The Sinai and Palestine campaign in the Middle East was fought by the Arab Revolt and the British Empire, against the Ottoman Empire and its Imperial German allies. It started with an Ottoman attempt at raiding the Suez Canal in 1915, and ended with the Armistice of Mudros in 1918. The Ottoman Empire (already breaking up – the ‘Eastern Question’) was divided up.
Over more than three years, British, French, Italian and Arab forces fought against mainly Ottoman armies. There were 62 000 British battle casualties, and an unknown number of French and Italian; the Turks lost 190 000, included nearly 80 000 captured. 6000 British soldiers died of disease, and more than 100 000 were evacuated with sickness.
Herbert Woolley was born in Balsall Heath in 1898, third of four living sons of die sinker William Woolley, and of Marion Bill, daughter of an iron worker. The family lived at 66, Highgate Road and then moved to 14, St. Paul’s Road.
Private Herbert Woolley was killed in action on 9th April 1918. He is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.