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PART III
The final period covered by this Review is notable for a series of events which will doubtless stand out amongst the most dramatic achievements of the War. Not only did it embrace the operations which led to the utter collapse and ultimate annihilation of the whole of the Turkish Armies engaged here, the capture of practically all their equipment and Stores, and the occupation of several thousand square miles in the enemy territory, but, moreover, it afforded one of the most striking demonstrations in the whole war, of what is possible of accomplishment by mounted forces in open warfare when working in co-operation with a powerful aerial arm. Following up the memorable 'break through' the enemy's front line in the coastal sector on the morning of September the 19th., our cavalry swept on like a tidal wave over the plain of SHARON, thence through the hills of SAMARIA to the historic plain of ESDRAELON and on to the valley of JEZREEL. It was regarded as imperative that this stage of our advance over a distance of about 60 miles should be carried through before the enemy could effect his escape, if our whole plan was to materialise. A rapid and decisive advance meant the closing of practically all the routes available for the retreat of the enemy, and with this accomplished, the collapse of his armies was considered inevitable. All objectives were reached by our cavalry in accordance with the official programme and the result was as predicted. Within 36 hours of the commencement of the battle JENIN, AFULE, NAZARETH AND BEISAN were in our hands, and all the main outlets of escape remaining to the Turkish VIIIth Armies therefore had been closed. These armies had been completely enveloped and reduced to a state of general demoralisation; all organised resistance had ceased. Chaos reigned everywhere behind the Turkish line and even at this early stage the retreat of the enemy had assumed the form of a common stampede.
The work of our air craft during the battle was a paramount factor in making this meteoric advance possible. Our machines vigorously attacked the retreating enemy columns with bombs and machine gun fire. The enemy on many occasions dispersed, abandoning all transport and guns, and fled into the hills, where they were ultimately captured in disorganised mobs. In one case a column of approximately 5000 of all arms was caught retiring along the BALATA-FERWEH road. The passes were completely blocked by motor and horse transport that collided and overturned in the confusion that reigned when attacked by our machine. The troops broke up and made for the hills, and when our cavalry swept over this area a day or two later, the following materials were found abandoned on the road,-
87 Guns
55 Motor Lorries
4 Motor Cars
75 Two Wheeled Waggons
837 Four Wheeled Waggons
20 Water Carts and Field Kitchens.
Every available machine was ultilised for this attack, and their departure from the aerodrome was so timed that groups arrived over the target every three minutes. The head of the column was bombed as it was proceeding through a deep gorge, and once the leading section was wrecked there was no escape for the remainder of the column. The attack continued for several hours, until the scene became known amongst our pilots as the 'eight miles of dead'.
Results of a similar character to this were produced in several/other localities. The outcome of this work was that the enemy was unable to effect any appreciable concentration to obstruct our progress, which proceeded with little or no opposition. It meant also, that our cal[s]ualties, which, in an advance of this sort might otherwise might have been extremely heavy, were extraordinarily light.
The influence that the aerial arm had upon the general turn of events, however, was not confined to the period of operations. While the attack was actually in progress, our machines, were always prominent, a great deal of the work being performed within the full view of our advancing troops; but this was regarded merely as the 'limelight display'.