14 | Celebrating RAF100
AHundred YearsAgo, the Battle of Megiddo
by Kris Hendrix, Researcher at the Royal Air Force Museum, London
While aircraft had been used from the beginning of the First World War, or even as early as the Italo-Turkish Warof1911, its impact on battles had remained limited throughout. In September 1918, the world witnessed for the first time the destructive power aircraft were capable of,inthe Battle of Megiddo.
Right from the outbreak of the First World War, Britain had found herself fighting against Germany’s ally,the Ottoman Empire, who controlled much of the Middle East. Britain and her Arab Allies, some led by the famous T.E. Lawrence, gradually pushed back the Ottoman forces and by the spring of 1918, had reached aline just north of Jaffa, running to the Jordan Valley.
The Allied forces were led by the new Commander-in-Chief, General Allenby,and his air commander,Maj-Gen Salmond. Both were convinced of the value and versatility of aproperly integrated and co-ordinated air arm, and were dedicated to use the RAF to its fullest potential. Over the summer of 1918, aircraft were used for reconnaissance and ground attack, but when two cavalry divisions were temporarily cut-off in the mountains, the RAF were used to drop food and medical supplies to the trapped troops. By the late summer of 1918 the RAF had come up to full strength of seven squadrons and three balloon sections. Increasingly these units were allocated more modern aircraft, particularly SE5a and F.2b Fighters. With these the RAF could take an increasingly aggressive stance and began actively pursuing the enemy air force. By September 1918, the RAF enjoyed unprecedented air superiority.
ENVOY | Summer 2018 |
www.raf-ff.org.uk
The Bristol F.2b ‘Fighter’was amultifunctional combat aircraft used in the First World Warand up to the early thirties.
Allenby had planned his next offensive, the Battle of Megiddo, to begin on 19 September 1918. His plan was to strike the Ottoman 8th Army,before sweeping inland to attack the 7th
Army.The Allied formations were moved into camouflaged positions by night, while dummy camps were set up around the Jordan
Valley.Allied air patrols not only protected the genuine camps by keeping enemy reconnaissance at bay,but cleverly allowed enemy reconnaissance over the dummy camps to reinforce the deception. Up until the day of the attack, the Ottoman High Command believed that the main thrust would come in the east, up the Jordan Valley,against the Ottoman 4th Army.
©Images RAF Museum.
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