World War One Diary for Thursday, September 19, 1918:

Middle East

Palestine – BATTLES OF MEGIDDO (until September 25): Bulfin’s XXI Corps (35,000 men) advances from 0430 hours behind 385-gun barrage. DMC follows by 0700 hours, takes’ 7,000 PoWs and 100 guns in 22­-mile ride. Turk Eighth Army headquarter at Tulkarm falls to 60th Division after 18-mile march.

Trans-Jordan: Lawrence destroys Turk plane on ground and engages train in his armoured car.

Egypt and Palestine: Egyptian Labour Corps 100,000 strong in 99 coys and 30 camps in Palestine.

Air War

Palestine: RAF strike Tulkarm-Nablus road, 2 army headquarters, telephone exchanges and 3 airfields. No 113 Squadron twice smokescreens XXI Corps’ advance. Jenin airfield captured on September 28 with 11 burnt German aircraft.

Southern Fronts

Salonika: Renewed Anglo­-Greek attack fails in 6 bloody hours as some British caught in own shellfire. Milne tells d’Esperey British can do no more. Bulgar First Army Commander General Nerezov proposes counter-offensive to take Salonika but German-Bulgar (Steuben and Todorov) Prilep conference decides on gradual withdrawal prior to cutting off Allied salient. Franco-Greek attack storms Mt Dzena (7,000ft).

Politics

Belgium: Government rejects German peace offer.

Britain: J Davis new US London Ambassador.