Background
Allied operations in the Middle East were at this time, secondary to the Western Front and the reinforcements General Sir Archibald Murray, commander of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force had requested, were denied. Instead he was required by the Chief of the Imperial General Staff Field Marshal William Robertson to be ready to send possibly two infantry divisions to France. On 17 January 1917, Murray received the request for one infantry division to be sent to France and dispatched the British 42nd Division. At the same time the War Cabinet assured Murray that he would not lose any of his mounted troops, but deferred large scale operations in Palestine until the autumn. Murray was, however, not discouraged from employing his current force as he saw fit.
Read more about this topic: First Battle Of Gaza
Famous quotes containing the word background:
“In the true sense one’s native land, with its background of tradition, early impressions, reminiscences and other things dear to one, is not enough to make sensitive human beings feel at home.”
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940)
“... every experience in life enriches one’s background and should teach valuable lessons.”
—Mary Barnett Gilson (1877–?)
“They were more than hostile. In the first place, I was a south Georgian and I was looked upon as a fiscal conservative, and the Atlanta newspapers quite erroneously, because they didn’t know anything about me or my background here in Plains, decided that I was also a racial conservative.”
—Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)