The 5th Annual Commemoration of the Battle of Semakh

Last Wednesday, diplomatic dignitaries and defense officials gathered for the annual commemoration of the 1918 Battle of Semakh in northern Israel. This year marks 104 years since one of the most famous and consequential battles in the Middle East of World War One.

In the final year of the war, ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) forces were fighting to liberate Ottoman Forces from the Land of Israel. The last of a series of major battles inside the borders of modern Israel took place at Semakh.

The Semakh train station was the most important station in the Land of Israel at the time due to its strategic location—connecting Haifa to Jordan and Syria. On September 25, 1918, the Australian Light Horse Brigade successfully recaptured the railway station from Turkish and German forces in a daring raid lasting under an hour.

In recent years, fresh efforts have been made to memorialize the battle and its heritage. An annual commemoration of the battle at the historic Semakh railroad station has taken place for the last five years. In addition, the students of the nearby Kinneret Academic College on the Sea of Galilee have taken it upon themselves to restore the railway station building and turn it into a tourist destination.

Eran Tearosh, Chairman of the Society for WWI Heritage in Israel, opened this year’s ceremony by welcoming everyone and highlighting the representatives of different nations present. In attendance were the Australian Ambassador to Israel, various foreign military attachés, senior Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives, IDF officials and other senior civic representatives.

The representatives each paid their respects to the fallen soldiers by laying wreaths by the statue of an Australian soldier mounted on his horse in the Memorial Garden.

The keynote speech was given by Mr. Paul Griffiths, the Australian Ambassador to Israel, who commended the soldiers for doing the unthinkable and conquering the railway station in just one hour, noting their exceptional resilience. He concluded his speech by recognizing those who are following in their courageous footsteps by enlisting into the Israel Defense Forces.

“We pause together to reflect, remember and respect the sacrifice and bravery of the heroic soldiers who fought in the battle of Semakh.” — Mr. Paul Griffiths, Australian Ambassador to Israel. 

The International Spokesperson of the Israel Defense Forces, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, attended the event. “I was honored to represent the IDF in this very moving ceremony,” said Lt. Col. Hecht. “This was the last cavalry charge of World War One and General Allenby’s last battle inside the borders of modern Israel, which pushed the Ottomans and German forces out of this land. We honored and saluted the ANZAC soldiers who bravely carried out this charge.”

Pictured is IDF International Spokesperson, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, with Australian Military Attaché to Israel, Group CPT. Louise DesJardins.