"ALLENBY THE WITCH."

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 192, 14 August 1919, Page 5

"ALLENBY THE WITCH."

TURKISH VIEW OF CONQUEROR "He is a witch." "This is the verdict universally passed on General Allenby by the Turkish soldiers," says Sergeant C. Mitchell, of the Queen's Royal West Surreys, who has just returned to England from Palestine.

"He got that title because, time after time, when the Turks had made arrangements to attack the British forces by 'surprise,' General Allenby seemed to know all about their arrangements, and attacked first and always with success. "This happened so often that it be-i came really uncanny to the Tnrkish soldiers. "A good instance of this was at Tal-; azar, just the other side of Jerusalem.' We suddenly iia(l warning that we were to attack just before dawn.

"We went over the top, and came on to the Turkish encampment. The soldiers were asleep, but everything was ready for an advance. The enemy was stupefied They had made secret preparations jo attack just after dawn.

-'We captured hundreds of prisoners, machine guns, ammunition, etc.

"A g-ood example of the devotion all his soldiers felt for (Jeneral Allenby is an incident which accurred in connection with my own company

"We were on garrison duty at Ramleh, on the way to Jerusalem, and the company was at dinner, when the news came that tlie general had arrived at his headquarters a mile away, and would shortly be leaving in his motor car.

"Let's come along, boys," several of them shouted, and we all got up from our dinner, which we had jusj started, and left, under the charge of a sergeant, and marched to the headquarters.

"1 bet we were a queer-looking lot. Yon see. we went just as we were. Few of us had our coats on. and helmets were a missing item: but we wanted to see the general.

"Presently his car came in sight, and as it approached every man came smartly to attention, and the sergeant gave tlie salute.

"Word had been sent to General Allenby that the men had turned out to greet him, and his smiling salute in return showed appreciation of tbe men's act.

"General Allenby was always showing consideration for the men. it was no uncommon tiling for a man, fresh from homo, to fall out exhausted on the

march. The general, when he came across one of these poor fellows, rtopped and spoke to him. and invariably gave orders for him to be taken on by motor car so that he could overtake and rejoin his regiment."