An EEF victory at Magdhaba eliminated an Ottoman garrison and secured El Arish, advancing the Allied campaign across the Sinai.
Key Facts
- Date
- 23 December 1916
- Distance inland from coast
- 18–25 miles (29–40 km)
- Redoubts captured
- 6
- Attacking force
- Anzac Mounted Division (Australian, British, New Zealand)
- Campaign
- Sinai and Palestine Campaign, Defence of Egypt
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the British victory at the Battle of Romani in August 1916, Ottoman forces retreated eastward to El Arish. Over the next three months, the EEF consolidated captured territory, built railway and pipeline infrastructure, and conducted patrols destroying water sources to deny Ottoman use of the desert, setting conditions for a renewed advance.
On 23 December 1916, the Anzac Mounted Division launched a dawn assault after a night march against six well-entrenched Ottoman redoubts at Magdhaba on the Wadi al-Arish. Australian, British, and New Zealand mounted infantry dismounted close to the front line and attacked with bayonets, supported by artillery, machine guns, and aircraft reconnaissance, eventually capturing all redoubts by late afternoon.
The Ottoman garrison at Magdhaba surrendered, eliminating the defensive threat to El Arish, which had already been abandoned by Ottoman forces. The victory secured the EEF's hold on the region and cleared the way for further Allied advances into the Sinai and ultimately toward Palestine.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent