Charge at Irbid

Charge at Irbid
Part of the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
Aerial photograph of the road and wadi east of Irbid
Date 26 September 1918 Location Irbid Result Ottoman victory[1]
Belligerents
British Empire  United Kingdom  Australia  India	Ottoman Empire  German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Edmund Allenby Harry Chauvel George Barrow	Otto Liman von Sanders Mohammed Jemal Pasha
Units involved
2nd Lancers Central India Horse 10th Cavalry Brigade 4th Cavalry Division Desert Mounted Corps Egyptian Expeditionary Force	Remnants of the Fourth Army Yildirim Army Group

The Charge at Irbid occurred on 26 September 1918 as a consequence of the victory at the Battle of Megiddo during the subsequent inland pursuit by Desert Mounted Corps to capture Damascus in the Sinai and Palestine campaign of World War I. The charge occurred when the 2nd Lancers of the 10th Cavalry Brigade, 4th Cavalry Division, attacked the Ottoman Army garrison defending the town of Irbid.

Remnants of the Ottoman Seventh and Eighth Armies were retreating in columns towards Damascus from the Judean Hills via Samakh, Jisr Benat Yakub, Kuneitra and Kaukab, followed by the Australian Mounted and the 5th Cavalry Divisions, while remnants of the Ottoman Fourth Army were retreating in columns towards Damascus along the Pilgrims' Road through Deraa.

The 4th Cavalry Division at Jisr el Mejamie and Beisan was ordered to march east to intercept this remnant of the Fourth Army. At Irbid the 2nd Lancers charged Ottoman rearguard units but were strongly counter-attacked and defeated. By the next morning the Ottoman force had withdrawn from the town.