Second Battle of Gaza

Second Battle of Gaza
Part of the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
Ottoman machine gun corps defending Tel esh Sheria, and the Gaza line in 1917.
Date 17–19 April 1917 (2 days) Location Gaza, southern Palestine Result Ottoman victory
Belligerents
British Empire  United Kingdom  Canada  Australia  New Zealand  France	Ottoman Empire  German Empire (military commanders & air force)
Commanders and leaders
Archibald Murray Charles Dobell	Friedrich von Kressenstein
Units involved
52nd (Lowland) Division 53rd (Welsh) Division 54th (East Anglian) Division Anzac Mounted Division Imperial Mounted Division Imperial Camel Brigade	Fourth Army 3rd Division 16th Division 53rd Division
Casualties and losses
509 killed, 4,359 wounded, 1,534 missing Total: 6,444 & 3 tanks	82–402 killed, 1,337–1,364 wounded, 247 missing, 200 prisoners

The Second Battle of Gaza was fought on 17–19 April 1917, following the defeat of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) at the First Battle of Gaza in March, during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War. Gaza was defended by the strongly entrenched Ottoman Army garrison, which had been reinforced after the first battle by substantial forces. They manned the town's defences and a line of strong redoubts which extended eastwards along the road from Gaza to Beersheba. The defenders were attacked by the Eastern Force's three infantry divisions, supported by two mounted divisions, but the strength of the defenders, their entrenchments & supporting artillery decimated the attackers.

As a result of the EEF victories at the Battle of Romani, the Battle of Magdhaba, and the Battle of Rafa, fought from August 1916 to January 1917, the EEF had pushed the defeated Ottoman Army eastwards. The EEF reoccupied the Egyptian territory of the Sinai Peninsula and crossed over into the Ottoman Empire territory of southern Palestine. However, the result of the First Battle of Gaza had been as close to a British Empire victory as a defeat could get. In the three weeks between the two battles, the Gaza defences were strongly reinforced against a frontal attack. The strong entrenchments and fortifications proved unassailable during the disastrous frontal attacks, and EEF casualties approached, and in some cases exceeded, 50% for only slight gains.