Battle of Jerusalem 1917 -Allenby enters Jerusalem – Stamps of Israel 2017.

Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, Ist Viscount Allenby ,GCB,GCMG,GCVO (23 April 1861- 14 May 1936) was an English soldier and British Imperial Governor. He fought in the Second Boer War and also in First World War in which he led the British Empire’s  Egypt Expeditionary Force (EEF) during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign against the Ottoman Empire in the conquest of Palestine.

Battle of Jerusalem

Allenby arrived at Battle front in Jun 1917 and received a telegram from his wife on 31st Jul 1917 that his only son Lieutenant Michael Allenby (Royal Horse Artillery) was killed in action.He kept his personal loss and grief to himself and started his campaign .

The Two Sergeants (Shown in Stamp)

The City of Jerusalem surrendered on 09 Dec 1917. The Mayor of Jerusalem Hussein Salim al-Husseini,attempted to deliver the Ottoman Governor’s letter of Surrender to Two British Sergeants James Sedgewick & Frederick Hurcomb of 2/19th Battalion,London Regiment just outside Jerusalem. The Two Sergeants scouting ahead of Allenby’s main force refused to take the letter which was eventually accepted by CF Watson commanding the 180th Brigade.

The text of Surrender decree signed by Izzat,the Mutasariff of Jerusalem mentioned the hope to Allenby that his forces would protect Jerusalem the way the have protected it for Five hundred years .

General Allenby entering Jerusalem on Foot (Shown on Stamp)

At noon on 11 Dec 1917  General Allenby dismounted and entered Jerusalem on Foot through the Jaffa Gate.He did this out of respect for the status of  Jerusalem as the Holy City important to Judaism,Christianity and Islam (as mentioned in his Proclamation of Martial Law).Thepeople of Jerusalem saw it as a sign of Modesty.

He also mentions in his report that he and his staff with mission heads and military attaches of France,Italy and USA entered the city on  foot and received at Jaffa gate by Guards representing England,Scotland,Ireland,Wales, Australia, New Zealand, India ,France & Italy.

He received Christian,Jewish &  Muslim Community Leaders to ensure sanctity and protection to all holy sites and even sent his Indian Muslim Soldiers to guard Islamic religious sites.

Allenby was accompanied by one officer and 39 other ranks while entering Jerusalem.These troops were representatives of 10th Light Horse Regiment,New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade troop Commanded by 2nd Lieutenant C J Harris of Canterbury Regiment,men from Canterbury Regiment,Wellington Regiment , Auckland Regiment, Machine Gun squadron and Signal Troop.

Allenby was made a Field Marshal on 31 Jul 1919 and created Viscount Allenby  of Megiddo and Felixstowe in the County of Suffolk on 7th Oct 1919 .

Israel issued a stamp on Centenary of this historic Battle 13 Jun 2017 . A First Day Cover is listed. The stamp shows the sergeants,Mayor of Jerusalm and General Allenby entering Jerusalem on Foot. The Cover also features the Allenby  Memorial at Jerusalem.