On this day in military history…
The campaign that resulted in the capture of Jerusalem in December 1917 unfolded as part of the broader British-led advance through the Sinai and Palestine during the First World War. It was a long, difficult struggle against the Ottoman Empire, supported at several points by German officers and resources. The victory was not the result of a single battle but a sustained military campaign involving British imperial troops, Allied contingents, and intricate planning under determined leadership.
The British Empire’s military presence in the region was organized under the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. From mid-1917 the force was commanded by General Edmund Allenby, a cavalry officer known for meticulous preparation, aggressive tactics, and a stern insistence on mobility and efficiency. His arrival revitalized a front that had previously been hampered by logistical limits, desert conditions, and strong Ottoman resistance. Under his command were units from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, India, and troops from the French and Italian detachments that participated in the later stages of the campaign. Australian and New Zealand mounted regiments (ANZACs), Indian infantry and cavalry formations, the Imperial Camel Corps, and British Yeomanry all played important roles. Additional support came from the Royal Flying Corps, which provided reconnaissance and disrupted Ottoman supply lines.
Opposing the Allied advance was the Ottoman Yıldırım Army Group, commanded overall by the German General Erich von Falkenhayn until late 1917, with regional commands under capable Ottoman officers such as Cemal (Jemal) Pasha and commanders of the Seventh and Eighth Armies. These forces included battle-experienced Ottoman infantry divisions, Arab levies loyal to the empire, and German specialist units such as machine-gun detachments and aviation groups. They benefited from strong defensive positions, fortified ridges, and the difficult geography around the Judean Hills.
Before turning toward Jerusalem, Allenby broke the main Ottoman defensive line at the Third Battle of Gaza in late October and early November 1917. Previous British attempts at Gaza had failed, but Allenby’s strategy combined deception on the coastal plain with a massive assault inland, supported by artillery and coordinated infantry–cavalry operations. The fall of Beersheba on 31 October, secured in part by the famous mounted charge of the Australian Light Horse, helped unhinge the Ottoman line. Once Gaza and Beersheba were in Allied hands, the Ottoman armies began a phased withdrawal northward.
Jerusalem itself was an urban and symbolic prize, heavily defended by the tough terrain of the Judean Hills. The fight for the heights was grueling: narrow passes, rocky slopes, and cold winter weather created conditions far removed from the open desert battles of earlier in the campaign. Ottoman troops fought hard to delay the British advance, mounting counterattacks around Nebi Samwil and reinforced positions to the north and east of the city. Casualties grew on both sides as the British inched forward, moving artillery through rugged terrain and relying on mule trains and sheer manpower to sustain the offensive.
By early December 1917, Allenby’s troops had executed a wide outflanking maneuver to cut the roads north of the city. The Ottomans, fearing encirclement, began withdrawing to stronger lines further north near Nablus and the Jordan Valley. On 9 December, the city’s mayor, Hussein al-Husseini, attempted to surrender Jerusalem, initially approaching British cooks he encountered outside the city with a white flag before finding actual officers. Two days later, Allenby entered Jerusalem on foot through the Jaffa Gate, a symbolic gesture meant to show respect for the city’s religious significance and avoid the impression of a triumphal conquest. His proclamation guaranteed protection for Christian, Muslim, and Jewish holy sites and emphasized that the war was against the Ottoman government, not the region’s inhabitants or faiths.
Interesting details about the campaign include the extensive use of aircraft for reconnaissance over the Judean Hills, which helped identify Ottoman artillery. The British also relied on mobile desert columns that mixed mounted troops with camel corps units, allowing unusual flexibility. Ottoman forces at this time were overstretched by multiple fronts, including British pressure in Mesopotamia and the Arab Revolt operating along the Hejaz railway. Nevertheless, many Ottoman soldiers defended their positions with skill and determination, benefiting from German-provided machine guns and defensive planning.
The capture of Jerusalem was a significant morale victory for the Allies. It marked the first time in centuries that the city passed out of Ottoman hands and signaled a major shift in the Middle Eastern theatre of the war. For Allenby’s troops, it was the result of cooperation among British, dominion, Indian, and Allied contingents, all pushing through some of the harshest conditions of the campaign. Despite heavy casualties and fierce resistance, the operation succeeded through combined arms tactics, careful logistics, and persistent pressure on Ottoman defensive systems, setting the stage for the later advances into northern Palestine and Syria in 1918.
