Australians captured at Shellal

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 02 Aug 2007 12:05

From The Library of Congress:

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/phpdata/.....ollID=coll

"Australians captured at Shellal 1917"

Where is Shellal?How many LH were captured?

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 02 Aug 2007 12:10

"Lewis guns captured near Shellal, 1917"

stevebecker · Post by **stevebecker** » 02 Aug 2007 22:59

Peter,

Could it be after the first battle of Gaza?

I think these soldiers are aussies and British possible Yeomanry or Infantry captured during the fighting there in March 1917?

Cheers

S.B

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 03 Aug 2007 07:21

Thanks Steve

I think your right.Shellal is 14 miles south of Gaza.

Regards
Peter

stevebecker · Post by **stevebecker** » 03 Aug 2007 08:20

Mate,

I like the extra firepower the Turks now have with 6 Lewis guns.

Thats more then a Turkish MG company at that time.

No wonder the 2nd Gaza battle was a failure with the added MG's to their defence.

The only problem with using captured MG's is the ammo supply.

The MG 's could be aussie but more likely British. Didn't the aussie LH change from Lewis guns to Hotchkiss guns before 1917.

Cheers

S.B

Bill Woerlee · Post by **Bill Woerlee** » 03 Aug 2007 08:46

Mates

I hate to rain on your parade but Shellal was abandoned by the Turks in early March 1917 and so these pix were taken at least a month before Gaza 1. We know that Lewis Guns came into general use with the mounted units after 20 September 1916 so the pic was taken between October 1916 and February 1917. I can count 7 Australians and the rest are mainly Brits with two Egyptians in the group. I had a look through the Brigade War Diaries to see if any large group of prisoners was taken with Lewis Guns and I can't find a reference.

Cheers

Bill

Tosun Saral · Post by **Tosun Saral** » 03 Aug 2007 09:22

Shellal is in Turkish Şelale (waterfall)

There are 3 main routes to Egypt
1-Gazze-Elariş-Elkantara
2-Gazze-Birüssebi-Şelale-Magdabe-Biyuti-Ismailiye
3-Akabe-Kalatünnahil-Süveyş

the 2nd roure is remote. Only caravans use that road. There is no water.

After fierce defeat of 80th Regt. at Magdabe on Dec. 23rd 1916 and 31st Regt at Tellelrefah on Jan. 9th 1917 the Turks reteated to Şelale leaving behind only a battalion and a MG Co at Hafirülavce.