First Battle of Gaza The First Battle of Gaza was fought on 26 March 1917 during the first attempt by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force ( EEF ) to invade the southern region of Palestine in the Ottoman Empire during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War . Fighting took place in and around the town of Gaza on the Mediterranean coast when the infantry and mounted infantry in the Desert Column , a component of Eastern Force attacked the town . Late in the afternoon , on the verge of capturing Gaza , the Desert Column was withdrawn amid concerns for approaching darkness and large Ottoman reinforcements . This British defeat was followed a few weeks later by the even more emphatic defeat of the Eastern Force component of the EEF , at the Second Battle of Gaza in April 1917 . In August 1916 the EEF victory at Romani , ended the possibility of land - based attacks on the Suez Canal , first threatened in February , 1915 by the Ottoman Raid on the Suez Canal . In December 1916 , the newly created Desert Column ' victory at the Battle of Magdhaba secured the Mediterranean port of El Arish and the supply route , water pipeline , and railway stretching eastwards across the Sinai Peninsula . In January 1917 the Desert Column victory at the Battle of Rafa completed the capture of the Sinai Peninsula and brought the EEF within striking distance of Gaza . In March , two months later , Gaza was attacked by Eastern Force infantry from the 52nd ( Lowland ) Division reinforced by an infantry brigade . This attack was protected from the threat of Ottoman reinforcements by the Anzac Mounted Division and the Imperial Mounted Division screen . The infantry attack from the south and south east , on the Ottoman garrison in and around Gaza , was strong resisted . While the Imperial Mounted Division continued to hold off threatening Ottoman reinforcements , the Anzac Mounted Division attacked Gaza from the north . They succeeded in entering the town from the north , while a joint infantry and mounted infantry attack on Ali Muntar captured the position . However the lateness of the hour , the determination of the Ottoman defenders , and the threat from the large Ottoman reinforcements approaching from the north and north east , resulted in the decision by the Eastern Force to retreat . It has been suggested this move snatched defeat from the jaws of victory . Background . As the Allied operations in the Middle East were secondary to the Western Front campaign , reinforcements requested by General Sir Archibald Murray , commander of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force ( EEF ) , were denied . Further , on 11 January 1917 , the War Cabinet informed Murray that large scale operations in Palestine were to be deferred until September , and informed by the Chief of the Imperial General Staff Field Marshal William Robertson that he should be ready to send possibly two infantry division s to France . One week later , Murray received a request for the first infantry division and dispatched the 42nd ( East Lancashire ) Division . He was assured that none of his mounted units would be transferred from the EEF , and told " that there was no intention of curtailing such activities as he considered justified by his resources . " Murray repeated his estimate that five infantry divisions , in addition to the mounted units , were needed for offensive operations . After 26 February , when an Anglo - French Congress at Calais decided on a spring offensive , Murray received strong encouragement . The decision by the Supreme War Council was given increased impetus for " Allied activity " on 8 March when the Russian Revolution began . By 11 March Baghdad in Mesopotamia had been occupied by the British Empire forces , and the offensive in Macedonia had been launched . In April the Battle of Arras was launched by the British , and the French launched the Nivelle offensive . Britain ' s three major war objectives now were to maintain maritime supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea , while preserving the balance of power in Europe and the security of Egypt , India , and the Persian Gulf . The latter could be secured by an advance into Palestine and the capture of Jerusalem . A further advance would ultimately cut off Ottoman forces in Mesopotamia from those on the Arabian Peninsula and secure the region . By 5 February the water pipeline from the Egypt ian Sweet Water Canal from the Nile , had reached El Arish while the railway line was being laid well to the east of that place . The arrival of this infrastructure enabled a strong defensive position and a forward base to be established at El Arish . There were now two possible directions for an advance towards Jerusalem by Eastern Force to take ; through Rafa on the coast or inland through Hafir El Auja , on the Ottoman railway . Lieutenant General Charles Macpherson Dobell , commanding Eastern Force , thought that an advance along the coast could force the Ottoman Army to withdraw their inland forces , as they became outflanked and subject to attack by the EEF from the rear . He proposed keeping two divisions at El Arish , moving his headquarters there , while his mounted division would advance to reoccupy Rafa ( captured by Desert Column on 9 January during the Battle of Rafa ) . With the 11 January War Cabinet decision regarding large scale operations in Palestine , reversed by the 26 February Congress , the EEF was now required to capture the stronghold of Gaza as a first step towards the capture of Jerusalem . The town was one of the most ancient cities in the world , being one of five cities of the Palestine Alliance , which had been fought over many times during its 4 , 000 year history . The Egyptians and the Assyrians had attacked Gaza , followed in 731 BC by the Greeks , with Alexander conducting three attacks and the Siege of Gaza in 332 BC . Gaza was completely destroyed in 96 BC and rebuilt slightly to the south of the original site . This new town was captured by Caliph Omar in 635 AD , by Saladin in 1187 AD , and by Napoleon in 1799 . By 1917 Gaza had an important depot for cereals with a German steam mill . In the area barley , wheat , olives , vineyards , orange groves , and wood for fuel were grown , as well as the grazing of many goats . Barley was exported to England for brewing into English beer and in 1912 the 40 , 000 inhabitants of Gaza imported £10 , 000 of yarn from Manchester . Maize , millet , beans , and watermelon were cultivated in most of the surrounding localities , and harvested in early autumn . Mounted units reorganised . A pause in the EEF ' s advance was necessary to enable the lines of communication to be lengthened and strengthened , and while this work was being carried out , the mounted brigades were reorganised into two mounted divisions . This was prompted by the arrival of the 6th and the 22nd Mounted Brigade s from the Salonika campaign . Instead of grouping the two new mounted brigades with the 5th Mounted Brigade to form a new Imperial Mounted Division , the 3rd Light Horse Brigade was transferred to the new division out of the Anzac Mounted Division and replaced by the newly arrived 22nd Mounted Brigade . The Imperial Mounted Division , established 12 February 1917 at Ferry Post on the Suez Canal under the command of Major - General H . W . Hodgson , was established with the 3rd and the 4th Light Horse Brigade s ( in the process of formation at Ferry Post , which planned to leave for the front on 18 March ) along with the 5th and 6th Mounted Brigades . Within Dobell ' s Eastern Force , General Philip Chetwode commanded the Desert Column , which included the Anzac Mounted Division , the partly formed Imperial Mounted Division , and the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division of infantry . While , after the 42nd ( East Lancashire ) Division left for the Western Front , Dobell ' s Eastern Force , consisted of four infantry divisions ; the 52nd ( Lowland ) Division , the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division , and the newly raised 74th ( Yeomanry ) Division , formed from dismounted yeomanry already serving in Egypt . EEF Raid on Khan Yunis . Dobell thought the victory at Rafa should be quickly exploited by attacking Gaza ; " an early surprise attack was essential . . . otherwise it was widely believed the enemy would withdraw without a fight . " He ordered Rafa occupied by mounted troops while two infantry divisions of Eastern Force remained at El Arish to defend his headquarters . On 23 February , the Anzac Mounted Division and the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , commanded by General Mott , were camped on the beach at Sheikh Zowaiid . Here they were joined by the 22nd Mounted Brigade replacing the 5th Mounted Brigade which returned to El Burj . That day , the New Zealand Mounted Rifles and the 2nd Light Horse Brigades commanded by Edward Chaytor made a reconnaissance in force to Khan Yunis past Rafa . Khan Yunis was held in strength , and the Chaytor ' s Column withdrew after " a brush " with the defenders . The town was found to be part of a line of strong posts held by the Ottoman Army protecting southern Palestine , Ottoman Empire territory . These posts , consisting of well - dug trenches , were located at Shellal a particularly strongly fortified position , at Weli Sheikh Nuran , at Beersheba , and at Khan Yunis , and were known as the Hans Yonus – El Hafir line . As a consequence of the reconnaissance to Khan Yunis , and the growing strength of EEF units in the area , the Ottoman Army garrisons realised the line was too weak to be successfully defended . Enver Pasha , Friedrich Freiherr Kress von Kressenstein , and Cemal Pasha evacuated line , retiring back northwards . Here they established a much more formidable defences in front of Gaza , to stop any Allied advance up the coast . This withdrawal , which began in February , was completed by mid – March when the Ottoman Fourth Army was in position . Their new defensive line stretched north and north east , from Gaza on the north side of the Wadi Ghuzzee to Tel esh Sheria , where the Palestine railway crossed the Wadi esh Sheria . On 28 February , Desert Column occupied Khan Yunis unopposed and the headquarters of the Column was established at Sheikh Zowaiid , while Eastern Force headquarters remaining at El Arish . The ancient town of Khan Yunis on the main road to Gaza was said to be the birthplace of Delilah . With bazaars , narrow streets and a castle , it was one of several villages in this fertile area of southern Palestine , north of Rafa and the Egyptian – Ottoman frontier . Here was found the largest and deepest well in the area , and after engineers had installed a pumping machine , it gave an unlimited supply of water for both men and horses . The village quickly became an important forward site for supply depots and bivouacs . Around Khan Yunis gardens , orange orchards , fig plantations and grazing were carried on by the local population , while in the Rafa and Sheikh Zowaiid areas barley and wheat were grown . EEF aerial bombing . A series of bombing raids on the railway from Junction Station to Tel el Sheria aimed to disrupt the Ottoman lines of communication during the build - up to the battle . No . 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps and No . 14 Squadron bombed Beersheba in mid February , destroying 3 German planes , and on 25 February assisted a French battleship ' s shelling of Jaffa , by directing the ship ' s fire . On the same day , the German aerodrome at Ramleh was bombed . Then on 5 March six aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps ( RFC ) conducted bombing attacks intended to interfere with the Ottoman withdrawal from the Khan Yunis line . They bombed Beersheba and the Palestine railway at Tel esh Sheria to the northwest . Although the damage was not great , the railway at Tel esh Sheria continued to be bombed in moonlight on 7 March , by relays of aircraft . Junction Station and supply depot , an important junction of southern Palestine railways with the Jaffa – Jerusalem railway many miles to the north , was also bombed on 9 , 13 , and 19 March . Prelude . Defending force . British estimates of the defenders facing the EEF in the region , at the beginning of 1917 were no more than 12 , 000 , with the possibility of receiving , at most , one division as reinforcements . In early March , Gaza was garrisoned by two battalions , supported by two batteries of Ottoman field artillery . The Group Tiller garrison of Ottoman Fourth Army units was increased to seven battalions . Group Tiller Further reinforcements of between 10 , 000 and 12 , 000 soldiers , were ordered by Kress von Kressenstein as a result of the 300th Flight Detachment ' s reports , of the EEF advances towards Gaza . Arriving before Eastern Force ' s attack , these reinforcements consisted of : They were supported by 12 heavy mountain howitzers in two Austrian batteries , two long guns in a German 10 - cm battery , from Pasha I , and two Ottoman field artillery batteries . Further , the Ottoman 53rd Infantry Division , which had been garrisoned at Jaffa , was ordered to march south to Gaza , but was not expected before the morning of 27 March . The commander of the Ottoman defences , Kress von Kressenstein moved his headquarters from Beersheba to Tel esh Sheria where it remained until June . However , by 20 March the British considered the Ottoman Army defending Gaza , and dominating the coastal route from Egypt to Jaffa , to be " steadily deteriorating . " Indeed it has been reported that Kress von Kressenstein complained of " heavy losses " caused by deserters , and between the EEF victory at Rafa in early January and the end of February , 70 deserters had arrived in the EEF lines . These were thought to be a " very small proportion " of the majority of Arabs and Syrians in particular , who disappeared from the Ottoman army , " into the towns and villages of Palestine and Trans - Jordan . " The EEF were unaware of recent reinforcements and thought the garrison at Gaza was 2 , 000 strong . However , by the eve of battle there were probably almost 4 , 000 rifles defending the town , with up to 50 guns in the surrounding area , while a force of 2 , 000 rifles garrisoned Beersheba . Ottoman Army defences . Between Rafa and Gaza , to the east of the coastal sand dunes , a gently rolling plateau of light , firm soil rose slowly inland , crossed by several dry wadis , which became torrential flows in the rainy season . In the spring , after the winter rains , the area was covered by young crops or fresh grass . Before the First World War , Gaza had been the site of a large cereals depot and a German steam mill . Barley , wheat , and olives were grown in the area , and vineyards , orange groves , fields of grazing goats , as well as trees for fuel , were grown . Before the war , Barley had been exported to England from Gaza for brewing into beer , and in 1912 the 40 , 000 inhabitants of Gaza imported £10 , 000 of yarn from Manchester . In Gaza and the surrounding areas of Rafa , Khan Yunis , and Sheikh Zowaiid , maize , millet , beans and water melon were also cultivated . However , for millennia , Gaza had been the gateway for invading armies travelling the coastal route , to and from Egypt and the Levant . The town and the fertile surrounding areas strongly favoured defence ; Gaza being located on a plateau high which is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by about of sand hills to the west . To the north , west , and south , orchards surrounded by impenetrable prickly pear hedges extended out for some from the town . With the exception of the ridge extending southwards , which culminated in the dominating high Ali Muntar , the area of orchards stretched from the high plateau down into a hollow . In addition to these natural defences , the Ottoman Army constructed trenches and redoubt s that extended from the south west of the town virtually all the way round the town , except for a gap to the north east . In the process they incorporated Ali Muntar into the town entrenchments by building additional defences on the ridge to the south of the town . Although the trenches were only lightly strengthened with barbed wire , those to the south of Gaza commanded bare slopes which were completely devoid of any cover whatsoever . Plan of defence . As a result of the EEF advance to Rafa and their lengthening of their lines of communication along the coast , flank attacks became a threat . This was because the Ottoman lines of communication further inland , overlapped the EEF advance on the coast , and it became important to strongly garrison the region . The EEF right flank would not be in prepared defences , and was potentially vulnerable to an envelopment assault . Kress von Kressenstein , therefore , deployed most of his defending army away from Gaza to make an attack on the EEF supply lines . British intelligence thought the defenders would not fight hard for Gaza , because Kress von Kressenstein ' s plan was to use the 3rd and the 16th Infantry Divisions , and the 3rd Cavalry Division , to encircle the attacking force and cut the Sinai railway and water pipeline , in the rear of the EEF . A total of 12 , 000 of the available 16 , 000 Ottoman soldiers were moving west , to be in position to launch an attack by nightfall , on the day of battle . This main Ottoman forces of between two and a half and three divisions , estimated between 6 , 000 and 16 , 000 rifles , were deployed at Tel el Negile and Huj with detachments at Tel esh Sheria , Jemmameh , Hareira , Beersheba , and Gaza , to prevent the EEF from out - flanking Gaza . The rear of the EEF was to be attacked by the Ottoman 16th Division , at a point where the road from Khan Yunis to Gaza crossed the Wadi Ghuzze , and by the Beersheba Group which was to advance via Shellal , to attack Khan Yunis . Attacking force . The 22 , 000 - strong attack force consisted of 12 , 000 infantry and 11 , 000 mounted troops , supported by between 36 and 96 field guns and 16 howitzers . The mounted units were to stop the Ottoman reinforcements from Tel el Sheria , Jemmameh , Hareira , Negile , Huj , and Beersheba , from reinforcing the Gaza garrison while the infantry captured the town . For the attack Dobell deployed Eastern Force as follows : Desert Column was commanded by Chetwode Eastern Force units under the direct command of Dobell which remained at Rafa , were to protect the lines of communication , the Wadi el Arish crossing , and Khan Yunis , from an attack on the right flank . This force consisted of 8 , 000 men in the Also under the direct command of Dobell were the The chain of command during the first Battle of Gaza was : Lines of communication . The Ottoman withdrawal back from Khan Yunis and Shellal , put enough distance between the two forces to require a pause in the advance , while the railway was laid to Rafa . By the end of February 1917 , of railway had been laid ( at a rate of 1 kilometre a day ) , of metalled road , of wire and brushwood roads , and of water pipeline had been constructed . And the Royal Navy undertook to land stores on the beach at Deir el Belah as soon as required and until the railway approached the Wadi Ghazzee . By 1 March the railhead had reached Sheikh Zowaiid from Gaza , and by the middle of March the railway had reached Rafa , from Deir el Belah . Although the Rafa railway station opened on 21 March , it " was not ready for unloading supplies " until after the battle . The railhead was to eventually reached Khan Yunis . However , with the arrival of the railway at Rafa , Gaza came within range of an EEF attack by mounted troops and infantry . Transport . With firmer ground the pedrails came off the guns and their teams of eight and ten horses were reduced to six . It also became possible to use wheeled vehicles , and in January the War Office agreed to the infantry divisions , being re - equipped with wheeled transport trains . These were to replace camel transport , on the condition that drivers would be found locally , as no transfers from other campaigns were possible . Although camel trains remained important throughout the war , together with pack mules and donkeys , where roads were bad and in hilly trackless terrain , where the horse - drawn and mule - drawn wagons , motor lorries and tractors could not go , they began to be replaced . General service and limber wagons drawn by horses or mules were grouped in supply columns , with the transport wagons of the regiments , the machine – gun squadrons , and the field ambulances , to travel on easier but less direct routes . However , all these animals required vast quantities of food and water , which greatly increased pressure on the lines of communication . During the advance across the Sinai , although it was established that horses did better with two drinks a day instead of three , the volume remained the same . Supplying the infantry and mounted divisions was a vast undertaking , as one brigade ( and there were six involved in the attack on Gaza ) of light horse , mounted rifles , and yeomanry at war establishment consisted of approximately 2 , 000 soldiers as well as the division of infantry ; all requiring food and drink , clothing , ammunition and tools , etc . Transport was organised , combining the horse - drawn and mule - drawn supply columns with the camel trains , to support Eastern Force operating beyond railhead for about 24 hours . " The wagons [ of the Anzac Mounted Division ] with their teams of mules , two in the pole and three in the lead , [ were ] driven by one man from the box . " These wagons and mules were so successful that the five - mule team was " laid down for the Egyptian Expeditionary Force . . . ultimately almost supersed [ ing ] the British four or six horse ride - and - drive team . " Plan of attack . Although Murray delegated the responsibility for the battle to Dobell , he set three objectives . These were to capture a line along the Wadi Ghuzzee in order to cover the laying of the railway line , to prevent the defenders withdrawing before they were attacked , and to " capture Gaza and its garrison by a " coup de main . " " The plan of attack produced by Dobell and his staff , was similar to those successfully implemented at Magdhaba by Chauvel and at Rafa by Chetwode , except that the EEF infantry were to have a prominent role . On a larger scale than the previous battles , the garrison at Gaza , established in fortified entrenchments and redoubts , was to be surrounded and captured , before Ottoman reinforcements could arrived . The main attack on the town and Ali Muntar hill would come from the south , by the Desert Column ' s 53rd ( Welsh ) Division commanded by Dallas , supported by one infantry brigade of Eastern Force ' s 54th ( East Anglian ) Division , commanded by Hare . The Anzac and Imperial Mounted Divisions , commanded by Chauvel and Hodgson respectively , were to establish a screen or cordon around Gaza to the north and east to isolate the garrison , cutting the main roads and preventing an incursion by Ottoman reinforcements reaching the town from their garrisons at Hareira , Beersheba , and Huj . If necessary , the mounted divisions were to be ready to reinforce the infantry attack , while the remaining infantry brigades of the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division extended the mounted screen to the southeast , just across the Wadi Ghuzzee . On 5 March , Murray agreed to Dobell ' s plan for the attack , which was to be launched at the end of March . On 20 March Dobell moved his headquarters from El Arish to Rafa . The next day , the Rafa Race Meeting took place , complete with trophies ordered from Cairo , and a printed programme . These races , complete with an enclosed paddock , totalizator , jumps , and a marked course , were contested by Yeomanry , Australian and New Zealand horses and riders . On 22 March , all roads and tracks were reconnoitred as far as Deir el Belah and allotted to the different formations , and preliminary moves towards Gaza were begun . Dallas ' orders were handed to the Anzac , Imperial Mounted , and the 54th ( East Anglian ) Divisions ' commanders at 17 : 00 on 25 March . The 53rd ( Welsh ) Division ' s 158th ( North Wales ) and 160th ( Welsh Border ) Brigades were to begin crossing the Wadi Ghuzzeh at 03 : 30 and advance up the Burjabye and Es Sire ridges , while the 159th ( Cheshire ) Brigade which followed the 158th ( North Wales ) across the wadi , was to remain close to the wadi until further orders were received . Money ' s Detachment was to cross the wadi mouth and hold a position in the sand dunes between the Rafa - Gaza road and the sea to divert the Ottoman defenders ' attention , and cover a section of the 15th Heavy Battery . A section of 91st Heavy Battery was to move into the wadi , while a section the 10th Heavy Battery of 60 - pdrs was attached to the 160th Brigade Group . However , artillery ammunition was limited and was to mainly target the Labyrinth group of Ottoman defences . The mounted divisions were to isolate Gaza by stopping the Gaza garrison retiring , or any reinforcements from Huj and Hareira areas , attempting to reinforce Gaza . They were to pursue any hostile force that showed signs of retiring , and if necessary support the main assault on Gaza , which was to be carried out by the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division . This division was to be reinforced if necessary by the 161st ( Essex ) Brigade of the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division . At 18 : 00 Murray , the commander in chief of the EEF , established his headquarters in the carriage of a railway train at El Arish . Preliminary moves . On 25 March , the Anzac Mounted Division moved out of their bivouacs in two columns . The first column , consisting of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles and the 22nd Mounted Yeomanry Brigades , marched up the beach from Bir Abu Shunnar at 02 : 30 , to establish a line just south of the Wadi Ghuzzeh . This advance was to cover reconnaissances of the Wadi Ghuzzeh , which would search for the best places to cross this deep , dry , and formidable obstacle , for both infantry and mounted troops as they advanced towards Gaza . The second column , consisting of Anzac Mounted Division ' s divisional headquarters , Signal Squadron , Field Artillery , and the 2nd Light Horse Brigade ( forming divisional reserve ) , arrived southwest of Deir el Belah . Here the 2nd Light Horse Brigade and the artillery were ordered to water and bivouac at Deir el Belah . By 10 : 00 , Chauvel ' s Anzac Mounted Division ' s headquarters and Chetwode ' s Desert Column headquarters had been established on Hill 310 . While the Ottoman army positions at Gaza had been reconnoitred and photographed from the air , it was still necessary for the staff of the Anzac and Imperial Mounted Divisions , along with the Commander of the Royal Artillery ( CRA ) , to carry out personal reconnaissances of the Wadi Ghuzzeh . By the afternoon all likely crossings had been carefully reconnoitred , and the chosen crossing near the Wadi Sharta , which was to be used the next day , marked . At 15 : 30 the Imperial Mounted Division , led by the 3rd Light Horse Brigade , marched out of camp at Marakeb , heading for Deir el Belah about six hours or away . The division ' s three brigades and their machine gun squadrons were accompanied by their mobile veterinary sections and the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance . The troopers carried their day ' s rations , while rations for 26 and 27 March were to be transported forward during the night of 25 / 26 March , by the first line transport of camels and wagons . As it had been expected the division would be away five days , additional rations were carried on improvised packs , which accompanied the division as far as Deir el Belah . Approach marches 26 March . On the day of battle , the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , moved out from Deir el Belah at 01 : 00 in four columns towards El Breij , followed by the artillery . At 02 : 30 the Anzac Mounted Division left Deir el Belah with the Imperial Mounted Division following at 03 : 00 , heading for the Um Jerrar crossing of the Wadi Ghazze east of Deir el Belah . Dallas commanding the infantry established his battle headquarters near El Breij at 03 : 45 , while Chetwode arrived at Desert Column headquarters at In Seirat at 06 : 37 , although he intended to continue moving on to Sheikh Abbas . Dobell commanding Eastern Force arrived from Rafa , at his battle headquarters just north of In Seirat at 06 : 45 . Fog had begun to develop and from about 03 : 50 became very thick . It remained for about four hours , then began to lift . Just before dawn at 05 : 00 , it was so dense that objects could not be seen away , but by this time most of the infantry had crossed the wadi . However , the fog made it impossible for Dallas to reconnoitre the proposed battleground , and he waited at El Breij for it to lift while his two leading brigades moved slowly forward . Visibility was improving about 07 : 30 , and by 07 : 55 the fog had lifted sufficiently for heliograph s to be used . However , all aircraft in No . 1 Squadron had to return to their new landing ground at Rafa , as nothing of the ground could be seen from the air . Dallas ' , 53rd ( Welsh ) Division was moving forward , despite the fog to make a direct assault on Gaza . At 05 : 20 , the division ' s 158th ( North Wales ) and the 160th ( Welsh Border ) infantry brigades were crossing the Wadi Ghuzze while the 159th ( Cheshire ) Brigade was in reserve . By 06 : 50 the 160th ( Welsh Border ) Brigade had moved towards Shaluf and the 158th ( North Wales ) Brigade was moving towards Mansura , but they were ordered to slow down because artillery support may not be available , if the fog were to suddenly lift . By 07 : 50 , the leading battalions were approaching Sheikh Seehan without having encountered any Ottoman defenders . Between 08 : 15 and 08 : 55 hostile planes flew over the advancing infantry , firing their machine guns into the columns . At 08 : 30 the 160th ( Welsh ) Brigade was about from Gaza , with their leading battalion southwest of the commanding heights of their main objective , Ali Muntar . The 158th ( North Wales ) Brigade had reached Mansura , and by 09 : 30 they were three quarters of a mile ( 1 . 2 km ) north of the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division ' s headquarters at Mansura . Meanwhile , the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division ( less 161st Essex Brigade in Eastern Force reserve ) was ordered to cross the Wadi Ghuzzeh immediately after the mounted troops , and take up a position at Sheikh Abbas to cover the rear of the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , and keep the corridor open along which it was to attack . The division took up position on Sheikh Abbas Ridge and began digging trenches facing east . The 161st ( Essex ) Brigade moved to El Burjabye , where it would be able to support either the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , or the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division covering the right rear of the attack , at Sheikh Abbas . Money ' s Detachment moved towards the wadi in preparation for crossing at dawn , while the 91st Heavy Battery was covered by the Duke of Lancaster ' s Own Yeomanry and the divisional cavalry squadron , moved to a position on the Rafa - Gaza road . Encirclement . While the fog made navigation difficult , it also shielded the movement of large bodies of troopers , so the two mounted divisions with the Imperial Camel Brigade attached , rapidly cut the roads leading to Gaza from the north and east , isolating the Ottoman garrison , in a long cavalry screen . The leading division , the Anzac Mounted Division , first encountered hostile forces at 08 : 00 . At that time the 7th Light Horse Regiment ( 2nd Light Horse Brigade ) was attacked near Sheikh Abbas . Shortly afterwards , hostile aircraft fired machine guns , on these leading Desert Column mounted troops . As the mounted screen crossed the Gaza to Beersheba road , they cut the telegraph lines , and a patrol captured ten wagons , while other units captured 30 German pioneers and their pack - horses . At this time , the German commander at Tel esh Sheria , Kress von Kressenstein , received an aerial report describing the advance of two enemy infantry divisions towards Gaza , and about three enemy cavalry divisions and armoured cars , had advanced north between Gaza and Tel esh Sheria . Major Tiller , commanding the Gaza garrison , reported later being attacked from the south , east , and northeast " in great strength . " He was ordered to hold Gaza " to the last man . " Soon after 09 : 00 the 2nd Light Horse Brigade reached Beit Durdis , closely followed by the remainder of their Anzac Mounted Division . At 09 : 30 four " Officers Patrols " were sent forward towards Huj , Najd north northeast of Huj , Hareira , Tel el Sheria and towards the Ottoman railway line . The headquarters of the Anzac Mounted Divisional was established at Beit Durdis , and by 10 : 10 communications by cable with Desert Column , the Imperial Mounted Division , and the 2nd Light Horse Brigade were established . Heliograph stations were also set up and wireless communications established , but the wireless was blocked by a more powerful Ottoman transmitter at Gaza . By 10 : 30 , the 2nd Light Horse Brigade had taken up a position ( known as Australia Hill ) overlooking Gaza from the northeast , and had occupied the village of Jebaliye northeast of Gaza . Half an hour later , the 7th Light Horse Regiment ( 2nd Light Horse Brigade ) was pushing westwards and by 11 : 30 had reached the Mediterranean coast , to complete the encirclement of Gaza . In the process the regiment captured the commander of the Ottoman 53rd Division , not to be confused with the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , and his staff , who had been on their way to strengthen the Gaza garrison . At this time , the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade was concentrated near Beit Durdis , while the 22nd Mounted Brigade formed up south of them . Two squadrons of the 8th Light Horse Regiment ( 3rd Light Horse Brigade ) moved towards Deir Sneid northeast of Gaza to watch and wait for the expected approach of reinforcements , moving to strengthen Gaza . The Imperial Mounted Division sent patrols towards Hareira , Tel esh Sheria , Kh . Zuheilika and Huj , during their advance to Kh er Reseim where they arrived at 10 : 00 , to connect with the Anzac Mounted Division . Meanwhile , at 09 : 45 , a squadron from the Queen ' s Own Worcestershire Hussars ( 5th Mounted Brigade ) had encountered hostile units northwest of Kh . el Baha which they charged , capturing 60 prisoners . A further two squadrons of the 5th Mounted Brigade pushed forward towards Kh . el Baha south east of Kh er Reseim , north of the Gaza to Beersheba road , where they remained in support . The two mounted divisions were now in position , watching for the expected Ottoman reinforcements . By between 11 : 00 and 11 : 35 , more or less all mounted troops were under fire . This fire came from shells launched from Gaza , or from German or Ottoman planes flying over Beit Durdis , as well as a long range gun , while another gun also fired on the mounted units . The battery of the 5th Mounted Brigade fired on some small groups of Ottoman infantry , but the hostile long range gun accurately returned fire , causing this battery to change position . Very little fighting had yet taken place , so far as the mounted units were concerned , and the infantry attack had not made much progress . However , news was beginning to come in from the overwatch ing Desert Column patrols , reporting movements from the direction of Huj and the Beersheba railway line , and columns of dust in the direction of Tel esh Sharia , all indicating large scale Ottoman Army movements in progress . However , by 12 : 00 Chetwode commanding Desert Column , had not yet received any reports of Ottoman reinforcements moving towards Gaza , and he sent a message to Chauvel commanding the Anzac Mounted Division and Hodgson commanding the Imperial Mounted Division , to prepare to send a brigade each to assist the infantry attack on Gaza . The Imperial Camel Brigade crossed the Wadi Ghuzzeh at Tel el Jemmi south of the crossings at Um Jerrar , to reach El Mendur on the bank of the Wadi esh Sheria . Here they established an outpost line between the right of the 5th Mounted Brigade and the Wadi Ghuzzeh . The mobile sections of the field ambulances , followed by their immobile sections and ambulance camel transport , moved towards their outpost positions northeast and east of Gaza . With the wadi crossed and strongly defended by the EEF , divisional engineers quickly began to pump water from below the dry bed of the Wadi Ghuzzeh , which was eventually sufficient for all troops engaged . Water was pumped into long rows of temporary canvas troughs for the horses . Battle . Infantry attack . Gaza was now completely surrounded and , following Desert Column ' s orders , the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , which had not seen action since the Gallipoli campaign , made a direct attack from the south and east towards Ali Muntar . Their 160th ( Welsh Border ) Brigade advanced towards Esh Sheluf to get into position by 08 : 30 , with the 158th ( North Wales ) Brigade advancing towards Mansura , while the 159th ( Cheshire ) Brigade , which had crossed the wadi by 08 : 25 , had to wait an hour before Dallas ordered them to Mansura to support the 158th Brigade . This delay meant that the 159th could not get into position to take part in the attack until noon . Dallas " had not yet decided " what to do with the 159th . While he met with his brigadiers at the 158th Brigade ' s headquarters at 10 : 15 , to discuss detailed arrangements of the attack , he was out of communication with Chetwode . This lasted for two hours while his headquarters was moved forward . Dallas contacted Chetwode at 10 : 50 , blaming the delay on the difficulty of bringing the artillery forward , but confirmed he would be ready to launch the attack at 12 : 00 . Due to communication breakdown , Dallas was unaware of the position of the artillery . He had phoned Desert Corps at " 10 . 4 " [ sic ] to be told that the 161st ( Essex ) Brigade and the 271st RFA were at Sheikh Nebhan . However , they had moved to an exposed position at El Burjabye before finding a covered position in the valley between the Burjabye and Es Sire Ridges . The artillery was in fact already in position and had begun firing at 10 : 10 , although communications had not been established with headquarters . Fog has also been blamed for the delayed infantry attack . The artillery bombardment began at 12 : 00 , although there was no artillery program , and the Ottoman defences had not been identified . Dallas received his orders at 11 : 00 , and half an hour later Dobell and Chetwode ordered him to launch his attack forthwith . By 11 : 30 , Desert Column staff considered that the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division was practically stationary , and the following message was sent to Dallas : " I am directed to observe that ( 1 ) you have been out of touch with Desert Column and your own headquarters for over two hours ; ( 2 ) no gun registration appears to have been carried out ; ( 3 ) that time is passing , and that you are still far from your objective ; ( 4 ) that the Army and Column Commanders are exercised at the loss of time , which is vital ; ( 5 ) you must keep a general staff officer at your headquarters who can communicate with you immediately ; ( 6 ) you must launch your attack forthwith . " A similar message was sent again at 12 : 00 . Dallas ordered the attack to begin at 11 : 45 on Ali Muntar by the 160th ( Welsh Border ) Brigade which advanced to attack their objective along the Es Sire Ridge , while the 158th ( North Wales ) which advanced from Mansura , also attacked Ali Muntar . These two infantry brigades had been in position awaiting orders for between three and four hours , while the 159th ( Cheshire ) Brigade rapidly deployed . They were about from their objectives with patrols going forward , with the 159th ( Cheshire ) Brigade ( less one battalion ) , covering their right , advancing to attack the hummock known as Clay Hill . This objective was located to the north of Ali Muntar , on the far side of the Gaza to Beersheba road . The attacking brigades were supported by two field artillery brigades , while a divisional reserve was formed by one battalion of the 159th ( Cheshire ) Brigade , until the arrival of the 161st ( Essex ) Brigade ( Eastern Force ' s 54th Division ) . The attacking infantry brigades met with stubborn opposition from determined defenders , firing from strong entrenchments with a clear view of the infantry line of advance , over completely open ground . In these conditions , the attacking infantry ' s artillery support proved inadequate and a very high number of casualties was suffered . In support , the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division ( less one brigade in Eastern Force reserve ) was ordered to cross the Wadi Ghuzzeh immediately after the mounted troops and take up a position at Sheikh Abbas , to cover the rear of the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , and keep open the corridor along which the attack was launched . At 11 : 45 the 161st ( Essex ) Brigade ( 54th Division , Eastern Force ) was ordered to advance to Mansura in support of the attacking brigades , but the message was apparently never received . At 13 : 10 an order which had originated from Eastern Force at 12 : 45 was finally received by hand from a staff officer . Combined attack . By noon , Chetwode was concerned that the strength of the opposition to the infantry attack , could make it impossible to capture Gaza before dark . As a consequence , he ordered Chauvel and Hodgson to reconnoitre towards Gaza , warning them to be prepared to supply one brigade each to reinforce the infantry attack . At 13 : 00 Chetwode put Chauvel in command of both mounted divisions , and by 14 : 00 Chauvel was ordering the whole of the Anzac Mounted Division to attack Gaza from the north , while the Imperial Mounted Division and Imperial Camel Brigade , supported by Nos 11 and 12 Light Armoured Motor Batteries and No . 7 Light Car Patrol , were to hold the outpost line and all observation posts . As the Anzac Mounted Division moved north , it was replaced in the mounted screen by the Imperial Mounted Division , which in turn was replaced by the Imperial Camel Brigade . It took time for the divisions to get into position , and to move Chauvel ' s headquarters to a knoll between Beit Durdis and Gaza , so he could oversee operations . It was not until during a meeting there at 15 : 15 that orders were issued for the Anzac Mounted Division ' s attack . They deployed with the 2nd Light Horse Brigade on a front extending from the Mediterranean Sea to the Gaza to Jebalieh road , the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade deployed from the Gaza - Jebalieh road to the top of the ridge running northeast , while the Lincolnshire Yeomanry and Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry regiments , of the 22nd Mounted Brigade , held from the right of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade to the track leading to Beit Durdis . During this time , the infantry attack on Gaza by the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division had been progressing . By 13 : 30 , the 160th ( Welsh Border ) Brigade on the left had advanced rapidly to capture the Labyrinth , a maze of entrenched gardens due south of Gaza . Their 2 / 10th Middlesex Regiment established themselves on a grassy hill , while their 1 / 4th Royal Sussex Regiment advanced up the centre of the Es Sire ridge under intense hostile fire , suffering heavy casualties including their commanding officer . Having reached the crest , they were forced to fall back in some disorder by the Ottoman defenders . However , after being reinforced at 16 : 00 they recommenced their advance . On the right the 158th ( North Wales ) Brigade ' s 1 / 5th Royal Welsh Fusiliers battalion reached the cactus hedges south of Ali Muntar , where they paused to wait for supporting battalions to come up on their right . Along with the 159th ( Cheshire ) Brigade , these two brigades slowly fought their way forward towards Clay Hill . Meanwhile , Dallas ordered the 161st ( Essex ) Brigade of the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division to capture Green Hill and fill the gap between the 158th ( North Wales ) and 160th ( Welsh Border ) Brigades ( 53rd Division ) . By 15 : 30 the 161st ( Essex ) Brigade had reached Mansura and they were in a position to launch their attack at 16 : 00 with the arrival of the 271st Brigade RFA . The fire from this artillery brigade dampened the hostile machine gun fire from Clay Hill , and at 15 : 50 , 45 minutes after the 161st ( Essex ) Brigade joined the battle , the infantry succeeded in entering the defenders ' trenches . They entered at two places to the east of the Ali Muntar mosque , capturing 20 German and Austrian soldiers and 20 Ottoman soldiers . The 53rd ( Welsh ) Division reported the successful capture of Clay Hill , located within of Ali Muntar , at 16 : 45 . Meanwhile the attack by the Anzac Mounted Division , began twenty minutes ahead of schedule at 15 : 40 , before all the patrols had been relieved by the Imperial Mounted Division . The Anzac Mounted Division was supported by the Leicester and Ayrshire artillery batteries , which came into action at ranges of between from their targets , respectively . Shortly after the attack began , Chetwode sent messages emphasising the importance of this attack , warning that the trench line northwest of Gaza between El Meshaheran and El Mineh on the sea , was strongly held and offering another brigade from the Imperial Mounted Division , which Chauvel accepted . Hodgson sent the 3rd Light Horse Brigade . At 16 : 15 , five minutes after the 159th ( Cheshire ) Brigade captured the Clay Hill redoubt near Ali Muntar , the attack on Gaza from the north by the Anzac Mounted Division ' s 2nd Light Horse Brigade , supported by the Somerset artillery battery , had not been seriously engaged until they reached the cactus hedges . Here they were strongly resisted in close , intense fighting . The cactus hedges had forced the light horsemen to dismount , however , the assault soon developed and progress was rapid . The 2nd Light Horse Brigade was supported by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade , which moved forward with the Canterbury Mounted Rifle Regiment in advance , and the Wellington Mounted Rifle Regiment in support . However , only three troops of the Auckland Mounted Rifle Regiment were in position , the remainder being delayed in the mounted screen , by strong hostile columns of reinforcements advancing from Huj and Nejed . At 16 : 23 , the high ridge east of Gaza was captured by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade , while the 22nd Mounted Brigade on their left captured the knoll running west from the ridge . The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade ' s headquarters subsequently took up a position on the ridge , in an area later called " Chaytor ' s Hill " . The Wellington and Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiments pressed on towards Gaza , supported by four machine guns attached to each regiment , the remaining four machine guns being held in reserve . Between 16 : 30 and 17 : 00 , Ali Muntar was captured by the infantry and the dismounted New Zealanders . The Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment had pushed along ' The Ridge ' from the rear to assist in the attack , one squadron swinging south against Ali Muntar to enter the defenders ' trenches just after the infantry . By dusk the light horsemen had reached the northern and western outskirts of the town . The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade ' s dismounted fighters advanced from Jebaliye against the east and northeast of Gaza to assist in the capture of Ali Muntar , before pushing on through a very enclosed region . This area was intersected with cactus hedges , buildings , and rifle pits occupied by defending riflemen , who strongly resisted the attackers . Despite considerable opposition the New Zealanders continued to slowly advance through the orchards and cactus hedges to the outskirts of the town . During this advance , the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment captured two 77 - mm Krupp guns with limbers and ammunition . Shortly afterwards , their progress was stopped by snipers in several houses on the eastern outskirts of the town . The Krupp guns were pushed forward to fire at point blank , blowing up several houses and causing the surrender of 20 hostile soldiers . Meanwhile , the 22nd Mounted Brigade , advancing at the gallop along the track from Beit Durdis to Gaza , had also reached the outskirts of the town by dusk . By nightfall , the Anzac Mounted Division had fought their way into the streets of Gaza , suffering very few casualties during this advance . While the attack in the centre by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade was progressing , the 22nd Mounted Brigade had come up on the New Zealanders ' left , and it was this attacking force that entered the town . Meanwhile , the 2nd Light Horse Brigade had met stiff resistance from defenders holding entrenchments in the sand hills to the northwest of the town . Closest to the Mediterranean coast , the 7th Light Horse Regiment ( 2nd Light Horse Brigade ) met considerable opposition , but was eventually able to advance close up to the town . By 18 : 00 , the position of the attacking force was most satisfactory , and by 18 : 30 the whole position had been captured , while the defenders were retreating into the town centre . The Wellington Mounted Rifle Regiment and the 2nd Light Horse Brigade were well into the northern outskirts of the town . Units of the 158th ( North Wales ) Brigade ( 53rd Division ) and the Canterbury Mounted Rifle Regiment held Ali Muntar , the 159th ( Cheshire ) Brigade ' s right was holding trenches on Clay Hill , while its left was south of the town holding the Gaza to Beersheba road . The 161st ( Essex ) Brigade ( 54th Division ) held Green Hill and the 160th ( Welsh Border ) Brigade ( 53rd Division ) was holding a position to the north of the Labyrinth . By nightfall this combined force was consolidating its captured positions . Only on the western side of Gaza in the sand hills had the attack not been completely successful . Mounted screen attacked . At 14 : 20 Hodgson ordered his Imperial Mounted Division to move north and take over the Anzac Mounted Division ' s outpost positions . The 6th Mounted Brigade was to move to the east of Beit Durdis , while the 5th Mounted Brigade , currently astride the Gaza to Beersheba road , was to " fill the gap between it and the Camel Brigade , " which had orders to move to Kh er Reseim . Owing to a delay in the Camel Brigade receiving its orders , this relief was not completed until two hours later , after 18 : 30 when the 5th Mounted Brigade moved north . Meanwhile , the Ottoman Fourth Army ' s 3rd and 16th Infantry Divisions prepared to launch a counterattack by 1 , 000 men advancing towards Gaza . The two divisions were expected to be in action before dark , but the EEF cavalry and armoured cars were able to stop their advance before they were halfway from Tel esh Sheria to Gaza . Kress von Kressenstein did not persist with the attack but ordered a renewal of their attacks at dawn . About 300 of these reinforcements had been seen at 15 : 50 ( ten minutes after the combined attack on Gaza began ) marching towards the town from the north . A little later three more columns were reported moving in the same direction , while another 300 soldiers had moved into the sand hills west of Deir Sineid , to the north of Gaza . A squadron from the 22nd Mounted Yeomanry Brigade was sent to oppose these forces . From the east , units of the Ottoman Army had first been reported at 14 : 20 , advancing from the direction of Jemmameh ( east of Huj ) . When they were about from Beit Durdis , they attacked the Desert Column outposts holding Hill 405 . Two squadrons and one troop of Berkshire Yeomanry ( 6th Mounted Brigade ) defended the front . They reported being attacked by infantry , mounted troops , and some machine gun crews . Hodgson ordered the remainder of brigade , supported by the Berkshire Battery RHA , to reinforce this outpost front line . However , the remainder of the 6th Mounted Brigade was in the process of watering and could not start at once . The delay allowed the Ottoman force to capture the crest of Hill 405 at 17 : 15 . At 17 : 00 , Hodgson commanding the mounted screen , asked Chauvel commanding the mounted attack on Gaza , for reinforcements . Chauvel sent back the 8th and 9th Light Horse Regiments ( 3rd Light Horse Brigade ) , commanded by Brigadier General J . R . Royston . They moved back quickly under Royston ' s command to capture a high hill northwest of Hill 405 , which enabled the units of the Berkshire Yeomanry ( 6th Mounted Brigade ) to hold their position . The 8th and 9th Light Horse Regiments ( 3rd Light Horse Brigade ) with the 1 / 1st Queen ' s Own Dorset Yeomanry ( 6th Mounted Brigade ) held the line , while the 1st Nottinghamshire Battery Royal Horse Artillery and the Berkshire Battery enfilade d the advancing hostile formations . Six hostile guns in their firing line , returned fire . When three additional hostile batteries were brought forward , they enfiladed the Berkshire Battery , forcing it to withdraw at about 18 : 30 , just before dusk . After his divisional headquarters moved north , during his take over of the mounted screen , Hodgson discovered that he had lost contact with the 5th Mounted Brigade . It was nearly dark when , at 17 : 30 , a gap occurred in the line between the 6th Mounted Brigade and Imperial Camel Brigade at Kh er Reseim . Fortunately , hostile soldiers did not attempt to investigate the area before Chauvel sent back his last divisional reserve , the 10th Light Horse Regiment ( 3rd Light Horse Brigade ) , to fill the gap . In the growing darkness the light horse regiment succeeded in reaching its position . The No . 7 Light Car Patrol was sent to reinforce units holding off Ottoman reinforcements advancing from Deir Sineid at 17 : 15 . They strengthened the original two squadrons of the 6th Light Horse Regiment ( 2nd Light Horse Brigade ) which held the main road to the north of Gaza . They had been joined by a squadron of the 22nd Mounted Brigade and two more squadrons of the 6th Light Horse Regiment . The Nos . 11 and 12 Light Armoured Motor Batteries ( LAMB ) also reinforced the mounted screen holding off , about 4 , 000 Ottoman soldiers advancing from the direction of Huj and Jemmameh . These Ottoman Army units were reported to be 3 , 000 infantry and two squadrons of cavalry . The LAMBs reported to Royston and engaged the Ottoman Army until dark . Withdrawal of mounted divisions . During the battle the serious pressure , from Ottoman forces advancing to relieve Gaza from the east , had been expected and had begun to make an impact since 16 : 00 . However , in view of the late start to the battle and the threat from these reinforcements , Dobell , the commander of Eastern Force , after talking with Chetwode , the commander of Desert Column , decided that unless Gaza was captured by nightfall , the fighting must stop and the mounted force withdrawn . By dusk , some of the strong Ottoman Army trenches and redoubts defending Gaza , remained in their control . The British had fired some 304 shells and 150 , 000 rounds of small arms ammunition , while their infantry casualties were substantial . On the day of battle , 26 March 1917 , the sun set at 18 : 00 ( Cairo time ) . This occurred before Desert Column knew of the capture of Ali Muntar . Therefore , with the approval of Dobell , at 18 : 10 Chetwode commanding Desert Column , ordered Chauvel to withdraw the mounted force and retire across the Wadi Ghuzzeh . As these orders were being dispatched , a report came in from Dallas that Ali Muntar had been captured , but this information did not change Chetwode ' s mind . It was not until some time later that he was informed of the capture of the entire ridge . Chetwode ' s orders were to break off the action after dark and withdraw . The Anzac Mounted Division " saw victory snatched away from them by the order to withdraw . " This decision to withdraw was puzzling to many of those fighting in and near the town , as the infantry held Ali Muntar and 462 German and Ottoman army prisoners , including a general who was a divisional commander . They had also captured an Austrian battery of two Krupp 77mm field guns , along with a complete convoy . However , the whole attacking force was withdrawn to Deir el Belah and Khan Yunus on 27 and 28 March . The first units to withdraw were the slow moving wheels and camels , which received their orders at 17 : 00 from Desert Column . They move back to Hill 310 via Sheikh Abbas . With the Imperial Mounted Division , remaining in position to cover the retirement of the Anzac Mounted Division , the withdrawal of the fighting mounted units was slow and difficult , not because of hostile pressure ( there was none until dawn ) , but because the units were intermixed and the dismounted troops were far from their horses . One unit , the 7th Light Horse Regiment ( 2nd Light Horse Brigade ) was nearly from their horses and all their wounded had not yet been collected . The No . 7 Light Car Patrol reported to the headquarters of the Anzac Mounted Division at 18 : 40 and was ordered to return to base , while the cars of the Nos . 11 and 12 LAMB , camped in the vicinity of Kh er Reseim . At 19 : 05 Anzac Mounted Division ' s artillery began its retirement from divisional headquarters under escort , and the 43 wounded from the Anzac Mounted Division and 37 wounded from Imperial Mounted Division were collected and brought to the ambulances , while prisoners were sent back under escort . By 19 : 30 the 22nd Mounted Brigade was moving toward Divisional Headquarters and the 6th Mounted Brigade withdrew while Ottoman soldiers dug in on Hill 405 . At about midnight the Anzac Mounted Division was clear of the battlefield , while the Imperial Mounted Division , with the assistance of the Imperial Camel Brigade and armoured motor cars , held off the Ottoman reinforcements . At 02 : 00 when the guns of Anzac Mounted Division had reached Dier el Belah and the division was just passed Beit Dundis , Hodgson gave orders for the concentration of the Imperial Mounted Division ' s 3rd Light Horse , 5th , and 6th Mounted Brigades , while the Imperial Camel Brigade took up a line from the Wadi Guzzeh to the left of the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division ' s headquarters . At 04 : 30 , the cars in the Nos . 11 and 12 LAMB broke camp near Kh er Reseim , and as they moved southwards encountered opposition from Ottoman Army units . After two hours of stiff fighting they managed to retire , while at 04 : 50 the No . 7 Light Car Patrol was moving along the Gaza to Beersheba road . It was not until 05 : 30 that an Ottoman attack in strength fell on the rear of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade ( Imperial Mounted Division ) just as the brigade was crossing the Gaza - Beersheba road near Kh Sihan . The No . 7 Light Car Patrol gave very effective support to the brigade , and together with the light horsemen , became heavily engaged , fighting the Ottoman Army advancing from Huj . The advancing reinforcements were stopped , and the light cars covered the 3rd Light Horse Brigade ' s retirement back to the Imperial Camel Brigade ' s position , at 07 : 00 on the morning of 27 March 1917 . Withdrawal of infantry . At 17 : 38 Dobell commanding Eastern Force , ordered the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division to move to the west to Burjabye Ridge , and informed Desert Column . An hour later , at 18 : 35 ( 25 minutes after Chetwode ordered Chauvel to withdraw ) , Dobell informed Desert Column and the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division " that he contemplated withdrawing the whole force across the Wadi Ghazze if Gaza did not shortly fall . " There have been claims that the infantry were the first to retire and that , due to a communications breakdown , the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division made a complete and premature retirement . However , that infantry division had not been told of the movement of the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division and was still in position . It was not until just before 19 : 00 that Chetwode phoned Dallas , commander of the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , to inform him of the withdrawal of the mounted troops , and the need for him to move his right to reestablish contact with the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division . Dallas was under the impression that he was to move back to Sheikh Abbas , from his right on Clay Hill , while Chetwode meant that the two divisions would reconnect north of Mansura and not much over from the 161st ( Essex ) Brigade , 54th ( East Anglian ) Division , at Green Hill . Dallas protested , instead asking for reinforcements to close the gap between the two divisions . This request was denied and when he prevaricated , asking for time to consider the order , Chetwode gave him the verbal order , believing the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division was moving its right back to gain touch with the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division near Mansura . " Dallas states that he had explained on the telephone the full extent of his withdrawal to General Chetwode ; the latter states that he did not understand his subordinate to mean that he was abandoning anything like so much ground . In any case the responsibility rests upon Desert Column Headquarters , since General Dallas had telegraphed to it the line he was taking up . " As late as 21 : 12 , the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division still held Ali Muntar , at which time they advised Desert Column they would have to evacuate towards Sheikh Abbas , to conform with a withdrawal occurring on their right . At 22 : 30 Dallas , commander of the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , issued orders for the whole of his force to withdraw to a line which stretched from the caves at Tell el Ujul , near the Wadi Ghuzzeh on the left through a point north of Esh Sheluf , and on to Mansura and Sheikh Abbas involving a retirement of on the Es Sire Ridge and between Clay Hill and Mansura . He informed Desert Column of this move . By 23 : 00 , Dobell commanding Eastern Force , had become aware of the extent of the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division ' s successes . He also received intercepted wireless messages , which had been unduly delayed , between Kress von Kressenstein at Tel esh Sheria and Major Tiller , the German officer commanding the Gaza garrison , indicating the desperate situation of the garrison . Dobell immediately ordered Chetwode and Dallas to dig in on their present line , connecting his right with the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division . Reoccupations and retreats . It was nearly midnight when Dallas commanding 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , discovered the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division was moving towards the north of Mansura – had he known of this move at the time , he would not have abandoned all of the captured positions . It 05 : 00 on 27 March , when Chetwode learned that the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division had abandoned its entire position , and he ordered them back to Ali Muntar . Dallas ordered the 160th ( Welsh Border ) Brigade ( 53rd Division ) and 161st ( Essex ) Brigades ( 54th Division ) to push forward with strong patrols to the positions they had held on the previous evening . Both Green Hill and Ali Muntar were found to be unoccupied and one company of the 1 / 7th Battalion Essex Regiment , ( 161st Brigade ) reoccupied Ali Muntar , while two companies of the same battalion reoccupied Green Hill . After the 2nd Battalion of the 10th Middlesex Regiment ( 160th Brigade ) had pushed forward patrols beyond Sheluf , the 2nd Battalion of the 4th Royal West Surrey or 4th Royal West Kent Regiment ( 160th Brigade ) was ordered to advance and " gain touch " with the 161st Brigade . However , as the battalion advanced in artillery formation , they could see the 161st Brigade to the northeast " falling back . " Meanwhile the 1 / 1st Battalion , Herefordshire Regiment ( 158th Brigade , 53rd Division ) had also been ordered to reoccupy their brigade ' s position and was advancing , when they too saw the 161st Brigade withdrawing . After dawn on 27 March the first Ottoman counterattacks recaptured Ali Muntar and a portion of Green Hill , but the 1 / 7th Battalion of the Essex Regiment , ( 161st Brigade , 54th Division ) , retook the positions before consolidating and re - establishing their posts . Meanwhile the Ottoman force , which had attacked the 3rd Light Horse Brigade , appeared on Sheikh Abbas and shelled the rear of Dallas ' position , " including his reserves , medical units and transport camels , " but made no serious attack on the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division holding Burjabye Ridge . The hostile artillery batteries at Sheikh Abbas targeted all the tracks across the Wadi Ghuzzeh , employed by the Egyptian Camel Transport Corps , who were at the time attempting to supply food , water and ammunition , to the forward units . At 08 : 00 the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division came under orders of Eastern Force , and Dobell received an appreciation from Dallas at 09 : 15 . This stated that if the present positions of the 53rd ( Welsh ) and 54th ( East Anglian ) Divisions were to be maintained , the German and Ottoman occupation of Sheikh Abbas must be ended . This was confirmed by G . P . Dawnay , Brigadier General General Staff ( BGGS ) , Eastern Force . Dallas suggested Sheikh Abbas might best be recaptured by Desert Column , as the 52nd ( Lowland ) Division was too far away . However , by 08 : 10 the Imperial Mounted Division had arrived back at Deir el Belah and the Anzac Mounted Division was marching via Abu Thirig past Hill 310 where Chauvel met Chetwode . Chetwode ordered the horses of both divisions to water and return to a position near El Dameita to support an attempt by the infantry to retake Ali Muntar . At 08 : 30 when the Anzac Mounted Division also arrived back at Deir el Belah , Chetwode took over command of the two mounted divisions from Chauvel . The Anzac Mounted Division returned to take up a position near El Dameita which it held until 16 : 00 , while the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division remained near Sheikh Abbas engaging the advancing Ottoman units from Beersheba . Ali Muntar , which had been held by two battalions of the Essex Regiment ( 54th Division ) , was strongly attacked , and at 09 : 30 the British infantry were forced to withdraw , having suffered severe losses . They fell back to Green Hill where they were almost surrounded , but managed to withdraw to a line south of Ali Muntar halfway between that hill and Sheluf . After first advising Murray , at 16 : 30 Dobell issued orders for the withdrawal to the left bank of the Wadi Ghuzzeh of the 53rd ( Welsh ) and the 54th ( East Anglian ) Divisions under the command of Dallas . This retirement , which began at 19 : 00 , was completed without interference from the Ottoman Army . An aerial reconnaissance on the morning of 28 March reported that no Ottoman units were within range of the British guns . No large scale attacks were launched by either side , but very active aircraft bombings and artillery duels continued for a time . Casualties . British casualties amounted to 4 , 000 ; 523 killed , 2932 wounded and over 512 missing , including five officers and 241 other ranks known to be prisoners . These were mainly from the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division and the 161st ( Essex ) Brigade of the 54th ( East Anglian ) Division . The Ottoman Army forces suffered a total of 2 , 447 casualties . Of these , 16 Germans and Austrians were killed or wounded , 41 being reported missing , and 1 , 370 Ottoman soldiers were killed or wounded with 1 , 020 missing . According to Cemal Pasha , Ottoman losses amounted to less than 300 men killed , 750 wounded , and 600 missing . The Anzac Mounted Division suffered six killed , 43 or 46 wounded , and two missing , while the Imperial Mounted Division suffered 37 casualties . Aftermath . Both Murray and Dobell portrayed the battle as a success , Murray sending the following message to the War Office on 28 March : " We have advanced our troops a distance of fifteen miles from Rafa to the Wadi Ghuzzee , five miles west of Gaza , to cover the construction of the railway . On the 26th and 27th we were heavily engaged east of Gaza with a force of about 20 , 000 of the enemy . We inflicted very heavy losses upon him . . . All troops behaved splendidly . " And Dobell wrote , The British press reported the battle as a success , but an Ottoman plane dropped a message that said , " You beat us at communiqués , but we beat you at Gaza . " Dallas , the commander of the 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , resigned after the battle , owing to a " breakdown in health . " Judged by Western Front standards , the defeat was small and not very costly . Murray ' s offensive power had not been greatly affected and preparations for a renewal of the offensive were quickly begun . The Second Battle of Gaza began on 17 April 1917 .