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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.
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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
Jordan Valley 1918
Jordan Valley Maps
El Ghoraniye Bridgehead
Jordan Valley Map highlighting the region around the El Ghoraniye Bridgehead
[Click on map for enlarged version.]
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 at the end of 1917 to take full control of the region in early 1918, the problem of pursuing the war into Moab required excellent communications between the two sides of the river, a major natural barrier.
El Ghoraniye Bridgehead
[Click on map for enlarged version.]
El Ghoraniye Bridgehead, during 1918, was occupied by a strong British infantry force supplemented by Australian Light Horse and New Zealand Mounted Rifles. The above map gives a clear idea of the approaches to the El Ghoraniye Bridgehead.
Talaat ed Dumm
[Click on map for enlarged version.]
Talaat ed Dumm was the western entry point to the Jordan Valley. It was here that an Allied base was built to allow transit of troops going east and west.
Shunet Nimrin
[Click on map for enlarged version.]
Shunet Nimrin was the access route to Amman through Moab on the eastern bank of the Jordan River.
Further Reading:
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: Jordan Valley 1918, Jordan Valley Maps, El Ghoraniye Bridgehead
Jordan Valley 1918
Jordan Valley Maps
Tel el Truny
Tel el Truny
Tel el Truny, during June 1918, was an open area upon which both the Ottomans and Australians occupied depending upon the will to exert authority. No permenant outposts were established upon this mound but it was the site for many proxy contests between the combatants.
For example, the 9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary makes mention of a particular skirmish.
9th LHR AIF War Diary, 12 June
Wednesday, June 12, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Ain Ed Duk
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Hahn, Lieutenant HJ, with “A” Squadron patrol occupied Tel el Truny. By a quick movement to the right flank he surprised an enemy patrol of four who were proceeding to Wadi Auja ½ mile North West of Tel el Truny, capturing two Turks whilst the remaining two fled into the rough broken ground nearby where it was impossible to pursue. Hahn, Lieutenant HJ and his patrol showed just the right amount of dash and used sufficient caution not to become seriously involved with the enemy holding Tel el Rishem.
On 31 May 1918, Lieutenant RNL Hopkins of the 6th Light Horse Regiment draw a panorama of the area.
Panorama
[Click on map for enlarged version.]
The following map of the Jordan Valley illustrates the area around which the action took place from May to August 1918.
Jordan Valley Map highlighting the region around Tel el Truny
[Click on map for enlarged version.]
The reason for General Allenby allowing the fluid movement of lines in the Jordan Valley was to give the Ottoman Turks the impression that the break out attack would occur through the Jordan Valley to Amman as a repeat of the previous two failed attacks. By keeping up this pressure, the Ottoman planners were blindsided by the attack in the north where the breakthrough actually occurred. An attack was made in the Jordan Valley by a composite column known as Chaytor's Force which did penetrate to Amman in September 1918.
Further Reading:
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: Jordan Valley 1918, Jordan Valley Maps, Tel el Truny
Jordan Valley 1918
Jordan Valley Maps
The "W" Outposts in the Jordan Valley
During the defence of the Jordan Valley, various sectors were formed and each has a specific identifying letters.
The "W" Outposts included the following names:
These outposts run consecutively from west to east. All except Wood sit on the heights on the west side of Wadi el Abeid while Wood stradles Wadi Sebata a hundred metres to the west of Wadi el Abeid. Both wadis drain into Wadi el Auja which was the only permenant water course draining into the Jordan River.
The area consisted of a loose front line to the Ottoman forces. Consequently, the region experienced constant conflict characterised by small scale raids from both sides.
Further Reading:
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: Jordan Valley 1918, Jordan Valley Maps, Outposts - The "W" Series
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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.
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