ITLSU - Square Hill, 1918 - Part1

[Martin1914]

New Year saw our annual game in WW1 Palestine using 'If the Lord Spares Us' (Too Fat Lardies) and Pendrakens (mostly).

It's 18th September 1918, on the eve of Allenby's Megiddo Offensive and 53rd (Welsh) is to conduct a preliminary operation to capture the Samye Basin, a large depression in the Judean Hills, fifteen miles northeast of Jerusalem. This would distract Turkish attention away from the coast, the initial focus of the offensive, and secure advantage for a subsequent push north along the Nablus road.

In a surprise night attack, 160th (Welsh Border) Brigade is to secure the eastern half of the basin, with final objectives of the enemy position on 'Square Hill' and the village of El Mughaiyir. Success would be signalled with a red rocket, to launch 159th Brigade, assaulting the western half of the basin, onto its own final objective, northwest of El Mughaiyir.

Brigadier-General Pearson (Harrow) commands 1/7th Royal Welch Fusiliers (Jolly Good Fellows – SR0), 1/17th Infantry (The Loyal Regiment) and 1/21st Punjabis (both Havildar Heroes – SR2), and 1st Cape Corps (Loyal Askari – SR1). Attached from 158th Brigade, a company of 5/6th Royal Welch Fusiliers acts a flank guard on 'Keen's Knoll'. The infantry are supported by a MG company and two batteries of 18-pounders (all Jolly Good Fellows – SR0). The artillery are on-call and unregistered, but both batteries start map-laid onto the designated priority target (Jace chose 'Wye Hill'). The signal for one turn of barrage fire from both batteries, is a green rocket from a battalion commander. (Photo1: Table looking NNE)

(Photo2: Table looking south) The Turkish 53rd Division has orders to hold the eastern half of the basin and adjoining ground starting the long descent eastwards to the River Jordan. Opposing 160th Brigade's attack, Lieutenant Colonel Hayri Bey (Young Turk) commands four under-strength battalions, supported by a divisional MG company and a single section of 77mm guns with a Forward Observer (all Pasha Bashers – SR3). Indirect artillery fire would have to be observed. No defensive fire targets are registered as shells are now in short supply. Hayri Bey opts to defend with a screen of standing patrols (4 dummy Blinds) in front of mutually supporting entrenched positions on the high ground (Post Nos. 1-4) with a Main Redoubt to the rear. What little barbed-wire (Strength 4) available is used to protect the redoubt. (Photo3)

(Photo4) At 6.30pm., the Brigadier received the signal to commence the operation. He could already hear the rumble of guns firing on a distant target somewhere to the northwest, as part of a deception plan. With the flank guard in place, the brigade filed down to the Wadi Samye. The Brigadier deployed the 160th MG Company on the near-side heights to cover the crossing, and set up his headquarters on a small hillock above the chosen crossing point. He was already starting to feel a sense of frustration. The men were making too much damned noise splashing through the water. The Turks were bound to have patrols and listening posts out on the slopes above. And it was already evident that the column's progress was extremely slow over the awful ground. The slopes were steep and bad going. He had to remind himself that he wasn't required to carry the weighty kit of a private soldier.

[Martin1914]

(Photo5) Sure enough, the patrol at the forefront of the column bumped an enemy patrol. Both dispersed after some isolated shots, but the column's leading battalion, the 1/21st Punjabis were spotted. The element of surprise seemed to have been lost due to the Turks' vigilance. Kaymakam Hayri Bey had established his command post at the earliest opportunity in the Main Redoubt (I learnt my lesson well), and as soon as reports came in that the enemy were advancing out of the Wadi Samye, he ordered Post No.1 to 'stand to'.

(Photo6) The CO of the Punjabis had the responsibility of a carrying the Brigade's first objective, 'Wye Hill'. In the moonlight, he could discern enemy activity on the hilltop above. His men would need support to cover the remaining rugged slope under fire. He took out his Very pistol and fired a green flare.

(Photo7) The Punjabis inclined left and started to climb with difficulty, the leading company firing as it advanced. It took casualties and suppression from the fire of the defenders, the I/136th Regiment; two companies and an attached MG. The Turkish Forward Observer was also positioned here and his telephone operator repeated his fire order back along the signal wire to the gun section emplaced in the Main Redoubt.
The Punjabis' colonel thought "It's not worked! I need to fire another flare." and then grinned as he heard the shriek of incoming shells. His smile instantly turned to a grimace as the battalion, almost to a man, dropped flat. A/267th Brigade RFA, had been the first to respond to the priority target signal, but the battery had dropped its barrage fire short. Fortunately, its zone effect missed the battalion. The colonel shouted at his men to keep going.

(Photo8) With his view up 'Wye Wadi' to the darkened skyline, the Brigadier could see from the detonations that the artillery fire had missed its target. Knowing that there was now an assault on 'Wye Hill', he ordered the MG company to engage the objective as best they could. Their fire passed high above his head.

[Martin1914]

(Photo9) B/267th took longer to fire, but they were on target and kept the enemy's heads down with a dose of suppression.

(Photo10) Together with British massed machine gun fire, the suppression forced one of the Turkish companies to quit the trench. This was welcomed by the Punjabis. Although the Turkish fire seemed less accurate in the dark, the hill was proving a hard slog and they would be under fire for longer.

(Photo11) With Post No.1 under continuing machine gun fire, the men of the wavering Turkish company, having left their post, decided that they don't like it up 'em and routed from the field. Realising that a single suppressed company and MG were unlikely to repulse the imminent assault of an enemy battalion, The Kaymakam ordered I/136th to retire to its secondary position. He had too few men to throw their lives away and the Forward Observer was a valuable asset.

(Photo12) No sooner had they departed, the two leading Indian companies occupied the vacant position. Jumping into the trench they could still see the retiring Turks before them and opened fire at close range. The MG team was wiped out and the remaining company also didn't like it up 'em. The whole 1st Battalion had fled the field.
A parting shot was the indirect fire of the Turkish guns catching the rear of the Punjabis. (Jace – "Hang on. Your FOO's not observing anymore".  Me - "Well, it did bugger all anyway.")

[Martin1914]

(Photo13) The Punjabis were left to reorganise and hold 'Wye Hill'. The rest of the brigade was doing its best to follow up before the start of the next phase.
During all this time the flank guard had slowly advanced up the Wadi ez Zawiye, to the limit of its permitted area of movement, where it took a while to spot the Turkish position at Sheikh el' Azeir.

(Photo14) Anticipating an enemy move against the eastern rim of the basin, the Kaymakam ordered Post No.3 to be ready. Here II/136th Regiment (2 companies (minus)) were supported by 2 MGs of the divisional company.
The British plan was indeed to concentrate their efforts to the high ground. The Brigadier grudgingly respected the Turkish deployment. His men would need heavy supporting fire for as long as possible to gain the enemy heights. He ordered his MG company the follow the brigade beyond the Wadi Samye at best speed.

(Photo15) He also took the decision to use all his remaining artillery support (5 turns of barrage fire). Both batteries were ordered to fire on the identified enemy positions until their ammunition ran out; A Battery on 'Valley View' and B Battery on Sheikh el' Azeir. Disappointingly, B/267th's first salvo was wide of the mark, but might have had some effect on 'Square Hill' and rattled its wire defences. (My house rule; a Blind isn't overhead protection against barrage fire).

(Photo16) Hoping the dark would provide some cover, the 1/17th Loyals climbed down into 'Cheshire Wadi' to the west of 'Wye Hill' with orders to attack 'Valley View'. The Turks remained vigilant but their rifle fire was ineffective.

[Martin1914]

(Photo17) A/267th's first salvo was on target and it was soon repeated by a further two salvos. The Turks on 'Valley View' kept their heads down and reserved their rifle fire. B/267th was able to correct left, to bring Sheikh el' Azeir under fire before it too ran out of shells.

(Photo18) The British artillery support ended far too soon for the Loyals, for they were struggling to find a way across 'Cheshire Wadi' and they still had to climb the steep slope ahead of them.
The Brigadier was climbing too, on the spur south of 'Wye Wadi'. He wasn't a young man anymore and had to take a breather. Gasping, he tried to say some words of encouragement to his machine gunners sweating to carry their heavy Vickers MGs and ammo boxes. The pause was an opportunity for the headquarters staff to issue a flurry of orders through the chain of signallers pushed out ahead of them.

(Photo19) No sooner had the Punjabis' colonel reorganised his battalion on 'Wye Hill', he received a new order to attack 'Valley View' in support of the Loyals on their right. "Bally hell! Not us again!" His two forward companies quickly descended from the hilltop, leaving the rear companies to follow.

(Photo20) Having received the order to continue the advance to their planned objective, the 1st Cape Corps used the dead ground from the 'Wye Hill – Z Hill' ridgeline to shield them from the 'Valley View' position. However, they were spotted by an enemy patrol on 'Z Hill' who ran off. The native South Africans now suspected someone was awaiting them on the hillock at the head of 'Cheshire Wadi'.

[Martin1914]

(Photo21) Indeed, Turkish Post No.2 was waiting. Manned by a detached platoon from II/136th and an attached MG, it was positioned to protect the eastern flank of the sector. It had excellent fields of fire down the upper reaches of two converging wadis and the intervening ridge leading south to Post No.1. After the noise of battle had begun, the Forward Observer had arrived out of the dark from along the ridge. His telephone operator re-tapped into the wire network that led back to the Main Redoubt, and they were ordered to be ready for the enemy's advance. They soon thought they could dimly see the shapes of hundreds of men heading towards them.

(Photo22) It was soon evident that their parent battalion in Post No.3 was now under attack. MG fire barked in the night air. The Forward Observer, seeing movement in the wadi below that position, knew they must be the enemy and called indirect fire from the guns in the Main Redoubt.

(Photo23) With the accompanying infantry now exchanging rifle fire with the enemy now advancing along the ridge, the Forward Observer changed the call for indirect fire. The gunners cursed with the effort of quickly switching the fire of their guns.

(Photo24) The Brigadier was desperate to provide fire support for his attack and took the earliest opportunity to deploy the MG company to engage 'Valley View' over the heads of his two Indian battalions.

[Martin1914]

(Photo25) The culminating effect of this suppression was to force the infantry defenders from the trench line. The Punjabis' colonel had pushed his men hard, up the steep, rocky terrain, in competition with the Loyals. Sensing a slackening in the enemy fire, he urged his men to one last effort, trusting their own supporting MG fire just above the men's heads would be stopped.

(Photo26) Seeing II/136th retiring down the slope before him, the Kaymakam hesitated on whether to order the two divisional MGs out of Post No.3. His indecision cost lives, for the leading Punjabi company assaulted the post. The machine gunners fought hard through two turns of close combat, but the survivors routed passed El Mughaiyir, leaving their MGs behind. The Punjabis were able to open fire on the Turks seen below them. Despite the best rallying cries of the officers, II/136th kept going backwards.

(Photo27) Fearing the now hotly engaged Post No.2 would be cut off by the enemy's advance, the Kaymakam didn't hesitate this time to order its defenders to retire to secondary positions.

(Photo28) The Brigadier was also issuing orders. In preparation for the next phase of the attack, the Loyals were to turn on their right shoulders and in company columns contour round the front of 'Valley View' eastwards. But this was at right angles to the rear companies of the Punjabis still struggling towards the summit. The resulting scene of utter disorder presented a perfect deep target. The Indians were unaware of their good fortune, for the Turkish Forward Observer was on the move and the enemy guns could only now fire direct against the hilltop.

[Martin1914]

(Photo29) Despite now being in cover from enemy fire, the men of II/136th remained unresponsive to their officers, and the battalion was in danger of leaving the field of battle.

(Photo30) At 9.35pm., the British continued to press forward on the eastern flank of their final objectives, even committing their last reserve. Both opposing commanders were sensing a climax to fight. The Kaymakam was frantically issuing orders to reform his collapsing defence.

There will now be a short intermission! After over ten hours of gaming, we had to call time. Fortunately, everything can stay in place, and we plan to meet again in late February. Best wishes to everyone for 2024.

[pierre the shy]

Wow that must have taken a bit of writing up Martin. 

Great looking game and very comprehensive battle report - thanks for posting it.

look forward to seeing the conclusion in due course.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Awesome

[paulr]

       

Martin thanks for a great battle report, I'm looking forward to the conclusion

A great looking game and great to ITLSU working so well to create a tense realistic action

The Turks willingness to withdraw before being overwhelmed has certainly created an interesting dynamic

[fred.]

Great stuff Martin - an epic battle, and we are only half-way through. 

I've not played ITLSU for a while now - but this makes me want to play soon!