Charge at Sheria The Charge at Sheria took place on 7 November 1917 during the Battle of Hareira and Sheria when the 11th and 12th Light Horse Regiments ( 4th Light Horse Brigade ) charged a Yildirim Army Group rearguard in support of an attack by the 60th ( London ) Division during the Southern Palestine Offensive of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in World War I . Following the victory at the Battle of Beersheba on 31 October , Ottoman Army forces continued to hold most of their front line stretching from Gaza on the Mediterranean coast to Sheria and Tel el Khuweilfe , in the Judean Hills to the north of Beersheba . A major offensive launched by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force ( EEF ) on 6 November could not dislodge the Ottoman defenders at Gaza , Hareira and Tel el Khuweife . Although Sheria and Tel el Khuweilfe continued to be strongly defended , the heavy EEF bombardment by the XXI Corps against Gaza , resulted in the Ottoman garrison withdrawing from Gaza during the night . During 7 November the attack by the XX Corps , led by the 60th ( London ) Division and supported by the 10th ( Irish ) Division on the left and the 74th ( Yeomanry ) Division on the right , gained some ground in the morning but was held up by a strong position at Sheria , when the Australian Mounted Division was ordered to attack mounted . The 11th and 12th Light Horse Regiments charged into the face of heavy artillery , machine gun and rifle fire , was forced to stop and dismount as the fire was too fierce . One troop missed the signal and was annihilated , after they charged up and over the Ottoman trenches . Background . During the stalemate from April to October 1917 , the EEF front line extended for from the Mediterranean coast at Gaza to a point on the Wadi Ghazzeh near El Gamli , about south - west of Sharia and west of Beersheba on the southern edge of the plain of Philistia . The official rifle strength of the EEF on 28 October 1917 , was 80 , 000 in the infantry divisions and Imperial Camel Brigade , and 15 , 000 cavalry . However the " actual strength . . . [ was ] about 60 , 000 and 12 , 000 respectively . " The strength of the EEF infantry , as compared with the Ottoman defenders was a ratio of 2 : 1 , while cavalry was 8 : 1 and guns were about 3 : 2 . While the Ottoman defenders had developed Gaza into " a strong modern fortress , " complete with a glacis on its southern and south – eastern side , permanent strongly entrenched and wired positions were constructed to Shellal on the Wadi Ghazza with both Sheria and Beersheba , particularly strongly fortified . The estimated strength of the Ottoman force holding the Gaza to Beersheba line was 40 , 000 rifles , this was actually 33 , 000 rifles , 1 , 400 sabres and 260 guns . The main Ottoman position extending from the Mediterranean shore west of Gaza to south east of Tel esh Sheria was held by the XX Corps commanded by Ali Faud Bey . Prelude . After the capture of Beersheba , although the Ottoman defenders suffered many casualties , " stubborn fighting continued " against strong Ottoman rearguards , which delayed an EEF breakthrough for seven days . Strong Ottoman garrisons and rearguards continued to hold the Tel Khuweilfe area , Sheria , and Gaza along with western part of their front line including Tank and Atawineh redoubts . However , the once - formidable Gaza - Beersheba line was becoming vulnerable , and at dawn on 6 November three divisions of Chetwode ' s XX Corps attacked on a broad front about the center of the Ottoman defensive line . Along with the main attack towards Tel esh Sheria in the center of the line , Tel el Khuweilfe on the eastern end of the line was also attacked by the EEF on 6 November . This fighting caused the Yildirim Army Group Ottoman to reinforce the center and eastern extremity of their front line . During 6 November the EEF had advanced about capturing a " series of strong enemy works covering a front of some . " Although the Wadi esh Sheria had not been crossed , only Tel esh Sheria and the main Hareira redoubts , remained in Ottoman hands overnight . Falkenhayn commanding Yildirim Army Group , realized that the Ottoman forces could not hold the EEF much longer , and he ordered the Seventh and Eighth Armies to withdraw about . The heavy EEF bombardment of the Ottoman defences in the Gaza area , which had begun on 27 October , intensifying during the night of 5 / 6 November to a maximum on 6 November , resulted in the Gaza garrison evacuating the town during the night of 6 / 7 November . Ottoman units of the 26th Division at Khirbet Sihan along with units from the Hereira redoubt garrison , were withdrawn to form a reserve of no more than about 1 , 000 men , after all the Seventh and Eighth Armies ' reserved had been committed . Referred to as the " Zuheilika Group " , they concentrated at the central position of Khirbet Zuheilika , to the north of Hareira and Sheria , After the 60th ( London ) Division had captured Sheria Station at 17 : 50 on 6 November , the small in number but fresh Zuheilika Group , was committed during the evening to reinforce the 16th Ottoman Division defending the Wadi esh Sheria . Chetwode issued orders during the night for the 10th ( Irish ) Division to capture the Hareira redoubt , and for the 60th ( London ) Division to transfer from the XX Corps to the Desert Mounted Corps . Chauvel ordered the 60th ( London ) Division to capture Tel el Sheria and then advance to Huj . A reconnaissance of the Ottoman positions at Sheria , was carried out by the 181st Brigade ( 60th Division ) , with a view to crossing the wadi at two places to capture the high ground stretching from Barrata to the railway . The commander of a machine gun section of the 180th Machine Gun Company , describes coming under heavy fire at about 04 : 00 . " Walk across the open under shell , m . g . and rifle fire . . . [ the ] battle of Machine Guns v . Machine Guns , depend [ ing ] entirely on the coolness of each individual gunner . " Meanwhile the 74th ( Yeomanry ) Division took up a position on the right of the 60th ( London ) Division . The 230th Brigade ( 74th Division ) was ordered not to advance across the Wadi esh Sheria , nor extend their right to the Kh . Barrata , until touch with the 60th ( London ) Division could be established . As touch could not be established , they remained in position during the night . Chauvel ordered the Anzac and Australian Mounted Divisions to begin their advance northwards to establish a line from Jemmameh to Huj the next day . All arms were to advance strongly and decisively to capture as many of the Ottoman forces as possible . The Australian Mounted Division ( less the 3rd Light Horse Brigade which was holding a line linking the XX Corps with the XXI Corps ) left the Wadi Hanafish / Kh Imlieh at 02 : 30 and was concentrated south , south - west of Tel esh Sheria by 07 : 30 , when the 5th Mounted Brigade rejoined the division and the 7th Mounted Brigade returned to Desert Mounted Corps reserve . Location of the Sheria position . The 12th Light Horse Regiment was informed at about 7 : 30 , that the Sheria position had been captured by the 60th London Division , and that the Ottoman garrison was retiring northwards . " [ T ] he hill was stormed at 4 . 30 next morning and carried at the point of the bayonet . " However , the Londoners ' advance was stopped by a strongly entrenched Ottoman rearguard position to the north , with excellent vantage over their approach across bare sloping ground . The Londoners took up a defensive position about from this Ottoman rearguard position , while the Ottoman rearguard had withdrawn to a line about to the north on a long gentle bare slope leading up from the wadi on the extreme flank of the Ottoman defences . Here they reformed and dug in on a strong position with an " excellent zone of fire " sweeping the slope with shrapnel , machine guns and rifle fire . " The check to the Londoners on the slope beyond Sheria seriously hampered the success of the British plan … it meant a day ' s delay at least to Shea ' s [ and Hodgson ' s ] advance towards Huj . " The light horse regiments were then ordered to make a mounted attack on a redoubt defended by machine guns , rifles , and covered from behind by a big gun . They were to ride across open , bare and absolutely barren approach without any cover , to charge straight in on the redoubt at the gallop . A Situation Report at 14 : 40 located the battle to the north of Sheria hospital , 1 mile ( 1 . 6 km ) north of Tel el Sheria , yet the position was attacked and captured by two battalions which crossed the Wadi esh Sheria at 17 : 00 . Plan of attack . Chauvel issued orders to the Australian Mounted Division at 08 : 05 , to advance on the eastern side of the railway , to the Wadi esh Sheria . He aimed to bring the Australian Mounted Division into touch with the Anzac Mounted Division ( less the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade and two squadrons of machine guns at Tel el Khuweilfe along with the Yeomanry Mounted Division ) , as soon as possible . By 08 : 50 , the Australian Mounted Division consisting of the 4th Light Horse and the 5th Mounted Brigade , was approaching Tel esh Sheria , while the Anzac Mounted Division was deployed to the west of Kh . Umm el Bakr . However plans for Desert Mounted Corps ' advance on 7 November were delayed by the " check to the Londoners on the slope beyond Sheria . " Chauvel ordered the 4th Light Horse and 5th Mounted Brigades , to “ clear the enemy from the front of the 60th Division . ” They were to advance through the Londoners , to make a mounted charge directly on the front of the Ottoman rearguard position , rather than a flank attack . The 11th Light Horse Regiment had moved out to take up a line from Kh . Barata to the Wadi el Kerkerty by 10 : 00 , with the 12th Light Horse Regiment on their right extending the line to the wadi Barata . At 10 : 15 Chauvel ordered Hodgson to " move with centre on Kh Buteiha [ west , north - west of Tel esh Sheria ] via G . 23 central [ on the railway north of the wadi ] . " Chauvel gave Hodgson " his exact line of advance , " " a definite axis of advance and objective , " , " against a very hard section , " " through defined squares on the map of operations , with his centre on a mud hut at Khurbet Buteihah , on the ridge behind the Turkish line of defences , " but a delay allowed the Ottoman rearguard to strengthen the position before the charge began . The direction of this advance had been laid down by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force General Staff in a letter written at 11 : 07 on 4 November . The orders for the " XXth Corps and Desert Mounted Corps " attacks on 6 November , included an advance " by the XXth Corps on the line Kh Buteihah - Sheria - Kh Kauwukah . " The two objectives of this advance were to push the enemy rearguard back from the 60th ( London ) Division , to give the infantry room to concentrate , and to enable the Australian Mounted Division to gain touch with the Anzac Mounted Division . Battle . Just before 11 : 00 the leading squadrons of the 11th Light Horse Regiment reached Tel esh Sheria where a conference was called by the 4th Light Horse Brigade commander , when orders were issued for an attack , on a " strong horseshoe position . " The 4th Light Horse Brigade had been ordered to cross the wadi mounted and attack Khurbet Buteihah , in the direction of Zuheilika and Huj , with the 5th Mounted Brigade in support . See above ' Detail of El Arish to Beersheba Map showing the Sheria position ' and Falls Map 4 . The 12th Light Horse Regiment moved up to within of the Wadi Sheria to the east of Sheria , where orders were received at 12 : 00 , to go into action north of Sheria to cover the reorganisation of the infantry . While orders were being received , the horses were given " a few minutes " to have a drink in the wadi before they continued their approach . The 11th Light Horse Regiment commanded by Major P . J . Bailey advanced on the left , with the 12th Light Horse Regiment commanded by Lieutenant Colonel D . Cameron , on the right , had ridden towards the wadi crossing with shrapnel bursting over the trotting horses . Then leading squadrons cantered up the steep tracks on the other side of the wadi into machine gun and heavy rifle fire at effective range . At 12 : 45 the 12th Light Horse Regiment was held up by machine gun and rifle fire while the HAC battery shelled the Ottoman rearguard position , north of Sheria . Their regimental commander ordered one of his squadrons to dismount and their horses sent back , while the men advanced on foot . A second squadron , galloping forward about , also dismounted and began firing their rifles at the rearguard position . On the left , the lines of the 60th London Division were not far from the wadi , and here two squadrons of the 11th Light Horse Regiment , advanced at the gallop in the face of the strong opposing fire . " The Regiment was attacking a redoubt held by machine guns and rifles , and covered from behind by a big gun . As usual , the approach was open , bare and absolutely barren of any cover . Our troop was ordered to charge the redoubt . The officer led his men straight in at the gallop , and one man only returned , who was wounded in the charge , and wheeled off back to his own lines . " " [ T ] he purely frontal attack . . . was held up , " under very heavy fire , when the order was given to dismount and the led horses were galloped to the rear . The two light horse regiments continued their advance dismounted , but were only able to capture a few hundred yards in front of the 60th ( London ) Division before they too were stopped by heavy Ottoman machine gun fire . They remained in this position , during the remainder of the afternoon , although suffering strong counter - attacks . Meanwhile , one troop of 21 men from the 11th Light Horse Regiment missed the signal , and continued to gallop up to and over the Ottoman trenches , holding only bayonets . With their rifles still on their backs as they dismounted , the Ottoman soldiers opened fire at point blank range , killing 11 men . About 12 : 30 a troop commanded by Lieutenant A . R . Brierty occupied a position that was strongly opposed by Ottoman machine guns , just at the junction of the small wadi which branches off towards the wadi Kerkity running north - west . After Brierty ' s troop had galloped passed them the Ottoman defenders turned and fired at the light horsemen dismounting for action , when very heavy fire was opened on them " from front and right and left and rear almost annihilating the troop . " On the left , Lieutenant Bartlett ' s troop came to assist with hotchkiss and rifle fire when one German officer and 20 Ottoman infantry were hit . Brierty ’ s troop suffered 11 killed and the 5 wounded included Brierty and Sergeant Thistlewaite and one trooper , who were the only ones to survive . By 13 : 00 they were held up by heavy rifle and machine gun fire when Lieutenant Brierty ' s troop of the 11th Light Horse Regiment galloped over a trench , the occupants of which raised their hands , but opened fire again once the troop had passed , catching the troop in converging fire . The whole troop was killed or wounded except two troopers . Lieutenant Bartlett ' s troop " came to assist " with hotchkiss and rifle fire " accounting for one German officer and 20 Ottoman soldiers . One man lay wounded " just under the parapet " while a sergeant and two troopers managed to escape back to the infantry and light horse lines . All the riderless horses started grazing in between the two lines of combatants . " Turks think this is a grand chance to collect some Australian remounts . We think otherwise . I organize a competition between the two right – hand guns ( prize 50 piastres ) to see who can knock off most Turks without hitting horses . The Turks don ' t get any remounts . " At 14 : 15 , touch was established by the 11th Light Horse Regiment with the 4th Light Horse Brigade , when the situation was reported , and support from machine guns and artillery , was requested for the left flank . When the artillery start shelling the Ottoman rearguard position , they also " make it unpleasant for the wounded Australian [ near the enemy parapet ] . . . and he makes a run for it . Turks get him with m . g . fire when is about halfway back to our lines . Padre and another fellow dash out to bring him in but are shot down . " " Padre Dunbar . . . and the stretcher bearer made a run for it . They reached the trooper and raised his shoulders . Simultaneously the three were hit . The wounded man was killed . The Padre was hit in the groin and abdomen , and the stretcher bearer in the hand . The latter made a run for it and reached our lines without further hurt . No one could reach Captain Dunbar who died of wounds before dusk . ” . . . All along the track small mounds and a rough cross bear silent record to the fact that this land has once again been bought with blood . Capture of Sheria . Desert Mounted Corps reported at 14 : 40 that the Australian Mounted Division was " directed on Kh Buteihah " and that the infantry fight was still progressing to the north of Sheria hospital , north of Tel el Sheria . It appeared the Ottoman defenders were reinforcing their line and bringing up an abandoned anti - aircraft gun at 15 : 00 . Twenty minutes later , the 179th Brigade ( 60th Division ) was approaching the left flank . Chauvel had ordered this infantry brigade , which had not taken part in the earlier fighting , to capture the strong Ottoman rearguard , which had stopped the combined light horse and infantry attacks . At 17 : 00 an infantry brigade began to attack the same position the 11th Light Horse Regiment had been attacking from the south . As they moved across the open ground just south of the Wadi Sheria heavy rifle and machine gun fire covered their advance . This attack " relieved the situation , " pushed back the Ottoman defenders , who retired as a consequence . The 2 / 14th and 2 / 15th London battalions , moved across the Wadi esh Sheria at 17 : 00 to attack with the bayonet capturing the position just on dark . They captured the Ottoman rearguard position at Sheria and pushed them out of the high ground facing west , suffered 24 casualties during this attack . Meanwhile , the 5th Mounted Brigade had taken cover in the Wadi Barrata , east of and parallel to the railway , and in other tributaries of the Wadi esh Sheria towards the east , during the day . Fitzgerald sent a message to Australian Mounted Divisional headquarters asking to advance to the right of the 4th Light Horse Brigade , to seek the gap found by the Anzac Mounted Division . The 4th Light Horse Brigade had been placed under orders of Desert Mounted Corps at 16 : 20 . When the infantry took over at 18 : 00 the brigade withdrew from the firing line , and all troops not actually in the front line , were withdrawn to bivouac at 19 : 00 south of the Wadi Sheria and east of the railway , the brigade having suffered 15 killed and 14 wounded . At 18 : 30 orders were received from the 4th Light Horse Brigade to withdraw and bivouac south of Sheria which was reached an hour later . Killed in action were Chaplain Captain Dunbar and 12 troopers . Major Vernon , Lieutenant Brierty and 12 troopers were wounded , while 19 horses were killed and three wounded . The 12 wounded , who arrived after dark at the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance , continued to be treated until midnight , by which time the field ambulance was out of contact with their brigade , divisional headquarters and their casualty clearing station . At 19 : 00 the 12th Light Horse Regiment commenced watering in the Wadi Sheria where engineers had set up canvas troughs etc . pumping " the water from holes sunk in the soakage . " The regiment finished watering at 22 : 00 and bivouaced south of the Wadi esh Sheria on the east side of the railway . One trooper was killed in action during the day . Aftermath . The Ottoman XXII Corps was not defeated , but skillfully conducted a tactical retreat , demonstrating both operational and tactical mobility . The Yildirim Army Group had marched through the night , to gain distance and time to establish a light entrench line , behind which they resisted the EEF advance all day . Their further withdrawals were aided by their falling back on their lines of communication including railways , to eventually occupy strongly entrenched defences in the Judean Hills . While the sacrifice of the Ottoman rearguards delayed the pursuit and saved the Ottoman defenders from encirclement and destruction , the Gaza - Beersheba line was eventually completely overrun and 12 , 000 Ottoman soldiers would be captured . Meanwhile , at 06 : 00 on 8 November the 4th Light Horse Brigade horses were watered at the Sheria water tower and rations and forage issued . Orders were received at 07 : 30 for the brigade to advance at 09 : 00 in a northerly direction up the Wadi Sudeh . After briefly halting at 13 : 00 they reached Huj at 17 : 30 , while a regimental escort sent back for the rations wagons arrived at 02 : 00 on 9 November . The pursuit by the Anzac and Australian Mounted Divisions north across the southern Palestine maritime plain , eventually ended some north , after the Ottoman line of defense had been broken at Sheria . By 9 December the EEF advance would take them to Jerusalem .