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The Battle of Maghara, Sinai, Outline Topic: BatzS - Maghara
The Battle of Maghara
Sinai, 15 October 1916
Outline
Rakwa, Sinai. October 1916. (H16047)
In carrying out the process of clearing the Sinai Peninsular of Turkish forces, a column commanded by Major General A. G. Dallas, consisting of the 11th and 12th A.L.H., 1st City of London Yeomanry, 300 men Imperial Camel Corps, and one section Hong Kong Battery was sent south from Bayud to remove the garrison at Maghara commanded by Nur Effendi. It marched out from Bir Bayud on the evening of the 13th October. After two night marches the attack began on the morning of the 15th. Initially, fog delayed the attacks but over the first few hours, the Ottoman forces were driven from the advanced positions with 18 prisoners captured. After two hours fighting, General Dallas, realising that taking the main position could only occur with considerable loss and so called off the attack. The column marched back to Bayud reaching there on 17 October 1916.
The Battle of Maghara, Sinai, 15 October 1916, 11th LHR, AIF, Unit History Account Topic: BatzS - Maghara
The Battle of Maghara
Sinai, 15 October 1916
Falls Account
As part of the Official British War History of the Great War, Captain Cyril Falls and Lieutenant General George MacMunn were commissioned to produce a commentary on the Sinai, Palestine and Syrian operations that took place. In 1928, their finished work, Military Operations, Egypt and Palestine - From the outbreak of war with Germany to June 1917, was published in London. Their book included a section specifically related to the Jifjafa Raid and is extracted below.
MacMunn, G. & Falls, C., Military operations: Egypt and Palestine, (London 1930), pp. 245 - 246:
The other raid was a more difficult undertaking directed against a Turkish post at Bir el Maghara, 50 miles south-east of Romani, on the northern spurs of the Sinai hills. North of the hills, to the coast about Mazar, stretches the bleakest and most completely desert portion of the sand-dune country, while the ascent to Maghara is by way of a steep, narrow and rocky galley. The force, commanded by Major General A. G. Dallas, consisted of the 11th and 12th A.L.H., 1st City of London Yeomanry, 300 men Imperial Camel Corps, and one section Hong Kong Battery. It marched out from Bir Bayud (where, since Romani, numerous wells had been dug) on the evening of the 13th October. After two night marches the enemy was found on the morning of the 15th occupying a strong position on the steep hills of Gebel el Maghara. He was driven from his advanced position, 18 prisoners being captured. A two hours' engagement followed, but General Dallas, perceiving that there was no likelihood of taking the second position without considerable loss, then drew off in accordance with his instructions, reaching Bayud on the 17th.
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