6th Essex in Egypt and the Battles for Gaza
1916
On 28 December 1916 the 6th Essex arrived at Amriya which was Battalion HQ.
Major C R Roberts and Lieut-Colonel Delamare took temporary command before Lieut-Colonel W J Bowker was appointed to command on 6th February 1916.
The role of the Battalion was in protecting communication from marauding bands which meant many small detachments at railway stations from Alexandria to Daba.
In May 1916 Major Walker and Lieutenants J E Reid and F L Darlington were transferred to the new 161st Brigade Machine Gun Corps then 2nd Lieutenants C W B Adams and A Fowler Newsam were transferred to the Camel Corps. Moves continued with Lieutenants W F Cook and R E Cook being transferred to the Prisoner of War Camp at Esh Shatt.
1916 saw several moved in the area with little action leaving illness as the weakening factor in Battalion strength.
After a year on guard duty the 4th Essex went into action on 26 March 1917 near to Gaza as part of an attack to capture Gaza from the Turks.
First Battle of Gaza
4th and 5th Essex led the attack non the strategic defensive positions of Mansura Ridge that would open a route to Gaza. The 6th and 7th Essex were in reserve.
The attack faltered but with support from 2 companies of the 6th the line was carried and Turkish trenches occupied by 5.30pm.
The Brigade suffered severe casualties including fatal wounds to Lieut-Colonel Jameson who was commander of the 4th Essex and wounding to Lieut-Colonel Gibbons who commanded the 5th Essex.
Lieut Colonel Jameson displayed heroism in leading the charge and when hit refused to allow RSM to get treatment for him until the men around his had been seen.
The 6th Essex commanders were - A Company Captain Tee, B Company Captain Sheldon, C Company Captain Rayner and D Company Captain H F Silverwood.
His second in command Major Barrington Wells was hit in the arm early on but stayed in the field until the tranches were taken and the situation stabilised.
On the morning of 27 March 1917 a counter attack by the Turks forced a partial withdrawal of the 6th and 7th Essex who were defending the forward lien. During the retreat Captain Tee, Captain Rayner and Captain Silverwood of the 6th Essex were all killed
Stiffening attacks by the Turks caused the withdrawal of the Brigade to Seirat so ending the first battle of Gaza.
Casualties were heavy with 18 of 27 officers killed or wounded.
Officers killed were Major H P Alexander, Captain E W Tee, Captain L B Rayner, Captain L F Silverwood, Lieut H P Taverner, Lieut H W Clubb and 2nd Lieut H S Phillips.
Click here for the memorial erected after this battle.2nd Battle of Gaza
Gaza remained strategically important to both sides which meant that a second attempt to take it would be mounted. Although the Allied forces were reinforced so were the Turkish defences and crucially the element of surprise was absent.
At 4am on 16 April 1917 the assault began with the 4 Essex Battalions operating in the same area as the first battle.
The initial assault met little resistance and a new front line was consolidated. A further advance on 19 April 1917 again made initial advances but they ran into fierce resistance holding a new line albeit one that still did not meet the objectives.
A decision was taken to halt the assault and maintain the new lines.
During this period shelling and small arms fire was exchanged but there was no real movement in the lines although the Turks took the opportunity to strengthen the defences and turn Gaza into a fortress.
The 6th Essex under Lieut-Colonel W J Bowker CMG DSO sustained 8 casualties from shell shock having taken part in the initial advance but then being ordered into the reserve.
Major G G Ewer from the 7th Essex took over command and on 12 May 1917 the Battalion beat off a strong attack by the Turks with the loss of 1 man and 2 men wounded.
The varied duty of front line and reserve action continued through the summer.
On 27 October 1917 an observation party run into fire from the Turks at which point Sergeant Bate went to the rescue of a wounded NCO for which he was awarded a MC.
3rd Battle of Gaza
The third Battle of Gaza was fought at the end of October/Start of November 1917. The successful breaking of the Turkish line opened the way to the advance on Palestine and Syria in the final months of the war.
The four Essex Regiments were all again part of 161 Brigade for the battle.
The 161 Brigade Staff were
Brigadier-General W Marriot Doddington - OIC
Captain A C M Paris - Brigade Major
Lieut J H F Bensford - 7th Essex - Staff Captain
The 6th Essex Command was With Lieut Colonel G G Ewer DSO and Adjutant Captain H H Clark.
On 2nd November 1917 the 6th were ordered to attack Beach and Sea Posts and quickly overran the positions after a particularly effective bombardment of the enemy positions by artillery.
A Company Commander Lieut C W Silverwood, B Company 2nd Lieut Armstrong, C Company Captain R O'H Smith and D Company Captain D H Rose.
Members of C company to receive praise for their part in the attack included Lieut R E Cook, Lieut Clapton, Lieut Withers, Sergeant Major Flarry, Sergeant Bateman, Private Mathers and Private Lodge.
Private Alcock was the only man killed in C Company.
The battle raged for several days until dawn on 7th November 1917 showed that the Turks had abandoned their positions.
An advance by the 6th Essex showed that they had also vacated Gaza although it was badly damaged.
