The First Battle of Amman was fought from 27 to 31 March 1918 during the First Transjordan attack on Amman of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War. The 60th (London) Division and the Anzac Mounted Division attacked the Ottoman garrison at Amman deep in enemy occupied territory, 48 kilometres (30 mi) from their front line, after capturing Es Salt and Shunet Nimrin. The Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) was successfully counterattacked by Ottoman Empire forces forcing them to retreat back to the bridgeheads captured on the Jordan River.
Following the victories at the Third Battle of Gaza and the Battle of Beersheba, the EEF had pursued the retreating Ottoman armies, fighting successful battles at Mughar Ridge in November and capturing Jerusalem in December. During the winter of 1917/1918 these considerable territorial gains were consolidated and the front line established. In February 1918 the front line was pushed eastwards by the EEF when the right flank of the Jaffa to Jerusalem line was extended by the capture of land from the east of Jerusalem stretching down into the Jordan Valley to capture Jericho. In early March the front line from the Mediterranean to Abu Tellul in the Judean Hills, was pushed north during the action of Tell 'Asur. These two adjustments to the front line were necessary precursors, to advances by Allenby's EEF across the Jordan River and into the hills of Moab to Es Salt and Amman.
The Passage of the Jordan was effected by a British Empire force of Australian and British swimmers, crossing the fast-flowing river while under fire. Pontoon bridges were quickly constructed and the infantry and mounted troops crossed the river to establish bridgeheads on the eastern bank, before advancing up to and across the high country; the infantry moving along the main road with the mounted columns riding on both flanks. They were to cut the railway line to the north and south of Amman by destroying long sections of the Hejaz Railway, including bridges and a viaduct. Amman was strongly defended by the Fourth Army garrison which was further strengthened by the arrival of reinforcements. British Empire infantry and artillery reinforcements from Es Salt strengthened the 181st Brigade and the Anzac Mounted Division's attacking force travelling across difficult and unfriendly terrain. Although the combined force of infantry and mounted troops made determined attacks on Amman over several days, the strength of defence and threats to lines of communication forced a retreat back to the Jordan Valley. The only territorial gains following the offensive were the establishment of bridgeheads on the eastern side of the river at Ghoraniyeh and Makhadet Hajlah.
Background
After capturing Aqaba Prince Feisal's Sherifial Forces pushed north after establishing a new base at Aqaba. Raiding parties attacked the Hejaz Railway from Tebuk, and a small trained force based in the Wadi Araba in the Ghor south of the Dead Sea, threatened Ma'an and Hishe Forest. An Ottoman attack north west of Ma'an in the Petra region in October 1917 was partly successful, but did not stop the raids. At the end of 1917 Sherifial Forces captured Shobek and Tafilah 72 km (45 mi) north of Ma'an and in January 1918 wiped out the Ottoman force sent to retake Tafila. In retaliation, Erich von Falkenhayn commanding Yildirim Army Group, ordered a force to Katrani halfway between Ma'an and Amman which included a German battalion, which drove the Sherifial Force out of Tafila and back to Shobek in early March.
While von Falkenhayn's force, which had been redeployed from the Fourth Army in the Amman region, was out of position attacking the Sherifial Forces at Tafila, there was an opportunity for the EEF to invade the transjordan and attack Amman. Such an attack would draw von Falkenhayn's force northwards back towards Amman and make it possible for Prince Feisal to attack Ma'an. It may also be possible for the EEF and the Sherifial Force to make contact.
Before the first transjordan attack could begin, it was necessary to broaden the EEF's base to better support the proposed attack on the Hejaz Railway at Amman. Between 8 and 12 March 1918, the front line in the Judean Hills was pushed further north during the Battle of Tell 'Asur resulting in a substantially stronger base for attacks to the east. A general advance on a front of between 23–42 km (14–26 mi) and up to a maximum of depth of between 8–11 km (5–7 mi) by the XX Corps and XXI Corps, pushed Ottoman forces north from the River Auja on the Mediterranean coast, from both sides of Jerusalem to Nablus road capturing Ras el Ain and Tell 'Asur and from Abu Tellul and Mussallabeh on the heights above the Jordan Valley.
Amman
Also called Rabbath Ammon by the Ammonites and Philadelphia when it was one of the Decapolis's ten cities during Roman rule, Amman, with its fine Roman ruins including an amphitheatre, lies "cupped in hills." A citadel on a hill covered the northern and western approaches to the city while east was the Hejaz railway, turntable and railway station 3 km (2 mi) from the city along the Wadi Amman. To the south of the station was a ten-arched viaduct, known as the Ten Arches Bridge, and a 141 m (462 ft) railway tunnel.
Prelude
Prior to the advance to Es Salt and Amman, diversionary attacks across the entire front were planned to precede the passage of the Jordan River and the establishment of a bridgehead on the eastern bank. The diversionary attacks were to be coordinated with an Arab raid led by T. E. Lawrence on the Hejaz railway station at Deraa. This railway line ran from Constantinople to Damascus, continuing southwards through eastern Syria 100 km (60 mi) east of Jerusalem all the way to Medina.
Ottoman forces
The headquarters of the Ottoman Fourth, Seventh and Eighth Armies were located at Amman east of the Jordan River, and at Nablus and Tulkarm in the Judean Hills respectively. The headquarters of the Yildirim Army Group commanded by Otto Liman von Sanders, was located at Nazareth. The Tulkarm garrison was commanded by Yasin al-Hashimi, who also commanded Ottoman troops during the battle.
About 4,000 to 5,000 German and Ottoman soldiers with rifles, a large number of machine guns and 15 guns defended fortified positions covering the railway viaduct and tunnel in the Amman area while another 2,000 Ottoman soldiers defended the region towards Es Salt. The force defending Shunet Nimrin, Es Salt and Amman, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Asim, included the 3rd Assault Company with three infantry battalions, the German 703rd Infantry Battalion with the Asia Corps machine gun company, a cavalry troop and an artillery section.
The assault detachment ... was composed of one infantry company (about 100 men), one engineer (pioneer) platoon (one officer, four NCOs and thirty men) and seven light machine-gun teams. The officers assigned to the assault detachments were hand-picked from within the division by divisional staff. The assault detachment was given four week's training in German-style stormtrooper tactics, to which the division sent an additional officer and five NCOs. Eventually the assault detachment was expanded into an assault battalion.
These assault battalions which consisted of between 300 and 350 officers and men were well equipped. They were frequently used in counterattacks and as divisional and corps reserves. The 3rd Assault Company was formed from a divisional detachment in late February 1918.
Defending Amman on 27 March the Ottoman and German garrison consisted of 2,150 rifles, 70 machine guns and ten guns. Jemal Kuchuk commander of the Fourth Army, arrived on 28 March to take command of the defence of Amman. Up to 30 March, approximately 2,000 reinforcements arrived with more to follow. In reserve at the Amman railway station were the 46th Assault Company from the infantry's 46th Division. Part of the 150th Regiment (48th Division) garrisoned Amman and part of the regiment guarded the railway to the north and south of the city. One battalion of this regiment and one battalion of the 159th Regiment with some Circassian irregular cavalry, guarded the region towards the Jordan River between Es Salt and Ghoraniyeh, manning posts guarding the river. The German 703rd Battalion with a cavalry troop, an artillery section and the Asia Corps' machine gun company which was "particularly strong in machine guns", had arrived back from Tafilah and was in the foothills at Shunet Nimrin on the Amman road by 21 March. These units amounted to no more than 1,500 rifles deployed between Amman and the Jordan River, when the EEF crossed the river.
German and Ottoman squadrons of aircraft in the area included single-seater Albatros D.V.as, and A.E.G. two-seaters with Rumpler (260-h.p. Mercedes), L.V.G.'s (260-h.p. Benz) engines and Halberstadt two-seaters, all with similar flying-speeds to the British Bristol Fighters.
Shea's Force
The Lieutenant General Philip Chetwode's XX Corps was given oversight of the invading force under the command of Major General John Shea, commander of the 60th (London) Division. Shea's Force consisted of his infantry division, the Anzac Mounted Division, the Imperial Camel Brigade including their artillery of the Hong Kong and Singapore Mountain Battery, with four BL 2.75 inch Mountain Guns, (firing 12-pounder shells). They were supported by a Light Armoured Car Brigade and the 10th Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA).
On several occasions during the concentration of Shea's force, German and Ottoman aircraft bombed their camps which had been left unprotected, by British Empire aircraft.
Chaytor's Force
Edward Chaytor commanded the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, the 2nd Light Horse Brigade and the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade which advanced to attack Amman from Es Salt.
Northern flank protection
Two regiments of the 1st Light Horse Brigade were deployed to defend the northern flank of Shea's and Chaytor's forces in the Jordan Valley with one regiment garrisoning Es Salt.
Objectives of EEF attack
Despite the extended front Shea's force would be operating on far from reinforcements, resistance to the attack was expected to be light. The primary tactical objective of the attack was the destruction of the Amman viaduct. By destroying railway infrastructure which would take considerable time to rebuild like tunnels and viaducts, pressure on the Arab forces operating in the Ma'an area by the Ottoman Army, would be reduced. Allenby also hoped Shea's attack would encourage the recall of a large Ottoman force which had occupied Tafila in March.
The railway was to be destroyed by Chaytor's Force; in particular the viaduct, a bridge to the north of the viaduct and another bridge close to the Amman station were the objectives. Subsequent to gaining all objectives Chaytor and Shea were to withdraw back to the Jordan River leaving a "strong detachment at Es Salt and mounted troops to protect its communication."
During these operations the remainder of the EEF continued to hold the front line, garrison the captured territories and transport supplies and rations.
Trek to Amman
The 3rd Light Horse Regiment (1st Light Horse Brigade) occupied Es Salt in the evening of 25 March with the 179th Brigade of the 60th (London) Division entering the town at midnight. Es Salt, was garrisoned by the 60th (London) Division and the 6th Squadron, Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment (New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade). While the two brigades of the Anzac Mounted Division; the New Zealand Mounted Rifles and the 2nd Light Horse Brigades with the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade were to climb directly from the Jordan Valley up to the plateau riding towards Amman following tracks further south through Na'ur, concentrated at Ain es Sir cross roads next morning, 26 March.
Amman, a further 29 km (18 mi) to the east southeast across the plateau from Es Salt, is 900 m (3,000 ft) above sea level requiring a climb of 290 m (950 ft) from Es Salt. The divisional headquarters of the Anzac Mounted Division together with the 2nd Light Horse Brigade and the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade marched towards Amman on the number three road, a track well to the south of the main road which passed through the village of Naaur some 5 km (3 mi) to the south of Shunet Nimrin. From the Jordan River at 370 m (1,200 ft) below sea level, the road to Naaur 26 km (16 mi) away rises 1,300 m (4,300 ft) through a maze of rocky hills intersected by deep ravines. The head of the mounted force reached the top at about 02:00 on 25 March but was stretched out in single file for about 13 km (8 mi) along the side of the mountains. As the road to Naaur dwindled away to a track all wheels had to be left behind including most of the reserve small arms ammunition (SAA). Only four small pack mountain guns, a little reserve ammunition (two boxes of SAA to a camel) and the explosives required to demolish the viaduct and tunnels, were put on camels and pack-horses to make the trek forward. On this trek, near the Wadi el Kefrein, a group of Arabs joined the light horse units.
Pause on 26 March
After a second night's march in the cold and wet conditions moving over both bog and rock, the Anzac Mounted Division concentrated at Ain es Sir on the early morning of 26 March 10 km (6 mi) west of Amman. The weather was atrocious; sleet and heavy rain continued for almost the entire operation making the roads and tracks soft and boggy. The condition of the roads was not improved when all rations and forage had to be sent up to the advancing troops on camels and pack-horses.
By this stage the advance had been on the march continuously for three days and nights and owing to the exhaustion of the men and horses, Chaytor, commander of the mounted division, postponed the attack on Amman until the next morning.
During the day the sun came out to dry sodden clothing and a patrol of six German infantry was captured, another German approaching the lines was shot and a cavalry patrol of three men were "accounted for."
Major General Chaytor advanced with the 2nd Light Horse Brigade 2.4 km (1+1⁄2 mi) to the north along the Ain Hummar track. They saw an enemy column on the Es Salt to Amman road which the 5th Light Horse Regiment was instructed to capture. Two squadrons quickly captured 12 prisoners, 19 motor lorries, four cars and a number of carts some of which were stuck in the mud. The 2nd Light Horse captured prisoners in the village of Suweileh and 30 German lorries were found bogged on the road from Es Salt, 21 of the derelict lorries were destroyed.