Third Transjordan attack

Third Transjordan attack
Part of the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
Date 19–25 September 1918 Location Jordan Valley, Jisr ed Damieh, Es Salt, Amman the Hejaz railway and Ziza Result British Empire victory
Belligerents
British Empire  India  Australia  New Zealand British West Indies Beni Sakhr	Ottoman Empire  Germany
Commanders and leaders
Edmund Allenby Edward Chaytor	Otto Liman von Sanders Mustafa Kemal Pasha Mohammed Jemal Pasha
Units involved
Chaytor's Force Anzac Mounted Division 20th Indian Brigade 1st and 2nd Battalions British West Indies Regiment 38th and 39th Battalions Royal Fusiliers (Jewish Volunteers)	Seventh Army III Corps; 1st and 11th Divisions XX Corps; 24th, 26th, and 53rd Divisions Fourth Army II Corps; Hauran Detachment, Amman Division, Ma'an Detachment VIII Corps; Caucasus Cavalry Brigade, 48th Division, Composite Division, Mule-mounted Infantry Regiment Army Troops; 3rd Cavalry Division, German 146th Regiment, 63rd Regiment

The Third Transjordan attack by Chaytor's Force, part of the British Empire's Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF), took place between 21 and 25 September 1918, against the Ottoman Empire's Fourth Army and other Yildirim Army Group units. These operations took place during the Battle of Nablus, part of the Battle of Megiddo which began on 19 September in the final months of the Sinai and Palestine campaign of World War I. Fought on the right flank and subsidiary to the Battle of Nablus, the Third Transjordan attack began northwards, with the assault on Kh Fasail. The following day a section of Chaytor's Force, attacked and captured the Ottoman Empire's 53rd Division (Seventh Army) on the main eastwards line of retreat out of the Judean Hills across the Jordan River. Retreating columns of the Yildirim Army Group were attacked during the battle for the Jisr ed Damieh bridge, and several fords to the south were also captured, closing this line of retreat. Leaving detachments to hold the captured bridge and fords, Chaytor's Force began their eastwards advance by attacking and capturing the Fourth Army garrison at Shunet Nimrin on their way to capture Es Salt for a third time. With the Fourth Army's VIII Corps in retreat, Chaytor's Force continued their advance to attack and capture Amman on 25 September during the Second Battle of Amman. Several days later, to the south of Amman, the Fourth Army's II Corps which had garrisoned the southern Hejaz Railway, surrendered to Chaytor's Force at Ziza, effectively ending military operations in the area.

The British Empire victories during the Third Transjordan attack resulted in the occupation of many miles of Ottoman territory and the capture of the equivalent of one Ottoman corps. Meanwhile, the remnants of the Fourth Army were forced to retreat in disarray north to Damascus, along with the remnants of the Seventh and Eighth Armies after the EEF victories during the Battle of Sharon and Battle of Nablus. Fighting extended from the Mediterranean Sea during these seven days of battle, resulting in the capture of many thousands of prisoners, and extensive territory. After several days pursuing remnant columns, Desert Mounted Corps captured Damascus on 1 October. The surviving remnants of Yildirim Army Group which escaped Damascus were pursued north during the Pursuit to Haritan when Homs was occupied and Aleppo was captured by Prince Feisal's Sherifial Army Force. Soon after, on 30 October, the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire, ending the Sinai and Palestine campaign.