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The Battle of Jisr Benat Yakub was fought on 27 September 1918 at the beginning of the pursuit by the Desert Mounted Corps of the retreating remnants of the Yildirim Army Group towards Damascus during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. After the Battle of Samakh and the Capture of Tiberias, which completed the Egyptian Expeditionary Force's decisive victory in the Battle of Sharon section of the Battle of Megiddo, the Australian Mounted Division attacked and captured a series of rearguard positions. The positions were held by German and Ottoman soldiers of the Tiberias Group at Jisr Benat Yakub, an important bridge across the Jordan River, and at fords at El Min and north towards Lake Huleh. Remnants of the Ottoman Seventh and Eighth Armies were retreating in columns towards Damascus from the Judean Hills via Samakh, the bridge at Jisr Benat Yakub, Kuneitra, and Kaukab, pursued by the Australian Mounted and the 5th Cavalry Divisions. At the same time remnants of the Ottoman Fourth Army were retreating in columns towards Damascus along the Pilgrims' Road (the old hajj road following the even older route of the King's Highway) through Deraa, pursued by the 4th Cavalry Division. The surviving garrisons from Samakh and Tiberias formed from remnants of the Seventh and Eighth Armies entrenched themselves on the eastern side of the Jordan River to cover the retreat of the main remnants of the Yildirim Army Group. These rearguards were successfully attacked by the Australian Mounted Division during the day, capturing a number of survivors who had not succeeded in withdrawing, to occupy the eastern bank of the Jordan River. The Australian Mounted Division, followed by the 5th Cavalry Division continued their advance towards Damascus later in the day. == Strategic importance, name, and history of the site == The Jordan River has only one good ford at the southern end of the Hula Basin before it gets squeezed between the Korazim block and the Golan Heights. The ford is more widely known in English as Jacob's Ford. The bridges built here in the past have led to its Arabic name, ''Jisr Benat Yakub'', lit. Daughters of Jacob Bridge, translated to Hebrew as ''Gesher Bnot Ya'akov'', the name under which it is known today in Israel. This strategic site has been used by people ever since prehistoric times.〔http://archaeology.about.com/od/gterms/g/gesher_benot.htm〕 The caravan route from China to Morocco via Mesopotamia and Egypt passed through the site, which has been strategically important to Egyptian, Assyrian, Hittite, Jew, Saracen Arab, Crusader knight, and Ottoman Janissary, who had all crossed the river at this place. The Crusaders built a castle overlooking the ford which threatened Damascus and was promptly attacked and destroyed by Saladin in 1179. The old arched stone bridge had marked the northern limit of Napoleon's advance in 1799.〔Preston 1921 p. 261〕〔J.Hamilton 2002 p. 158〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Battle of Jisr Benat Yakub」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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