Title: Beersheba : a journey through Australia's forgotten war /
Authors: Daley, Paul
Publisher: Melbourne University Publishing,
Year: 2009
Subjects: Australia.; World War, 1914-1918 Campaigns Middle East; World War, 1914-1918 Campaigns Palestine; World War, 1914-1918 Cavalry operations, Australian.; Beersheba (Israel) History, Military.
Abstract: "In October 1917 members of the 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade took part in what is now known as the 'last great cavalry charge'. Waving bayonets overhead, they charged across six kilometres of open ground, cheating bombs, shells and bullets before capturing, in hand-to-hand battle, the Turkish trenches that held the key to the strategic stronghold of Beersheba. The charge was the last daring act of a day-long fight by combined British forces to capture Beersheba, and also a turning point in Britain's war against the Ottoman Empire, sending the Turks fleeing north to ultimate defeat"--Page 4 of cover.
Contents: pt. 1. Towards Beersheba -- Hebron Road -- Bushmen of the empire -- Sideshow in Sinai -- Mystery Joe -- Legends of Romani -- Ghosts of the desert -- Badlands -- The Bull arrives -- Beersheba -- Neck or nothing -- pt. 2. At rest in Israel -- Oasis for the dead -- Fathers and sons -- Serendipity -- Cobbers -- Hoarding the legend -- Inside the Jaffa gate -- Desert dogs -- The hand of God -- Last drinks -- Waiting for rockets -- Cop this, dear Jacko -- pt. 3. A terrible thing -- The massacre -- Allenby and the Anzacs -- A real bad thing -- Inconvenient truth -- Burying the past -- Blood money -- A bastard of a place.