Battle of Tel el Khuweilfe

Battle of Tel el Khuweilfe
Part of the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
Guns of the Inverness Royal Horse Artillery in action against Tel el Khuweilfe on 2 November
Date 1–6 November 1917 (5 days) Location North of Beersheba in the Judean Hills of southern Palestine Result British Empire victory
Belligerents
British Empire  Australia  New Zealand  United Kingdom	Ottoman Empire  German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Edmund Allenby Harry Chauvel	Erich von Falkenhayn Fevzi Pasha
Units involved
53rd (Welsh) Division Anzac Mounted Division 5th Mounted Brigade (Australian Mounted Division) Yeomanry Mounted Division	III Corps headquarters 6th and 8th Regiments (3rd Cavalry Division) 19th Division 27th Division (also known as the Beersheba Group) 2nd Regiment 125th Regiment (16th Division) 143rd Infantry Regiment (24th Division) 24th Division headquarters 12th Depot Regiment

The Battle of Tel el Khuweilfe, part of the Southern Palestine Offensive, began on 1 November 1917, the day after the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) victory at the Battle of Beersheba during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. After the Stalemate in Southern Palestine a series of coordinated attacks were launched by British Empire units on the Ottoman Empire's German commanded Yildirim Army Group's front line, which stretched from Gaza inland to Beersheba. During the fight for the town, the road from Beersheba to Jerusalem via Hebron, was cut just north of the town in the southern spur of the Judean Hills. Here Ottoman units strongly defended the road and the Seventh Army headquarters at Hebron.

Over the next week, attacks by the 53rd (Welsh) Division, the Anzac Mounted Division, and the 5th Mounted Brigade (Australian Mounted Division) attempted to capture the Tell el-Khuweilifeh position. Attacks were launched by the British infantry and Yeomanry cavalry, and Australian and New Zealand mounted brigades.

Despite their failure to dislodge the Ottoman defenders, the continuing pressure drew in Ottoman reserves, which could have made the EEF attacks at Gaza during the night of 1/2 November, and at Hareira and Sheria on 6–7 November, more strongly contested. On 6 November, in coordination with the attacks on Hareira and Sheria, the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division, with the Imperial Camel Brigade covering their flanks, made another inconclusive assault with artillery support. This fight continued the following day, until the Ottoman defenders began to withdraw, as a consequence of the loss of Hareira, the evacuation of Gaza, and the weakening of the Sheria position, all of which threatened to outflank the Tell el-Khuweilfeh position.