Battle of Bir el Ard The Battle of Bir el Ard or the Ard well ( 9 August 1916 ) was fought between the forces of the British Empire and the Ottoman Turkish Empire , during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War . The battle took place in the Sinai Desert following the British victory at the battle of Romani ( 3 – 5 August ) . The British Empire ' s ANZAC Mounted Division , with the 5th Mounted Brigade under command , was tasked to follow a retiring Turkish Army force . British patrols discovered them on 8 August and the remainder of the ANZAC Division got into a position to attack the next day . The assault was launched on early 9 August and became a day of attack and counter - attack . Finally in the early evening Chauvel , commanding the ANZAC Division , ordered his troops to withdraw leaving the Turkish force in command of the battle ground . Battle . Advance to contact . Victory in the battle of Romani had exhausted the ANZAC Mounted Division , and the two units most heavily involved , the 1st and 2nd Light Horse Brigade s , were sent to rest at Romani and Etmaler . While the rest of the division , with the 5th Mounted Brigade under command , were ordered to follow the withdrawing Turkish force . When they had advanced across the Sinai Desert , the Turkish force had constructed strong defensive positions . That they now made use of as they withdrew back east towards the Egyptian - Palestinian border . On 7 August the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade leading the divisions pursuit of the Turkish force , located their rearguard at Oghratina . Attempting to turn their left flank , they found the opposition to strong for them and withdrew . Early the next day reconnaissance patrols found the rearguard had pulled out during the night . The patrols continued their reconnaissance and located the Turkish force again , establish on the high ground to the east of Bir ed Ard . Around east of Romani on the road to El Arish . That night the division headquarters , the 5th Mounted and New Zealand Brigades , camped at Oghratina . Waiting for the 1st and 2nd Brigades to rejoin them . But both brigades were short on manpower and had to form a composite brigade out of the two units . On 9 August the division advanced again . With the New Zealand Brigade in the centre . The Composite Brigade to their left and the 3rd Light Horse Brigade on the right . The Turkish rearguard was encountered again holding a front of across falling back on Bir el Abd . The Composite Brigade were to make for a position to the north - east of the Turkish defences . The New Zealand Brigade were to advance directly at the position . The 3rd Light Horse Brigade would stay in contact with the New Zealanders , then move behind the Turkish position , and locate around to the east of it , hindering any withdrawal and compromise their lines of communications . While the 5th Mounted Brigade would form the reserve . Bir el Ard . The Turkish position at Bir el Ard , consisted of well constructed trenches and redoubt s . That looked down on the approach routes , that any British force would use . They had used the time since arriving well , recovering from their defeat in the previous days , to replenish their supplies and had been reinforced . So that the Turkish force now numbered around 6 , 000 men , twice the number available to Chauvel . They were also well supported by mountain artillery and howitzer s . The machine - guns were manned by German soldiers and the artillery by Austrians . The New Zealand advance began at 04 : 00 , at the same time the 3rd Brigade made towards a redoubt over to the south . It was not for another hour that the Composite Brigade set out , but they located a trench system from the well to Lake Bardawil . The ANZAC Division advanced through Turkish artillery and machine gun fire , until it got so heavy that it threatened the safety of their horses . Dismounting they continued on foot . However they were not advancing in one continuous line . There was a gap around between the New Zealanders and the depleted Composite Brigade and around between the 3rd Brigade and the New Zealanders . By 05 : 00 that the New Zealand Brigade had reached a high point that overlooked the well and the Turkish position . An hour later the Turkish troops , left their trenches fixed bayonet s and counter - attacked the New Zealand Brigade in two columns . This first assault faltered in the face of the New Zealanders machine - gun and supporting artillery fire from the Somerset Battery , Royal Horse Artillery . The respite lasted for thirty minutes when the Turkish troops attacked the New Zealanders again . Then the Composite Brigade , which was still advancing , came under fire from artillery , anti - aircraft and machine - guns , was halted around from the Turkish lines . By 07 : 00 the Turkish had discovered the gap in the ANZAC Division line between the New Zealanders and the Composite Brigades and were trying to exploit it . An hour later on the southern flank the 3rd Brigade advance was halted and they were ordered to change their direction of advance towards Ard , instead of trying to circle it . At the same time closing the gap between them and the New Zealanders . The New Zealand Brigade advanced again , and at one stage it seemed like two of their regiments , may succeed in breaking into the Turkish position . But elsewhere in the north and south the brigades had been fought to a standstill . Turkish artillery fire intensified and at 10 : 30 Chavaul asked for air support to help locate their batteries . Part of the problem being they were a larger calibre than the British guns and were out - ranging them . At the same time he sent one of his reserve regiments the Warwickshire Yeomanry to support the Composite Brigade . By 11 : 30 the ANZAC Division was deployed in a crescent around the Turkish position and could observe the Turkish camel transports leaving to the east . But thirty minutes later the Turkish troops counter - attacked along the length of their line . One of their artillery shells landed on a limber from the Aryshire Battery , Royal Horse Artillery killing four men , wounding several others and killed thirty - seven horse . The Turkish soldiers were now advancing in waves towards the New Zealand Brigade . But supported by their artillery they managed to drive them back . The Composite Brigade was the Turkish next target . The Warwickshire Yeomanry , reinforcing them , had to fight off three battalion s by themselves . The 3rd Brigade also being attacked , informed Chauval that there was little chance of them being able to break through the Turkish lines . Back in the north the Composite Brigade by 14 : 00 was being forced back and the Ayrshire Battery supporting them was in danger of being overrun . Chauvel committed his last reserves here to shore up the position and they managed to withdraw the guns . All along the ANZACs front they were now pulling back . The ANZAC Division held on for the next two hours , slowly retiring to the rear . Realising the opportunity presented to them the Turkish artillery increased their rate of fire . To counter this the ANZAC Divisions squadrons rode forward , until the rate of fire forced them to dismount then tried attacking on foot . Until 15 : 00 when Chauvel order the division to attack but little progress was made . At 16 : 30 in the north between 2 – 3 , 000 men attacked the Composite Brigade , getting to within a " few hundred yards of the ANZAC Divisions lines . To the right the New Zealand Brigade was now exposed the two flanking brigades having retired further to the rear and their position was being enfilade d from both sides . Then at 17 : 00 the Turkish force counter - attacked in force and the ANZAC Division was forced to withdraw . One squadron of the 9th Light Horse Regiment , trying to recover their wounded , waited until they were within fifty yards ( 46 m ) before leaving and were forced to leave three of their wounded behind . Until at 17 : 30 , with the danger of a hand to hand fight looming , Chauvel was forced to order a " general withdrawal " . When the Turkish realised what was happening , they increased their efforts to break through the divisions front . The ANZAC Division withdrew by bounds , squadrons leap - frogging each other . First to their horse lines and then rode back to safety . Aftermath . The Turkish regiment had shown the ANZAC Division they were still a force to be reckoned with . Turing their attack into defence and then driving them off . The ANZAC casualties were seventy - three dead , 243 wounded and six missing . Turkish casualties for this battle are not known , but altogether they had lost more than half of the 18 , 000 man force in their advance , into the Sinai . It was intended for the ANZAC Division to camp that night close by , with the intention of shadowing the Turkish force the next day , if they withdrew . However Chauvel withdrew the division except for some observation posts left behind , all the way back to Oghratina . Reconnaissance patrols on the 10 August reported that the Turkish still occupied the area of the well . Then early the next day a New Zealand patrol reported the Turkish had evacuated the position and were at Salama . The remainder of the ANZAC Division advanced to contact with the Turkish force , but both sides only engaged in long range artillery and rifle fire . That night the Turkish force , broke off contact and retired to El Arish . References .