When we think of the Great War, we think about the mud and the trenches of the Western Front. In Worcestershire we may have heard about the famous Battle of Gheluvelt and the Worcestershire Regiment.

However, the Worcestershire Yeomanry was dealing with swarms of flies, soft sand and the scorching temperatures of the Middle East.

The Egyptian Expeditionary Force was tasked with guarding the important Suez Canal, which had to remain open to allow the war on the Western Front to be supplied with raw materials.

The ‘Canal Zone’ had been attacked by Ottoman troops in 1915, led by German Colonel Friedrich Freiherr Kress von Kressentein. This attack had been repulsed leading to the enemy melting away into the vast Sinai desert to the East.

In 1916, it was decided to push across the desert and go on the offensive. Having access to water was key to successful operations. The area around Qatia was identified as having a cluster of wells.

These would need to be developed and managed by the Royal Engineers. By March, troops began to build up around the Suez Canal. A railway was also under construction to enable supplies to be moved with ease.

The Worcestershire Yeomanry, the Royal Gloucestershire Yeomanry and the Warwickshire Yeomanry had been grouped together as the 5th Mounted Brigade, under the Command of Brigadier Edgar Wiggin.

They were sent into the desert to screen the preparations for the offensive. A camp was made at Qatia, with patrols and outposts made beyond that.

The Ottomans were being pressurised by the Germans to disrupt the Suez Canal and therefore Kress von Kressenstein formed a large Ottoman force of 1,500 infantry, 1,000 camel troops, six 75mm guns, four machine guns, and sundry support troops, totalling around 3,700 men.

On the 21st April, D Squadron from the Worcestershire Yeomanry moved from Qatia to occupy a small rise at Oghrantina. With them were 50 Royal Engineers who were tasked with enhancing the wells below the hill. A Squadron would also join them, making the force of around 200 men.

The next day a British Aircraft reported 300 Ottoman troops at Mageibra. Brigadier Wiggin asked General Lawrence, who Commanded the area, if they had permission to attack them. This was granted and so Brigadier Wiggin took C Squadron of Worcestershire Yeomanry and two Squadrons from the Warwickshire Yeomanry to attack them.

In the early hours of the 23rd April, Easter Sunday, the troops at Oghrantina were shrouded in thick fog. By 4.30am a noise was heard below the small hill they were occupying.

The noise was soon identified as being Ottoman troops watering their Camels. When they rode off, the Yeomanry followed until they observed a large force moving towards their position. They withdrew very quickly.

Major Williams-Thomas knew the enemy may miss them, assuming they were heading to Qatia.

He also knew that if they were attacked their orders were to withdraw to Qatia. Unfortunately the Royal Engineers had no horses and would be left to fend for themselves. Major Williams decided to stay with the Engineers on the hill.

The enemy force of over 3,000 men noticed the Yeomanry at Ograntina and by 5.30am they were fighting desperately. Major Williams-Thomas telephoned Qatia, who could hear firing in the dense fog. Slowly their perimeter line had to shrink due to the casualties being sustained.

The phone line was cut at 7am and just before 8am, there were only 65 men unwounded and only half had rifles that worked! A Squadron was being commanded by a Corporal, D Squadron had lost 5 of its 6 Officers and Major Williams-Thomas had no choice to surrender to prevent further bloodshed.

The Ottomans continued to advance towards Qatia. This was now held by a small force because Brigadier Wiggin was advancing to attack the enemy at Mageibra. One Squadron of 95 men from the Royal Gloucester Yeomanry and 40 dismounted members of the Worcestershire Yeomanry waited for the inevitable!

The men at Qatia soon realised the small force at Oghratina had probably been overrun due to the distant shooting stopping. Captain Lloyd-Baker at Qatia was met with the same dilemma as Major Williams-Thomas at Ogharatina. His orders were to withdraw if attacked, meaning, he would have to leave the dismounted Worcestershire Yeomanry to their fate!

Qatia was soon under attack and Captain Lloyd-Baker decided to make a stand. A great many horses were killed or wounded by Ottoman Artillery. By mid-morning some reinforcements had arrived included Brigadier Wiggin who had left Mageibra when the sound of battle was heard across the desert in the early hours. Mageibra was found to be empty of enemy except for a handful of soldiers and evidence that hundreds of soldiers had recently left.

Colonel Coventry with C Squadron was also racing to join in the fight after trying to relieve the men at Ogharatina. They had turned for Qatia after the firing stopped at Oghrantina.

They had covered 36 miles in the night and both the Yeomen and their horses were terribly thirsty. On arrival at Qatia he took command of the camp and put up strong resistance for several hours.

By the afternoon he ordered as many as possibly could to escape on the horses that were still alive. Only 80 men got away, along with Captain Wiggin, who had been unconscious for an hour, due to blood loss from his wounds.

The Gloucestershire Hussars lost 4 officers and 16 other ranks killed, 15 other ranks were wounded and 64 were taken prisoner.

The casualties of the Worcestershire Yeomanry at Oghratina and Qatia were even worse with a loss of 9 officers and 101 other ranks killed and 235 men taken prisoner. The regiment was almost wiped out, mustering just 54 NCOs and men after the action!

  • A memorial service organised by the Queens Own Worcestershire Yeomanry Comrades Association, supported by the Friends of the Worcestershire Yeomanry Museum will take place tommorrow (April 22) at 11.30am in Cripplegate Park.
  • There will be a short outdoor service conducted by the Reverend Vic Van Den Bergh, Honorary Padre to the Queens Own Worcestershire Yeomanry Comrades Association.