The Palestine Campaigns

by Archibald Wavell

Firsthand account and observations on the operations of the (British) Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) against the Ottoman Turks in the Middle East 1916-1918. Covers the campaigns in Sinai, Palestine and Syria culminating in the EEF's decisive victory over the Ottoman Seventh and Eighth armies in the Battle of Megiddo in September 1918 and the month-long pursuit into Syria (and Jordan) that followed. The work concentrates on the operational and strategic level aspects of the campaign and was originally written with a view to educating fellow and future officers (the final chapter is titled 'lessons of the campaign'). Includes 17 sketch maps in main text and three colour fold-out theatre maps attached to the inside back cover. Out of print.

The author, the late Field-Marshall Earl Wavell (5 May 1883 - 24 May 1950), served on the headquarters staff of the EEF in 1917-18, ending the war as a brigadier-general. He went on to enjoy a successful career in the inter-war British Army and rose to the rank of field-marshal during the Second World War for which he is best remembered for his roles as commander-in-chief of British forces in the Middle East in 1940-1941 and commander-in-chief of British forces in India 1941-1943.

Genres: Middle East, World War I

259 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1928

About the author

Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell was a senior officer of the British Army. He served in the Second Boer War, the Bazar Valley Campaign and the Great War, during which he was wounded in the Second Battle of Ypres. He served in the Second World War, initially as Commander-in-Chief Middle East, in which role he led British forces to victory over the Italians in western Egypt and eastern Libya during Operation Compass in December 1940, only to be defeated by the German Army in the Western Desert in April 1941. He served as Commander-in-Chief, India, from July 1941 until June 1943 (apart from a brief tour as Commander of ABDACOM) and then served as Viceroy of India until his retirement in February 1947.

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic, old-school military history of the British Army's campaigns in Sinai, Palestine and Syria in the First World War. Wavell served on the staff of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force for a while - and of course rose to the highest possible rank in the Second World War - so he was familiar with the ground, organization, the enemy and the battles themselves. This was one of the last campaigns that saw the widespread use of horse cavalry, and the combination of modern weapons, great mobility on the part of the British and Biblical place names made this a campaign to remember. The Turks are never an easy enemy to beat - as the Brits found out at Gallipoli, Gaza and Kut - and especially when commanded and "stiffened" by Germans, but Allenby made it look easy which, I suppose, is what a good commander is supposed to do. Personally, I became reacquainted with the small battle fought near my old kibbutz at Tel Gezer on November 15, 1917. The book reads like a staff study, but a really well-written one, and there are helpful fold-out maps at the back of the book to allow you to follow the movements and fighting while reading.

[LBA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wavell had a very elegant writing and describes in full detail the campaigns of the British Army and their allies against the Ottoman armies in the Middle East during World War I.