page_title: 20th Battalion, London Regiment (Blackheath and Woolwich)
section_title: Palestine
hierarchical_section_title: 20th Battalion, London Regiment (Blackheath and Woolwich) / 2/20th Londons / Palestine
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo of pontoon bridge across Jordan River at Ghoraniyeh near Jericho
context_page_description: The 20th Battalion, The London Regiment (Blackheath and Woolwich), was a unit of Britain's Territorial Force formed in 1908 from Volunteer corps dating back to 1859. It saw considerable service on the Western Front, at Salonika and in Palestine during World War I. It served as a searchlight regiment and later as an infantry regiment during World War II.
context_section_description: The division's first offensive action in Palestine was during the attack on Beersheba beginning on 31 October, but 180 Bde was held in reserve and the men of 2/20th were able to watch the progress of the operation.
  Battle of Hareira and Sheria (6–7 November 1917): During the next phase of the offensive, against the Kauwukah trench system, on 6 November, two battalions of 180 Bde assaulted the Turkish lines, with 2/20th Bn in close support. The attack – the first full-scale assault made by the battalion in the war – was completely successful, with 'D' Company of 2/20th filling a gap in the attacking line and capturing a strongpoint. The company pressed on under heavy fire to capture a small hill overlooking the enemy positions. The whole battalion then made a dusk attack on the mound of Tel-es-Sheria. This was continued at dawn with the battalion advancing rapidly over open ground under covering fire from machine-guns, and seizing Sheria Station, Wadi Sheria and 'The Pimple'. The seizure of Sheria broke open the whole Turkish position, and allowed the EEF to pour through.
  Battle of Nebi Samwil (27–30 November 1917): After a period of rest, the 2/20th moved up on 25 November to support the 2/19th Londons defending the key point of Nebi Samwil. The Turks attacked Nebi Samwil two days later, but although the battalion sent companies up to the position, they were not required. The following evening 2/20th relieved 2/19th holding the position, and beat off two Turkish attacks before being relieved in turn on 30 November.
  Capture of Jerusalem (9 December 1917): By now the EEF was closing in on Jerusalem. On 8 December, after a difficult approach march, 180 Bde began its assault on Deir Yesin, with 2/20th Bn in brigade reserve. The attack was launched by 2/19th Bn, and after it was held up, the 2/20th reinforced it with one company working round the flank, and  the rest of the battalion providing covering fire and a second support company. The brigade succeeded in capturing the position, which made the whole Turkish presence in Jerusalem untenable. The following morning, two mess cooks of 2/20th, Privates Andrews and Church, bringing up dixies of cocoa for the troops, got lost and found themselves near the gates of the City. They were greeted by a crowd of civilians with white flags. The surrender was taken by two sergeants of the 2/19th Bn, and patrols revealed that the city had been abandoned. D Company 2/20th claimed to be the first British troops to enter the western part.
  After the fall of Jerusalem, the battalion was rested until 26 December, when a final Turkish counter-attack was made to forestall the next British advance and 2/20th was called forward to reinforce the line. When this attack was spent, 180 Bde led the resumed offensive with a night attack on Er Ram from which the Turks retired, taking up positions on Shab Salah. Next day two companies of 2/20th Bn (B and C) led the attack on this dominating hill, descending into a wadi and then climbing up under severe artillery and machine-gun fire. The remaining Turks were driven off at the point of the bayonet and D Company followed up to consolidate the position. The battalion buried its dead in a single grave on Shab Salah, marked by a cross; they were later moved to Jerusalem War Cemetery.
  The battalion spent the next few weeks on outpost duty in the Wilderness between Jerusalem and Jericho, apart from an operation to collect a large number of rifles from the inhabitants of some villages who were suspected of harbouring Turkish deserters. On 19 February 1918 the advance was resumed to capture Jericho, with 2/20th Bn tasked with assaulting the Arak Ibrahim ridge and the high ground east of it, to clear the way for 2/18th and 2/19th to attack towards Talat ed Dumm the following day. The approach march was completed in darkness, with parties sent forward to occupy high points. The attack went in at 04.45 over extremely difficult ground, but success flares were lit on the summit of Arak Ibrahim by 06.10. Heavy casualties were suffered trying to cross the next 1,000 yard
caption: The pontoon bridge across the Jordan
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