Allenby, Edmund Henry Hynman, Viscount

(1861–1936)

   British commander. Allenby was born in Brackenhurst Hall in Nottinghamshire. While still a young officer, he once confided to a friend that to have a garden and grow roses was the thing in life that appealed to him most. His physical size and strength, and his abrupt manner, earned him the army nickname ‘The Bull’; yet, according to the biography written by General Wavell, these surface characteristics belied his intelligence, moral scruples and kindliness.

   His fame as a soldier rests on his campaign in Palestine and Syria in World War I. In June 1917, he was appointed commander of the Egyptian Expeditionary Forces and launched an offensive against the Turks in October 1917. In the first phase he occupied Beersheba, forced the Turks to abandon Gaza, took the southern part of the country and captured Jerusalem. He entered the Holy City on foot and was greeted enthusiastically by the Jewish population. In September 1918, with reinforcements that included the Jewish Legion, Allenby won a brilliant victory at Megiddo, and pursued the Turks, capturing Damascus and Aleppo. He was made military governor of the conquered territory. In recognition of his achievement he was promoted to the rank of field marshal and created Viscount Allenby of Megiddo and Felixstowe. From 1919 to 1925, Allenby served as high commissioner to Egypt. While he was military governor in Palestine his attitude towards Zionism was ambivalent. He understood the importance of the Zionist movement for British imperial interests in the area, yet he was aware of the strong hostility felt by the Arabs of Palestine to the idea of the Jewish National Home. His attitude became more favourable later, and he delivered a warm speech at the laying of the foundation stone of the Hebrew University by Lord BALFOUR in 1925.