NEW ZEALANDERS AT CAPTURE OF JERICHO.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 48, 25 February 1918, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS AT CAPTURE OF JERICHO.

RAPID ADVANCE THROUGH DIFFICULT COUNTRY. ... LONDON, February 24. A Palestine official report states:—Our forces, advancing on Thursdaymorning, encountered small opposition. The Australian and New Zealand mounted forces entered Jericho and established themselves on a line from the Jordan to the Wadi Auja. The weather was bad. The casualties on Wednesday were lignt. We extended our positions north and north-west of Jeruealem. The enemy from Jericho retired north of the Wadi Auja, leaving the poets and high ground on the left bank. They also retired eastwards across the Jordan, holding the bridgehead at Elghoraniye.—(A. and N.Z. and Rcuter.) Mr. W. T. Massey, correspondent at Palestine headquarters, writes on February 21:—Sir Edmund Allenby's army has driven the Turks from a strong position eaet of Jerusalem, London troops capturing all the commanding positions overlooking the southern part of the Jordan Valley. The Australian and New Zealand mounted forces entered Jericho to-day. The enemy, entrenched on a series of hills, was attacked by the London Infantry on Tuesday and yesterday on a twelve-mile front. The enemy was defeated everywhere, and suffered heavy losses. The country ie extremely difficult, being composed of a mass of hills, valleys, kloofs, dongas, and worn- rockfaced hills. One place, Wadifarar, has a perpendicular cliff side 500 ft high, but the infantry routed out the enemy from trenches cut and blasted on ridges, spurs, and mountain ranges, showing the greatest gallantry. On Tuesday at dawn they attacked on a line of about 20,000 yards. In some places the Turks retreated during the artillery bombardment. In the centre one battalion had to assault three times before winning the system of trenches. During Tuesday night the infantry moved to attack the range from Talat ed Dumm to Ekteiff, the key to Jericho. The Jeruealem road runs through these hills. On Talat ed Dumm ie the Good Samaritan inn and the remains of a Crusader castle. The hill is known to the Arabs as the "Hill of Blood." I saw the Londoners carry the hill in splendid style early, after most accurate artillery fire, but the enemy held on stubbornly to Ekteiff, whose southern face ie as precipitous as the Rock of Gibraltar. Marching during the night; the troops faced great difficulties owing to the rough ground. One column took nearly eight hours to cover slightly over three miles. In some places the men walked in single file. The enemy was cleared off Ekteiff in the afternoon. Meanwhile the Anzacs moved through desperately hard country, threatening the enemy in the rear. They were held up for a considerable time in a defile through which only two men could pass abreast, the Turks bringing several guns to bear on this point. By nightfall we occupied all positions commanding the Southern Jordan Valley, and the Turke hurriedly retired. The Anzacs made a rapid march this morning, entering Jericho at eight o'clock. The Turks burnt their stores on the northern chores of the Dead Sea yesterday. Our operations will retard), if not entirely cut off, an important source of the grain supply of the Turkish forces.— (A. and N.Z.) The British advance on the Jordan will greatly help in establishing touch with the Arabs of the Hedjaz, thereby greatly encouraging the Allies. Sir Edmund Allenby's position is now well defined. The right flank rests on the Dead Sea and the left on the Mediterranean. Hence frontal attacks alone are poesible for the enemy. We control the Dead Sea, have access to the rich lands on its eastern side, and menace the railway to Damascus. Ahead are easier country and better roads.— (Reuter.)