On the night 0f 1-2 November 1917, commanded by General Sir Edmund Allenby, the British Empire forces compiled of 88,000 men divided between seven infantry divisions and the horse- and camel-mounted Desert Mounted Corps launched the Third Battle of Gaza or Beersheba.
The strategy
Allenby had decided on a new plan to break through the Turkish-held Gaza-Beersheba line.
Rather than launch frontal attacks against the heavily-entrenched Turks around Gaza on the coast, he opted to use three of his divisions to launch a feint attack against the coastal town.
Meanwhile the bulk of his forces drove inland against Beersheba to secure its vital water supply and turn the Turkish left flank.
