BEERSHEBA Or BE ER SHEVA, ISRAEL

BEERSHEBA or BE’ER SHEVA, ISRAEL

APRIL 2008

Miles Farmer

BACKGROUND

The Charge of the Australian Light Horse [ALH] and capture of Beersheba 31 October 1917 has gone down in the annals of Australian history as the turning point of the war in Palestine. Indeed it has been recognised as the last great cavalry charge in war. The ALH were mounted infantry, i.e. they rode to the battle area, dismounted and fought on foot. They were not equipped with swords for use as cavalry, so at Beersheba some used their bayonets and others used their rifle with bayonet fixed, rather difficult.

On 31 October 1917 the Desert Mounted Column under command of the Australian General Sir Harry Chauvel was attacking Beersheba, which was heavily defended by the Turks and Germans. Having been almost two days without water it was imperative that the water wells of Beersheba were captured that day. By late afternoon it was clear that this would not be achieved, and so Chauvel ordered Brigadier General Grant’s 4th ALH Brigade to launch a mounted charge against the enemy. The 4th and 12th Regiments lined up in attack formation, and with only 20 minutes of daylight left they rode off, first at a trot, then a canter, and finally a mad gallop across 6 kilometres of open ground. Many horsemen consider that it would have been almost impossible to rein in the horses once they smelt the water.

The charge succeeded and Beersheba was captured, with most of the wells intact. It has been said that the Turks held their fire expecting the horsemen to halt and dismount as was their usual practice. It has also been suggested that the Turks failed to adjust the sights on their rifles. It is worth noting that many of the ALH had served on Gallipoli as infantry and wanted to settle old scores. The Turkish artillery and machine guns caused most of the casualties to the two Regiments. The 4th losses were eleven killed and seventeen wounded; the 12th had twenty killed and nineteen wounded. The loss of horses was grievous—at least seventy killed and many more put down because of their wounds.

The capture of Beersheba allowed the Turkish defensive line running to Gaza on the coast to be turned. Once Gaza was captured General Allenby was able to advance and eventually capture Damascus.

[For more details of the Charge at Beersheba there have been many books written about the exploits of the ALH in WWI, or a Google search on the WWW]

COMMEMORATIONS

1 In October 2007 a number of men and women of the Australian Light Horse Association [ALHA] travelled to Israel and riding borrowed mounts rode across the areas that the ALH had travelled in Palestine during World War I [WWI]. They also re-enacted the charge in a slightly subdued manner than occurred in 1917. Their pilgrimage received much publicity ALHA was present. While there he continued with arrangements for a ceremony to take place in April the following year. More will be said about this event later in this paper.

TRAVEL TO ISRAEL APRIL 2008

At the instigation of my friend Digger James I was included in a group sponsored by the Pratt Foundation. The Pratt Foundation was set up by Richard and Jeanie Pratt over thirty years ago. Richard and Digger have been close friends since boyhood in the Shepparton area of Victoria. The group included Richard Chauvel, the grandson of Sir Harry Chauvel, and his wife Jeanette; also John and Nancy Cox of Sydney. John’s father Jack rode with the 4th Regiment in the charge, and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal [DCM] for his bravery—many thought that he should have received the VC for which he had been recommended. Arrangements for our travel, accommodation, etc were made by Sam Lipski, CEO of the Pratt Foundation, and the branch of the Foundation in Jerusalem. These arrangements could not have been better.

I left Perth International on Cathay Pacific at 5 minutes past midnight on Tuesday 22 April, transferring to El-Al in Hong Kong, arriving at Tel Aviv at 10.45 pm that evening. An hour or so later I was settled in my room in the Regency Hotel, Mt Scopus, Jerusalem. I was very tired and so spent Wednesday and Thursday very quietly, apart from a short visit to the Israel Tourist Bureau near the Zion Gate one of the several gates leading into the Old City.

ANZAC DAY

An early start for a short walk to the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Mt Scopus to attend the Dawn Service arranged by the Australian Embassy. Troopers of the 4th/19th Prince of Wales Light Horse [PWLH] lined one side of the pathway leading to the Memorial, and troopers of the 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers [HRL] the other. They carried Lances with coloured pennants, and looked most impressive. The two regiments represented the 4th and 12th Regiments which had taken part in the famous charge. In the late fifties Digger James had been the Adjutant of the 12th/16th HRL.

The service was very well conducted with the Diplomatic Corps well represented. A small party of veterans of the pre war ALH and WWII, escorted by Doctors and Nurses of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs were also there, which was good to see. I also met up with an old friend Arthur DeMain with a few other men of the Boonah Troop of the ALHA—all dressed in ALH uniforms. Here I met up with the Chauvels and the Coxes. Six representatives of the ALHA arrived for the Service, 2 virtually straight off the plane from Australia [four of these men were to ride in the ceremony at Beersheba the following Monday]. One of the most impressive and moving features for me was the singing of the Australian National Anthem and the Hymn, Our God Our Help In Ages Past by the Australian Army Musician, Deborah Cotton.

We retired to the Hotel, and after breakfast and showers commenced our guided tour of Jerusalem and surrounds accompanied by our guide, Rowley Horowitz. She was extremely knowledgeable, thoughtful of our comfort, and very friendly. I will cover the touring we did in the various segments including Saturday.

LATRUN ARMOURED CORPS MUSEUM

Quoting from the Lonely Planet; “with its history of warfare, it’s not surprising to learn that the Latrun Armoured Corps Museum is one of the largest of its kind in the world. The main building was originally built by the British as a fortress to safeguard the road to Jerusalem. It now holds a museum of history from ancient times to modern, and a theatre screening an introductory video. Surrounding the museum are 160 types of armoured vehicles, including the mighty Merkava tank.”The fortress was a Taggart fortress, one of many built throughout Palestine by the British during their Mandate

Having served in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps [RAAC] this visit was of particular interest to me, and I would have liked much more time there, but of course this was not possible. Our guides were Brig-Gen (r) Zvi Kan-Tor and an attractive young Corporal of the Israeli Armoured Corps. The Brigadier gave us an explanation of the philosophy which led to the design of the Merkava. The engine is at the front, and entry is from the rear. It can carry several infantry soldiers or more ammunition in the space at the rear.

Before going inside the museum within the old fortress, the Corporal explained the Memorial Wall which carries the names of all the Israeli men and women of the Israeli Armoured Corps who lost their lives in the several wars Israel has been engaged in since 1948. Her explanation was quite moving.

The Brigadier showed us through the Museum, including displays illustrating by countries the numbers of Jewish people who served in the allied armies during WWII. There were many of the rank of General, particularly in the Russian Army. There was a picture of our own late Paul Cullen who rose to the rank of Major General in the Reserve after WWII. He is seeking more information of Australians Jewish service during WWII, and he has now been put in touch with the Victorian Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women.

JERUSALEM

3 It would be hard to do justice to this part of our tour. From Latrun, which is to the West of Jerusalem, we drove along the road to Jerusalem which went through a narrow valley, much fought over in the many conflicts. The Israelis lost many soldiers and vehicles in running this gauntlet. Rowley took us to many of the significant sites around Jerusalem, eg the Mount of Olives, and the Garden of Gethsemane. From different vantage points we looked over Jerusalem with its many churches, mosques, cemeteries and residences. The golden Dome of the Rock was spectacular. Then we entered the walled Old City by the Zion Gate.

This was like going into another world—a maze of narrow lanes and alleyways, crowded with buildings, shops, cafes and the like—everywhere someone trying to sell you something. The bazaars were fascinating with all the different wares on display. We had lunch at a little cafe down one of these lanes, and then proceeded to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the holiest shrines in Christendom. It was rather gloomy inside, and very, very crowded with tourists and pilgrims. There were services in various corners and chapels of the several faiths which use the Church. This was the time of the Orthodox Easter and Passover and there were many processions of the various faiths—many following the Stations of the Cross. Had I remembered something of the Bible studies of my youth much of what I saw would have made more sense. Unfortunately we were not able to enter any mosques, as special arrangements have to be made, with only a few times when visits would be possible. We finished the day with a visit to the Wailing Wall, which was crowded with Haredin Jews wearing their unusual garb; however I did manage to touch the wall. I now have confused recollections of what I saw, and will not try to explain any more of this great experience.

MASADA & THE DEAD SEA

On Saturday morning we headed East to the Dead Sea, and then South to Masada. The Dead Sea is the world’s lowest point, some 400metres below sea level. It is 65km long from North to South and 18 km at its widest point. The border with Jordan runs roughly down the middle. The long barren Judean plateau runs along its length to the West. In the lowland between the mountains and the sea there are signs of hydroponic farming and mining of the minerals from the Dead Sea. By late morning we reached Masada, which is a solitary monolith on the Eastern edge of the Judean plateau, rising 1,300 feet above the shore of the Dead Sea.

With sheer cliffs on all sides it is a natural fortress. Its flat top covers 1,950feet by 650feet. Access was and is extremely difficult. Its earliest recorded fortifications date back between 103 and 76BC. In 43BC King Herod realised its value as a secure refuge, and had its fortifications strengthened, and palaces built for his own use. Food storage silos were built and an ingenious water storage system created. Herod never had to use it as a refuge, dying in 4BC. In AD 66 a group of Jews known as Zealots were in revolt against the Romans and took refuge on Masada. They numbered some 960 men, women, and children. For several years they carried out 4 raids until eventually in AD 72 the Romans assembled a large force [6-10,000 fighting men and some 10-15,000 bearers] under Flavius Silva and marched on Masada.

Flavius Silva deployed his troops in camps surrounding Masada, and even built a barrier wall to prevent any escape. Being an experienced General he made an appreciation and decided that his only possible access was on the Western side where the sheer cliff only dropped a fifth of the way to a spur. He set his minions to work and built an earthen ramp reaching to the summit. It was wide enough for his troops to bring their siege engines and battering rams into play.

The Zealots watched for several months as the Romans built their ramp. At the end they fought bravely, but eventually realised that in the morning the Romans would break through, and they knew what their fate would be—cruel death or slavery. Their leader, Eleazor ben Ya’ir assembled his people and they all agreed that they would not be taken alive. Each father would kill his family, and then the men would draw lots for the order in which they would kill one another. Only two women and a child survived by hiding away. The next morning the Romans scaled the wall and found a scene of desolation.

The story of the siege has been adopted as a symbol for the modern Jewish State. Israeli school children visit the site, and some Israeli Defence Forces hold swearing in ceremonies there, replete with the oath that ‘Masada shall not fall again’. Some years ago a film of Masada was made.

We chose not to climb the snake path to the summit but rode the cable car, which was packed to its limit on the return trip. We had a late lunch at the well appointed visitors centre. It is a truly fascinating site, and time well spent visiting the ruins, and the restorations which have been done so well..

After lunch we headed north along the Dead Sea to one of the many resorts which dot the shoreline. A path of slippery black mud led to the sea, where floating is really the only option. Indeed it is rather difficult to get into a standing position, particularly making sure to keep the water out of your eyes. The water may have medicinal properties for arthritis, but is sudden death on your eyes. Some of our party chose to cover themselves with the black mud, but I chose to forego that pleasure. However I did enjoy a beer at the kiosk, which because of Passover restrictions was not available in the Hotel.

THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST FROM TEL AVIV TO THE BORDER WITH LEBANON

On Sunday the six members of the ALHA party moved to Beersheba to prepare for the ceremony on Monday, and so I went on a tour which took me along the coast from Tel Aviv to the border with Lebanon. The main features on the tour were Caesarea, Haifa, Akko (Acre) and Rosh HaNikra on the border.

5 Caesarea was one of the great city ports of antiquity, fought over by the different waring armies over the years. In 22BC Herod built the most grandiose city in the Roman style, including huge breakwaters extending out into the Mediterranean Ocean. Much of this area has been re-created after archaeological excavations. The result is most spectacular. Ruins of the Crusader citadel and walls were also interesting.

Further along the coast is Haifa, said to be one of the most picturesque cities in the Middle East. From the little I have seen this claim is quite believable. The Bahai Gardens, viewed from the heights of Mt Carmel, are beautiful. They were closed when we there because the people of the Bahai Faith were holding elections for a new Leader [I think].

Next stop was Akko, or Acre as it was known by the Crusaders whose base it was for many, many years. It featured as a port and trading centre for thousands of years. The ruins of the Crusader buildings were in remarkably good order, and one goes through many vaulted underground rooms and tunnels. For many years in the last century it was used by the British as a prison.

The border with Lebanon begins with a headland of cliffs rising steeply from the Mediterranean. We took a short ride in a cable car down to the entry of the tunnels and the caves. The tunnels had been built to give access for a rail line, which is no longer used for that purpose. There is a gate which gives entry to Lebanon, and which I believe was the recent point for exchange of prisoners, and bodies between Israel and the Hezbollah [July ‘08]. A walk through the caves/grottoes was fun with the sea crashing through in many places. Looking down from pathway around the headland the Mediterranean was a clear sparkling blue—a beautiful sight.

Our guide for this trip was an oldish man who knew his stuff. He spoke several languages [English, German, Spanish, and Hebrew], and switched between them with rapidity. His comment on the situation in this part of the world was that there was no logic behind it. He had to drive two of our tour back to Jerusalem, which was a bit scary, as he did his paper work, including a bank deposit slip, as he drove through the traffic in Tel Aviv. One way streets did not seem to bother him and he parked quite illegally outside a bank so that he could drop his cheque in. However we did arrive safely.

BEERSHEBA or BE’ER SHEVA Monday 28 April 2008

This was the day we had all come for. Beersheba was about a two hour drive from Jerusalem traversing the fringe of the Negev. We passed through some very large wheat fields with large silos. The tents of Bedouins we passed looked pretty scruffy, against the expensive cars parked alongside. After an early lunch we were taken out to the hill where Chauvel stood in 1917 to see his Light Horsemen charge Beersheba. It was an excellent view point and made one’s understanding of the

6 battle much clearer. We were then taken to another event on the outskirts of Beersheba. This was:

THE LAUNCH OF THE JEWISH NATIONAL FUND OF AUSTRALIA’S PROJECTS IN HONOUR OF THE ANZACS:

Nahal Assaf Environmental Centre & ANZAC Commemorative Park in conjunction with the ANZAC Trail

The “Nahal Assaf conservation site will be developed in conjunction with the ANZAC Trail as an educational and recreational facility to be enjoyed by visitors both local and foreign who are interested in history, military battles, environmental protection and who seek a different type of tourist experience. The project will expose and promote the nearby ANZAC Trail and the history of the ANZAC forces in the area during the First World War through an interpretive centre and meeting place for soldiers and their families.”

“The ANZAC Trail project seeks to retrace the footsteps of the original ANZAC charge. The complete length of the route from beginning to end is approximately 60 kilometres and passes through several regional authorities in the Negev. The ANZAC Trail will include detailed signs, trail markings, shaded areas, benches, and bicycle and audio stations. The project is currently in the planning stage.”

Officials taking part in the ceremony were the Mayor of the City of Beer Shiva; JNF World Chairman; the Hon Alan Griffin, Minister for Veteran’s Affairs Australia; Lt Gen David Hurley Chief Joint Ops ADF; the Hon Bronwyn Bishop represented the Leader of the Opposition. A commemorative stone was unveiled, and a Proclamation signed. The riders of the Boonah Troop of the ALHA rode past carrying various flags and banners. We were entertained by the Korat “Pride” Youth Choir from Be’er Sheva—three Jewish girls from Ethiopia. They were excellent. Our only problem now was to get to the Park of the Australian Soldier in Beersheba City in time for the main ceremony. I also had the problem changing into uniform which had shrunk. Fortunately I carried a letter from a former Surgeon General of the ADF allowing me to wear a beard when in uniform! The security was very tight given the high ranking officials from Australia and Israel in attendance.

DEDICATION OF THE PARK OF THE AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER & UNVEILING OF THE AUSTRALIAN LIGHT HORSE MEMORIAL

The Lance Guard from the 4th/19th PWLH and the 12th/16th HRL marched on. His Excellency Maj Gen Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC, Gov Gen of Australia, accompanied by Mr Shimon Peres, President of the State of Israel arrived. The catafalque Party, comprising soldiers of the ADF took post. Lt Gen Yaakov Turner (Ret), Mayor of Be’er Sheva, gave a message of greeting. He had been a distinguished fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force.

7 Sam Lipski AM, CEO, Pratt Foundation gave the welcome address. This was followed by prayers lead by an Australian Army Chaplain, and a former Senior Rabbi to the ADF. Our Gov Gen and the Israeli President then gave their addresses. Our Gov Gen spoke well, as always, but for me I found the address by Mr Peres brilliant. These two gentlemen then unveiled the Memorial, with the assistance of Peter Corlett, the renowned Australian Sculptor. The Memorial was then blessed, followed by wreath laying. It was a lovely moment when the Turkish ambassador was called forward to lay his wreath—he was greeted with warm applause. The Ode was recited by Digger James, who had been most surprised to discover that the facial image of the Australian Horseman on the charger was that of a young Digger James—it was a lovely tribute to Digger, without whose initiative today’s facilities would never have happened. The Last Post was sounded after the Ode; one minutes silence; the Rouse. Two young ladies from the ADF, and the IDF then sang their national Anthems—they were brilliant. The catafalque party stood down, the Lance guards dismounted, and the Official Guests departed.

The Park of the Australian Soldier was explained during refreshments by Sam Lipski and Richard Pratt. I will quote some of Sam’s words:

“ ...... We wished to commemorate the charge of the Australian Light Horse on 31 October 1917 against the Ottoman positions at Beersheba, a victory which changed the course of history in the Middle East...... We wished to pay tribute to the Australians who served in the Middle East during the two world wars and in subsequent peace operations. In doing so we wished to ex press something of their generous spirit, especially towards children. Hence there is a second centrepiece in the park: the dual-purpose integrated playground enabling full enjoyment by children with physical disabilities.

And finally, we wished to celebrate the ties that bind Australians and Israelis: two democracies, two nations of immigrants, and two nations who have known war, but who hope and pray for peace.”

Sam Lipski pointed out in his address of welcome that the Australian SAS had the task, during the First Gulf War, of locating Scud Missile sites in Iraq which were aimed at Israel, and having them destroyed. He also mentioned that on 31 October 1917 the British Cabinet were sitting at the same time as the charge at Beersheba was underway. It was on this occasion that the Balfour Declaration was signed.

I have taken part in many ceremonial parades and commemorative services since 1952, in Australia, England and South Africa. They have all been wonderful experiences, but the commemoration at the Park of the Australian Soldier, and the Memorial to the Australian Light Horse has been one of the most memorable—rather euphoric. There were so many Australians present—Australian Servicemen, Ex- servicemen, and civilians; also Many Israelis and families from Beersheba. It was rather flattering that so many of these families wanted to have their pictures taken

8 with us. I enjoyed walking through the Park with Digger and Barbara James, where Digger proudly showed me the Playground for children with disabilities. This was of particular interest to me having worked in the disability field for close on twenty years, and on committees trying to improve access. Thank you Mr and Mrs Pratt. I was sorry to leave the Park to return to Jerusalem. That day I was very proud to be an Australian, and proudly worn the uniform of the Australian Army.

THE NEXT TWO DAYS

The remainder of my time in Israel was something of an anticlimax. However on Tuesday I went down to the Zion Gate and went through the Tower of David Museum—what an incredible building. It was at the entrance to the Tower that General Allenby took the salute of the allied troops who entered Jerusalem in 1917.

HOMEWARDS BOUND

John and Nancy Cox and I left the Regency Hotel at 8pm Wednesday for Tel Aviv airport where we joined an El-Al Flight to Bangkok airport. Here we parted company. The Cox’s to Sydney, and miles to Perth on a Thai International Flight, arriving Friday morning 7am.

LOOKING BACK

My trip was a wonderful experience. Israel is so full of the history of our western world, and I marvelled at the engineering feats in the building of so many castles, defensive walls, fortresses, churches and mosques. What a pity that so many were torn down over the centuries, with only a few rebuilt. It was an interesting time to be in Israel. People were gathering for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel, and many more for Passover. Our Hotel was fully booked with tour buses coming and going. Many of the hotel guests were Haredins. Passover would not be my recommended time for visiting Israel—some of the restrictions were annoying. I got quite a surprise when I asked for a beer at a lounge bar in the hotel, and was told “no”, but I could have any spirits or wine. Then the penny dropped—there is yeast in beer, and Passover requires unleavened bread etc. One disappointment was that I did not really meet any ordinary Jews or Palestinians. I would also have liked to have visited the Golan Heights, but the only tours were on days which were otherwise committed. It would have been nice to have had more time in Beersheba. Perhaps another time.

I have often been asked whether I felt safe in Israel. There was never any time when I felt anything but safe. The security for the El-Al flight from Hong Kong was impressive, and the flight touched down to the traditional round of applause. We only saw the more recently built security walls in the distance. There were plenty of police and soldiers on duty in Jerusalem, and a number of road blocks on the roads around Jerusalem, but we were never required to stop. The young soldiers going to and

9 from duty take their weapons with them. They are clearly ready to respond quickly to any emergency. I now watch any news item re Israel with a new perspective.

Miles W Farmer 20 July 2008