How a British General Walked Into Jerusalem to Avoid Offending Its Holy Status
In 1917, General Edmund Allenby captured Jerusalem, ending centuries of non-Christian control. To signal respect for the city's profound religious significance, he famously entered the Old City on foot rather than by vehicle or horse. This victory served as a vital morale boost for the British Empire during World War I.
The Battle of Jerusalem was the final objective of the British Empire's Southern Palestine Offensive. Following the capture of Gaza and Beersheba, British forces pushed north, facing the Ottoman Yildirim Army Group. The terrain, particularly the Hebron Hills, proved treacherous. British troops, exhausted from long advances and operating far from their railhead, struggled against Ottoman rearguards entrenched on rocky, unmapped ridges. Winter conditions compounded these difficulties; torrential rain turned roads into mud, and soldiers in summer uniforms suffered in the sudden, piercing cold.
General Allenby faced significant strategic pressure. The British War Cabinet worried about the sustainability of the campaign, especially after the Russian Bolshevik government proposed a separate peace with Germany in November 1917, threatening to free up German forces for other fronts. Despite these risks, Allenby pushed into the hills to prevent the Ottoman Seventh Army from reorganizing. The fighting was brutal, particularly around Nebi Samwil, where British divisions were fought to a standstill by Ottoman defenders. By late November, the British had suffered over 2,000 casualties and were forced to pause their advance to reorganize.
The logistical challenge of the campaign was immense. With Ottoman forces destroying infrastructure during their retreat, the British relied on a single, poorly metalled road from Gaza. Supplies were moved by lorries and camels, while horses required over 100 tons of grain daily. Despite these hurdles, the British eventually secured the city, establishing a fortified line from the Mediterranean coast through the Hebron Hills. On December 11, 1917, Allenby entered the city, an event Prime Minister David Lloyd George later characterized as a Christmas gift for the British public.
Source: Battle of Jerusalem
