Book Review: Allenby's Gunners

Author: Alan H Smith

Reviewed by: Duncan Evans

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There has been comparatively little written of the Middle East campaigns of WWI, compared to the mud and misery of Flanders, and even less of the Australian units taking part. Alan Smith’s account of artillery in the Sinai and Palestine campaigns of 1916-18 aims to put that right. In particular this shows how a shortage of Australian gunners caused the British Territorial artillery to be assigned to Australian Light Horse and New Zealand Mounted Rifle brigades. From the first battles of Romani and Rafa, through Gaza and Jerusalem, to the triumph at Megiddo and the capture of Damascus, the role of the artillery is explained. Often with quotes from those who were there, such as when success came it was because, ‘…it was a brilliant all arms action, guns cavalry and infantry co-operating together with great skill…’ The art of combined operations had proved its value, with the artillery backing it up. This is a big book, with decent quality paper and lots of maps throughout, though more photos would have been welcome.

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380 pages • Hardback • £30.00

As reviewed in The Armourer May 2018

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