Battle of Bir el Ard

Battle of Bir el Abd (the Abd well)
Part of the Middle Eastern theatre of the First World War
Australian light horse patrol in Egypt
Date 9 August 1916 Location Bir el Ard Result Turkish victory
Belligerents
British Empire	Ottoman Empire  German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Harry Chauvel	Kamil Bey
Units involved
ANZAC Mounted Division 5th Mounted Brigade	39th Infantry Regiment 603rd Machine-Gun Company 606th Machine-Gun Company Mountain Artillery Battery Engineer Company

The Battle of Bir el Abd or the Abd well (9 August 1916) was fought between the forces of the British Empire and the Ottoman Turkish Empire, during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War.

The battle took place in the Sinai Desert following the British victory at the battle of Romani (3–5 August). The British Empire's ANZAC Mounted Division, with the 5th Mounted Brigade under command, was tasked to follow a retiring Turkish Army force. British patrols discovered them on 8 August and the remainder of the ANZAC Division got into a position to attack the next day. The assault was launched on early 9 August and became a day of attack and counter-attack. Finally in the early evening Chauvel, commanding the ANZAC Division, ordered his troops to withdraw leaving the Turkish force in command of the battle ground.

Victory in the battle of Romani had exhausted the ANZAC Mounted Division, and the two units most heavily involved, the 1st and 2nd Light Horse Brigades, were sent to rest at Romani and Etmaler. While the rest of the division, with the 5th Mounted Brigade under command, were ordered to follow the withdrawing Turkish force. When they had advanced across the Sinai Desert, the Turkish force had constructed strong defensive positions. That they now made use of as they withdrew back east towards the Egyptian-Palestinian border.

On 7 August the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade leading the divisions pursuit of the Turkish force, located their rearguard at Oghratina. Attempting to turn their left flank, they found the opposition too strong for them and withdrew. Early the next day reconnaissance patrols found the rearguard had pulled out during the night. The patrols continued their reconnaissance and located the Turkish force again, establish on the high ground to the east of Bir ed Abd. Around twenty-two miles (35 km) east of Romani on the road to El Arish. That night the division headquarters, the 5th Mounted and New Zealand Brigades, camped at Oghratina. Waiting for the 1st and 2nd Brigades to rejoin them. But both brigades were short on manpower and had to form a composite brigade out of the two units. On 9 August the division advanced again. With the New Zealand Brigade in the centre. The Composite Brigade to their left and the 3rd Light Horse Brigade on the right. The Turkish rearguard was encountered again holding a front of ten miles (16 km) across falling back on Bir el Abd. The Composite Brigade were to make for a position two miles (3.2 km) to the north-east of the Turkish defences. The New Zealand Brigade were to advance directly at the position. The 3rd Light Horse Brigade would stay in contact with the New Zealanders, then move behind the Turkish position, and locate around five miles (8.0 km) to the east of it, hindering any withdrawal and compromise their lines of communications. While the 5th Mounted Brigade would form the reserve.

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