Allenby, Edmund Henry Hynman (1861-1936)

British field marshal. In World War I he served in France before taking command 1917-19 of the British forces in the Middle East. After preparations in Egypt, he captured Gaza, Beersheba and, in 1917, Jerusalem. His defeat of the Turkish forces at Megiddo in Palestine in September 1918 was followed almost at once by the capitulation of Turkey. He was high commissioner in Egypt 1919-35. KCB 1915, Viscount 1919.

In France in 1914 he was conspicuous at Mons and in the Great Retreat, leading a cavalry division with consummate skill and putting up a notable resistance at Hollebeke in the Ypres battle of October 1914. He was then promoted successively to corps commander and army commander (3rd Army), and rendered valuable services at the battle of Arras 1917.

In Egypt he took over the chief command from Sir Archibald Murray. In Palestine he achieved the final overthrow of the Turkish army in a celebrated campaign, his army sweeping forward beyond the Jordan Valley to Damascus and Aleppo after totally crushing the Turks in the battles of Megiddo (18 September-31 October 1918).