ALLENBY (OF MEGIDDO AND OF FELIXSTOWE), EDMUND HENRY ...

born April 23, 1861, Brackenhurst, near Southwell, Nottinghamshire, Eng. died May 14, 1936, London field marshal, the last great British leader of mounted cavalry, who directed the Palestine campaign in World War I. Educated at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, Allenby joined the Inniskilling Dragoons in 1882 and saw active service in the Bechuanaland expedition (188485), in Zululand (1888), and in the South African War (18991902). He was inspector general of cavalry from 1910 to 1914, and upon the outbreak of World War I he took a cavalry division to France. After periods in command of the British cavalry and the 5th Corps, he became commander of the 3rd Army (October 1915) and was prominently engaged at the Battle of Arras (April 1917). Allenby's service in the Middle East proved more distinguished. In June 1917 he took command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. The strength of his personality created a new spirit in his army, and after careful preparation and reorganization he won a decisive victory over the Turks at Gaza (November 1917), which led to the capture of Jerusalem (Dec. 9, 1917). Further advances were checked by calls from France for his troops, but after receiving reinforcements he won a decisive victory at Megiddo (Sept. 19, 1918), which, followed by his capture of Damascus and Aleppo, ended Ottoman power in Syria. Allenby's success in these campaigns was attributable partly to his skillful and innovative use of cavalry and other mobile forces in positional warfare. As high commissioner for Egypt (191925) Allenby steered that country firmly but impartially through political disturbances and saw it recognized as a sovereign state in 1922. He was created 1st Viscount Allenby of Megiddo and Felixstowe in October 1919.