page_title: Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment
section_title: Gaza
hierarchical_section_title: Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment / Palestine / Gaza
caption_attribution_description: English: Two Krupp Guns captured by the Wellington Mounted Rifle Regiment during the First Battle of Gaza in March 1917
context_page_description: The Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment from New Zealand, raised for service during the First World War. It was assigned to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
  The regiment, with an establishment of twenty-six officers, 523 other ranks and 600 horses, was formed from three squadrons belonging to pre war Territorial Force regiments; the Queen Alexandra's 2nd Mounted Rifles, the 6th Mounted Rifles and the 9th Mounted Rifles. It also included a small headquarters and, until 1916, a Maxim machine-gun section. The Maxim guns were withdrawn but the regiment's fire-power increased during the war, by the end of which each squadron had four Hotchkiss machine-guns, one per troop.
  As mounted infantry, the regiment rode into battle on their horses, but were expected to dismount for battle, and then fight on foot. The regiment fought predominantly against the forces of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. In the Gallipoli Campaign between May and December 1915, they participated in the largest battle of that theatre at Chunuk Bair, and also in the fighting for Hill 60.
context_section_description: At 02.30 on 26 March, the regiment set out in thick fog for the assault on the town of Gaza. By 08:00 they had crossed the Wadi Ghuzze and reached Sheikh Abbas, confronted only by enemy aircraft and some Turkish camel patrols. Two hours later they were about three miles (4.8 km) to the east of Gaza, providing a guard force against any reinforcements that might approach from Hareira. The British assault did not go according to plan, and at 14:00 the ANZAC Mounted Division was ordered to attack the town from the north. The regiment galloped forward together with the rest of the New Zealand brigade, and occupied Meshahera Ridge north-east of Gaza at 16:00. Dismounting, the regiment moved into Gaza, with the 6th Squadron leading, followed by the 2nd Squadron, and the 9th Squadron bringing up the rear. At 16:25 they captured a Turkish field ambulance; four officers, 125 other ranks and twenty vehicles. Continuing the assault through artillery and small arms fire, the 2nd and 9th Squadrons reached a cactus hedge. Cutting through it with their bayonets, they engaged the Turkish defenders behind it in hand-to-hand fighting. Two troops then charged across a lagoon, about 18 inches (460 mm) deep, to capture a Turkish trench. To their right they sighted a Turkish artillery emplacement, and Meldrum ordered the position taken without delay. Two troops from the 2nd and one from the 9th Squadron carried out a bayonet charge and captured the guns intact. Back in the regiment's centre they were held up by a strong Turkish defensive position at a cemetery. Instead of trying to attack the position, they held their line while the captured guns were recovered. The regiment was now some distance in front of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade to their left, and in danger of a flanking counter-attack. To assist the defence of their position, they turned one of the captured guns onto the Turkish strong points, the inexperienced gun crew sighting by peering down the barrel until they could see their target.
  At 18:35, although Meldrum believed they could at least hold where they were, the regiment was ordered by Chetwode to withdraw. At 19:00 horse teams arrived to recover the guns, and at 19:45 they slowly retired back to the suburbs of Gaza. At 21:40 they rejoined the brigade and left the town. The next morning at 08:30 they arrived at Deir El Belah, where the division was now located. Casualties during the battle had again been rather light, at one dead and nineteen wounded. They had captured 197 prisoners, as well as the guns and field hospital.
  The regiment's involvement in the second attempt to capture Gaza began at 18:30 on 16 April. The brigade left Deir El Belah, marched through the night and at 04:30 the next morning were at a ford on the Wadi Ghuzze at Shellal. A Turkish machine-gun post covering the crossing was taken out, and soon after the regiment formed the vanguard on the advance to the Rafa–Beersheba road. By midday, despite being attacked by hostile aircraft, they had established a line of observation posts beside Im Siri. Turkish cavalry patrols were observed in the distance, but they did not attempt an attack on the regiment. By nightfall the brigade was recalled to Shellal, where they camped for the night. The next day was similar, again setting up posts observing Turkish movements, then returning to Shellal after dark. The main assault on Gaza was floundering, and the next day the ANZAC Mounted Division was ordered to assist the Imperial Mounted Division in attacking the Atawineh Redoubt, six miles (9.7 km) to the south-east of Gaza. To get into position for the attack, the brigade marched through the night. Initially held in reserve, the Wellingtons were sent to assist the 5th Mounted Brigade in an attack on "Sausage Ridge", south of the Atawineh Redoubt. Getting into position at 11:30, Meldrum ordered the 6th Squadron to assault along the length of the ridge, with the help of fire support from the 9th Squadron and the Inverness Battery Royal Horse Artillery. The attack was also supported by the 3rd Squadron Auckland Mounted Rifle
caption: Guns captured by the Wellington Mounted Rifles at Gaza
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