The First Battle of Gaza was a failed British attempt to capture the city, delaying the Palestine Campaign and leading to a second defeat weeks later.
Key Facts
- Date
- 26 March 1917
- British force
- Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF)
- Key division
- 52nd (Lowland) Division
- Outcome
- British withdrawal; Ottoman defense held
- Followed by
- Second Battle of Gaza, April 1917
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following EEF victories at Romani, Magdhaba, and Rafa between August 1916 and January 1917, the British Egyptian Expeditionary Force completed its advance across the Sinai Peninsula, bringing it within striking distance of Gaza and prompting an attempt to break into southern Palestine.
On 26 March 1917, Eastern Force infantry and mounted troops attacked the Ottoman garrison at Gaza from the south and north. The Anzac Mounted Division entered the town from the north and Ali Muntar was captured, but late in the afternoon the Desert Column was ordered to withdraw due to approaching darkness and the threat of large Ottoman reinforcements closing in from the north and northeast.
The British withdrawal turned a near-victory into a defeat. The failure at the First Battle of Gaza was followed within weeks by the even more decisive British defeat at the Second Battle of Gaza in April 1917, prolonging Ottoman control over the region and stalling the Palestine Campaign.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
General Archibald Murray.
Side B
1 belligerent