How the Jodhpur Lancers proved their mettle once again

In November 1914 a large Turkish force moved down through Palestine, crossed the Sinai Desert and attacked the defended strong points along the Canal. By February they had been forced to retreat. The Allied troops moved forward into Sinai to put up a stronger defence but were unable to make much headway against the Turkish forces. In July 1917 General Allenby arrived in Palestine and adopted more aggressive tactics, capturing, Jerusalem by Christmas. Consequently in January 1918, the Turkish army in Palestine-some 36,000 strong-held two sectors extending from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea and separated by the River Jordan. In 1918 the Indian cavalry regiments were transferred to Egypt from France. They were brigaded with British yeomanry regiments and joined the Desert Mounted Corps, consisting of the 4^th and 5^th Cavalry Divisions, together with the Australian Mounted Division. The Jodhpur Lancers landed in Egypt on 28 March 1918. They joined the Mysore and the Hyderabad Lancers-replacing the Patiala Lancers, who had gone to Mesopotamia-in the 15^th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade of the 5^th Divisions, The Brigade included an artillery battery from the British Honourable Artillery Company. By May 1918 two brigades from the 4^th and 5^th Divisions, now re-armed with lances, were amid the unpleasant summer conditions of the Jordan valley, where they were involved in a number of successful patrol action. Later they were joined by three other brigades. There was then some reorganization of the cavalry before the final offensive, which was planned for September and whose