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Charge at Huj
Part of Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
Ottoman gun captured during the charge
Date 8 November 1917 Location Huj, southern Palestine Result British victory
Belligerents
British Empire	Ottoman Empire  German Empire  Austria-Hungary
Units involved
Worcestershire Yeomanry Warwickshire Yeomanry	Part of XXI Corps
Casualties and losses
26 dead 40 wounded	70 prisoners 11 artillery guns 4 machine guns captured

The Charge at Huj (8 November 1917), (also known by the British as the Affair of Huj), was an engagement between forces of the British Empire and the Ottoman Empire during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War.

The charge was carried out by units of the 5th Mounted Yeomanry Brigade, against a rearguard position of German, Austrian and Ottoman artillery and infantry armed with machine guns. The charge was successful the British captured the position, seventy prisoners, eleven pieces of artillery and four machine guns. However British casualties were heavy, of the 170 men taking part; twenty-six were killed and forty wounded. They also had 100 horses killed.

The charge is claimed to be one of the last British cavalry charges and was immortalised in a watercolour painting by the noted British artist Lady Butler.

Background

Huj is a Palestinian Arab village located 9.3 miles (15.0 km) north east of Gaza. During the Third Battle of Gaza, under pressure from the British attack, the majority of the Ottoman forces from XXI Corps, had withdrawn from the area on 5 November. At around 14:00 8 November 1917, the following British forces with the 60th (2/2nd London) Division in the lead were stopped by artillery fire from a strong rearguard position on a ridge of high ground to the south of Huj. The Ottoman rearguard, was established to protect the withdrawal of the Eighth Army headquarters, and was comprised of German, Austrian and Ottoman artillery, around 300 infantry and six machine guns. Aware that his infantry division alone would have problems taking the Ottoman position, the 60th Division commanding officer requested assistance from mounted troops.

Attack

The only mounted troops in the area were 170 yeomanry, two full squadrons and two half squadrons from the Worcestershire and Warwickshire Yeomanry, part of the British 5th Mounted Yeomanry Brigade in the Australian Mounted Division. The squadrons manoeuvred under cover to a forming up point 1,000 yards (910 m) on the British right. Advancing under cover of the terrain they got to within 300 yards (270 m) of the position, drew their swords and charged. The Warwickshire Yeomanry squadron attacked the main force of Ottoman infantry, then turned and attacked the gun line. The regiments other half squadron and the Worcestershire Yeomanry squadron attacked the guns from the front, while the remaining troops attacked a infantry position located at the rear behind the main force.

The only officer of the Worcestershire Yeomanry to escape uninjured Lieutenant Mercer described the charge;

"Machine guns and rifles opened up on us the moment we topped the rise behind which we had formed up. I remember thinking that the sound of crackling bullets was just like hailstorm on a iron-roofed building, so you may guess what the fusillade was....A whole heap of men and horses went down twenty or thirty yards from the muzzles of the guns. The squadron broke into a few scattered horsemen at the guns and seemed to melt away completely. For a time I, at any rate, had the impression that I was the only man left alive. I was amazed to discover we were the victors".

Another officer Captain Alan Williams of the Warwickshire Yeomanry said;

"They had served their guns until our advanced line was within 20 yards and then threw themselves under the their guns. Few remained standing and, where they did, were instantly stabbed. Others running away from the guns, threw themselves on the ground on being over-taken and thus saved themselves, for it was found almost impossible to sabre a man lying down at the pace we were travelling". "Undoubtedly, the flash of the swords and the great pace which we came at them completely demoralized the gunners, and although a few got away, they would never wait again for a cavalry charge.

All three charges were successful, and the main force of infantry withdrew leaving the guns undefended apart from their crews. The yeomanry captured seventy prisoners, eleven artillery guns and four machine guns. British casualties amounted to twenty-six men dead, including three squadron commanding officers, and forty wounded, 100 horses were also killed in the charge.

Aftermath

The charge opened the way for the British forces to continue the advance. As it had destroyed the last of the Ottoman strength south of Huj and the village was captured later that day. But, no large groups of Ottoman soldiers were cut off. However both British yeomanry regiments contingents were in no position to continue the pursuit of the withdrawing Ottoman forces. The pursuit was further hampered by problems with watering horses, lack of supplies, both of which were hindered by, the weather conditions. The British forces, from the Australian Mounted Division, did not follow up until the 9/10 November.

Major Oscar Teichman, the Medical Officer for the Worcestershire Yeomanry writing in the Cavalry Journal in 1936 said;

"The Charge at Huj had it occurred in a minor war would have gone down to history like the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava. In the Great War when gallant deeds were being enacted on all fronts almost daily it was merely an episode, but as the Official Historian remarks, for sheer bravery, the episode remains unmatched.”

The British official history said;

the charge "must ever remain a monument to extreme resolution and to that spirt of self-sacrifice which is the only beauty redeeming ugly war.

The charge at Huj, has been called "the last great charge of the British cavalry." It has since been immortalised in a watercolour painting by the noted British artist Lady Butler which hangs in the Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum.

Notes

Citations

1. Bruce, p.144
2. Bruce, p.143
3. ^ Grainger, p.156
4. ^ Rickard, J. "Affair of Huj". History of war. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
5. ^ Bruce, p.145
6. ^ Bruce, p.146
7. ^ Field Marshall Lord Carver, p.218.
8. Wavell, p.150
9. "Jack Parsons' Collection". Worcester City Museum. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
10. "Affair of Huj". Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum. Retrieved 15 February 2012.

Bibliography

• Bruce, Anthony (2002). The Last Crusade: The Palestine Campaign in the First World War. London: John Murray Ltd. ISBN 9780719554322.
• Field Marshall Lord Carver (2003). The National Army Museum Book of the Turkish Front. London: Pan Books. ISBN 978-0330491082.
• Grainger, John D. (2006). The battle for Palestine 1917. Ipswich: Boydell Press. ISBN 9781843832638.
• Wavell, Archibald Percival (1941). The Palestine campaigns. Edinburgh: Constable. OCLC 4982054.

External links

• Lady Butlers watercolour painting
• Diary of Yeomanry M.O. Major Oscar Teichman

• Conflicts in 1917
• 1917 in the Palestinian territories
• Battles of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
• Battles of World War I involving the United Kingdom
• Battles of World War I involving the Ottoman Empire