With The Zionists in Gallipoli

Hardcover. Condition: Good. 1st Edition. 315 pages. Very good but worn blue cloth with Jewish vignette on front board. Binding is creased in parts with fade to spine. Corners bumped. Contents fine with frontis map. Some light scattered foxing. Signed on the fep by Edith D Houston 1916 related to Major Houston of the Indian Medical Services who is mentioned on page 298. Uncommon.

The British Army formed 650 Jewish recruits in Egypt who had been deported by the Ottomans into the Zion Mule Corps, of which 562 served in the Gallipoli Campaign. The need on the Gallipoli peninsula for means to carry water to the troops was considered so urgent that in mid-April, a request was forwarded to Egypt for the Zion Mule Corps to be sent immediately, regardless of its lack of equipment. Its commanding officer was Lieutenant-Colonel John Henry Patterson, DSO, an Irish Protestant, and Captain Trumpeldor was Second-in-command. 

A Distinguished Conduct Medal was awarded to Private M. Groushkowsky, who, near Krithia on 5 May, prevented his mules from stampeding under heavy bombardment and despite being wounded in both arms, delivered the ammunition. Trumpeldor was shot through the shoulder but refused to leave the battlefield. Patterson later wrote: "Many of the Zionists whom I thought somewhat lacking in courage showed themselves fearless to a degree when under heavy fire, while Captain Trumpeldor actually revelled in it, and the hotter it became the more he liked it ..."