.
Items
Australian Imperial Forces in South Africa 1919 Match Fixtures
Australian Imperial Forces in South Africa 1919 Batting and Fielding Statistics
Australian Imperial Forces in South Africa 1919 First-class Bowling Statistics
Listings in the Album:
Page 1
Soldier Cricketers who will meet a NSW Team today
2nd Military District Nominal Roll for NSW Team Members of the AIF XI
Hampden Stanley Bray 'Hammy" LOVE
Hampden Stanley Bray 'Hammy" LOVE
Page 2
William Albert Stanley "Cracker" OLDFIELD
Page 3
Herbert Leslie "Herby" COLLINS
Herbert Leslie "Herby" COLLINS
Page 4
Ernest James CAMERON, Team Manager
The last game of the AIF Cricket XI in England, 13 September 1919.
Further Reading:
Australian Service Personnel, Photograph Albums
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Australian Service Personnel
Photograph Albums
The Frederickson Collection, Album Contents
The Frederickson Photograph Collection
The Frederickson Collection comprises 8 photographs donated by Hugh Frederickson of people who meant a great deal to his father, Andrew Frederickson during the Great War.
From this group, three photographs can be readily identified and these are listed at the beginning of the album.
Sadly, the balance are now nameless faces until someone is able to identify them.
Listings in the Album:
Page 1
Arnold Marius FREDERIKSEN aka John JOHNSTON
Arnold Marius FREDERIKSEN aka John JOHNSTON postcard, obverse
Arnold Marius FREDERIKSEN aka John JOHNSTON postcard, reverse
15th Field Artillery Brigade War Diary, 18 May 1916
Russell Buchan WINTER postcard, obverse
Russell Buchan WINTER postcard, reverse
Page 2
Page 3
Further Reading:
Australian Service Personnel, Photograph Albums
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
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.
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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.
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