Diana Bell's ALH Research Notes
Diana Bell is carrying out separate research on the ALH.
On this page she will be gradually developing essays on her findings and thoughts.
THE RIDE TO DAMASCUS
In 1918,
The emu feathers bloomed
Along the roads to Damascus.
But today, no one knows where or
When or why so many feathers fell.
British honour and Australian cynicism
Trode the road together to Damascus.
On 1 October, 1918, Australian lighthorse troops liberated Turkish held Damascus. On 31 October, 1918, an armistice was signed with Turkey.
General Allenby, who led the allied campaign, had achieved a grand victory with his polyglot army of British, Australian and New Zealand lighthorse, Indian and french cavalry, Jewish and Arab divisions, camel corps and the Royal Air Force's dedicated and brilliant support. He had been hailed as a modern day crusading knight as he entered Jerusalem some months earlier. From April 1916, the Anzacs had formed the support and spearhead of his offensive against the faltering Turkish army in Palestine. Allenby understood the unique usefulness of mounted troops in the Palestinian topography and he led them with courage and boldness.
Lieutenant Colonel A.C.N. Olden, DSO, second in command of the 10th Australian Light Horse and who Sir Harry Chauvel acknowledged took the surrender when his troops entered Damascus first, takes up the story of the fall of Damascus in his book "Westralian Cavalry in the War":
'At five o'clock on the morning of October 1st, 1918 the 10th Regiment...commenced its march to the Aleppo road.....
Opposite the spacious Hotel Victor (in Damascus) the column turned and crossed the bridge over the Barada and forcing a passage through the crowded streets, made for the imposing looking Hall of Government, the steps of which were lined with officials and notables.....
The Second in Command, with Major Timperley and Lieut. McGregor dismounted and carrying their revolvers, were conducted up the marble stairway to the Governor's presence....Behind a small table , in a high backed gold and plush chair, sat a small man of distinguished appearance...This was the Emir Said....installed as Governor the previous afternoon (by the retreating Turkish commander).
The officers advanced, halted in the centre of the room, and through an interpreter, called for the Governor to approach. Emir Said rose and, coming forward with outstretched hands said in Arabic: In the name of the City of Damascus, I welcome the British army.
Does the city surrender? he was asked.
Yes, there will be no further opposition in the city.
As the column proceeded to leave for the Aleppo Road it "assumed the aspect of a triumphal procession, the dense masses of people rapidly becoming hysterical in their manifestations of joy."
Why, then, do most people assume T.E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia liberated Damascus? or indeed was the only warrior to liberate Palestine? Lawrence became the hero of the campaign overshadowing Allenby and silencing the accolades due to the Anzac troops who also played a decisive part in the administration of Damascus. Why, have the Australians allowed this to happen? Lawrence's part in the campaign was a 'sidehow' and this is not to detract from Lawrence's extraordinary abilities. Has the truth been deliberately fudged and if so, why and why is it important that Australians learn once again about the extraordinary feats of endurance, courage and horsemanship of the anzac lighthorse in the Palestine campaign.
Was truth a casualty of the spin on Lawrence's exploits?
Colonel Olden expresses his opinion: "But other influences were now at work - far more sinister and more sordid than the sudden overwhelming of an honourable foe in battle...
Now that the armies of Turkey and their Allies in this theatre of war were broken, the British role in the drama appeared henceforth to be one of self-effacement. Doubtless the terms of the Allied 'understanding' were quite clear as to the future of the conquered territories...
To Amir Feisal...the government of Syria was immediately handed, with Damascus as headquarters. The city became ablaze with the Hedjez flag, the symbol of Arab 'independence'. Feisal and his motley crew...installed themselves in the Public Offices and palatial residences of Damascus and proceeded to administer the affairs of State, assisted by a handful of impractical British enthusiasts, wearing kefeers, and called liaison offices."
It is not the aim of this article to dwell on T E Lawrence.
Libraries are filled with books about Lawrence, it is difficult to find anything about the Lighthorse. Lawrence was the British officer assigned to the Sherifian forces to attempt to influence King Faisal to mould the disparate bedouin tribes into a fighting force to revolt against and harry the Turkish army on the west and enter Damascus triumphant and establish an Arab kingdom in the west. (Muddying the eastern sludge was the Balfour Declaration proclaimed a few weeks after the fall of Beersheba in 1917 by the British recognising Palestine as a Jewish homeland).
After the war Lawrence, an Oxford educated and cultured scholar, wrote 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom' which describes the Arab revolt against the Turks and the part he played. It is an enigmatic work (he told a friend after the war "..7 Pillars is a work of art but it is not the history of the Arab Revolt nor the capture of Damascus.".) Lawrence rarely has complimentary things to say about Australians. Lawrence's comments about the entry to Damascus: 'The sporting Australians saw the campaign as a point-to-point, with Damascus the post; but in reality we were all under Allenby, now and the victory had been the logical fruit solely of his genius ...
He (Allenby) hoped we would be present at the entry, partly because he knew how much more than a mere trophy Damascus was to the Arabs; ... Lawrence acknowledged: In their envelopment of Damascus the Australians might be forced, despite orders, to enter the town...' In other words, there seemed an acknowledgment by Allenby that Lawrence's forces would enter first.
The entry to Damascus: Quite quietly we drove up the long street to the Government buildings on the bank of the Barada. The way was packed with people.... 'And he goes on to describe the installation of arab government. He makes no mention of taking the surrender of the city.
So while the anzacs entered, took the surrender and left Damascus quickly to continue after the fleeing Turkish Fourth army, the Arab army took the triumph. The fall of Damascus seems to be ascribed to Lawrence. The following day, Australian light horse were used to parade through the streets to restore law and order to the Arab administered city. Hill, Chauvel's biographer takes up the story: "The shooting and looting continued until Lawrence himself became so alarmed...he sent Chauvel an urgent request for Troops. A squadron of Light Horse came in at the gallop "as if the touch of a magician's wand, the trouble ceased. Thereafter 2 regiments of the Australian Mounted Division were stationed in the city.."
Australians were instrumental in dealing with the appalling state of the Turkish hospitals and the problems they encountered are recounted by Colonel Olden:"Colonel Todd with his small body of Australian Light Horse took over this dreadful camp (at Kaukab). The authentic records of the heart-breaking efforts of our own medical personnel to obtain drugs and stores for our own sick and dying during those early days of Arab administration would make surprising reading - if it did not stir one's blood with indignation."
The relationship between General Chauvel and T.E. Lawrence after the fall of Damascus makes fascinating reading. It appeared each had a different agenda and General Allenby a third, all of which received an airing in Damascus. Chauvel's was a military agenda and he wanted his troops to receive recognition. Lawrence it would seem was sent quickly back to London since his francophobe attitudes were not acceptable to British foreign policy. Allenby's job was to secure british foreign interests one way or another.
By the time the Australian soldiers had reached Damascus they were exhausted and many were ill from fever, malaria and flu. They were battle hardened men who had been away from Australia and New Zealand for four years. Between 19 September to 1 October, 1918 the Australian Mounted Division had advanced 150 miles, captured 31,335 prisoners with the loss of 21 killed. Each trooper knew he had participated in one of the most successful and spectacular cavalry drives in history. But the accolades were slow in being attributed to them.
The Arabs assumed their victory, their relationship with Allenby deteriorated sharply over an incident north of Damascus when the anzacs took the disciplining of the local population into their own hands, they had to leave their beloved horses behind, shooting many to ensure they were not left to uncertain fates; many Lighthorsemen did not return home immediately as they were diverted to Egypt to police the growing political disturbances there, an unpopular job that had to be done for the British.
In Hill's biography of General Sir Harry Chauvel, the continued problem of gaining recognition for his troops in the face of deliberate British policy of giving credit to the Arab forces at the expense of the Australians is illustrated in a useful pictoral example. Chauvel wanted an inscription added to the cliff face of the Dog River near Beirut, a place already inscribed by the likes of previous conquerors such as Ramses II and Alexander. He asked some Royal Engineers to do it. The result was the following: The British Desert Mounted Corps aided by the Arab Forces of King Hussein captured Damascus Homs and Aleppo October 1918. It was not until 1927 that he was able to change the inscription. It now reads:
The Deserted Mounted Corps composed of
British, Australian, New Zealand and Indian Cavalry
with a French Regiment of Spahis and Chasseurs d'Afrique
and the Arab Forces of King Hussein
Captured Damascus, Homs and Aleppo
October 1918
It is time Australians and New Zealanders revisited this military victory, and honoured it.
These men were heroes, larger than life, we need them in these cynical times.
These were our horsemen who rose to Damascus.
Diana Bell
Email:
d.bell@arts.unimelb.edu.au cc: aoal@email.com
© Copyright '1999 Diana Bell
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