Public Lecture: Who Won the Battle of Beersheba, 1917?

The Beersheba Battle of 31 October 1917 is generally known as a marvellous victory of the Australian Light Horse. For many years, the anniversary of the victory have been commemorated with popular ceremonies in Australia and Israel.

Enthusiasts proudly reenact the great charge of the light horsemen. However, most Australians are not aware that three British infantry divisions (53rd, 60th and 74th, as well as a brigade from the 10th (Irish) Division) took part in the battle.

Not only were the British more numerous than the Australian Light Horse, but they also launched their attack first, crashing the Ottoman main defence and providing an opportunity for the Australians to unleash their mounted manoeuvre. This talk is about the long-forgotten role of the British infantry at Beersheba, who did most of the killing and dying.

Speaker – Professor Mesut Uyar 

Professor Mesut Uyar is a military historian and war studies expert. He is a graduate of the Turkish Military Academy (1991). He got an MA in politics and a PhD in international relations at Istanbul University.

During his military career he served as a platoon leader and company and battalion commander in various infantry units, completing several tours as a United Nations military observer in Georgia and as a staff officer in Afghanistan and Bosnia.

He served as an associate professor at the Turkish Military Academy for ten years and the University of New South Wales for five years. He is currently professor of international relations at Antalya Bilim University in Turkey. He is the author or co-author of The Ottoman Army and the First World War (Routledge, 2022); The Phaseline Attila: The Amphibious Campaign for Cyprus, 1974 (Marine Corps University Press, 2020); The Ottoman Defence against the Anzac Landing: 25 April 1915 (Australian Army History Unit Campaign Series, 2015); A Military History of the Ottomans: From Osman to Atatürk (Praeger, 2009); and numerous articles and book chapters. His book about the Gaza Battles will be published by the Australian Army History Unit soon.