PALESTINE CAMPAIGN.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16207, 9 May 1918, Page 7

PALESTINE CAMPAIGN.

(By C«bl«.—Prees Association.—Copyright..) and N. 2. Cable Associations

LONDON, Mai* 7. Mr "\V. T. Massey, writing from Jericho on Sunday, ,sajrs: — "By dawn this morning the operation east of tho Jordan had bean completed, which brought into our lianu< nearly a thousand A'urks and Germans as prisonors. "We depleted tho enomy forco by many casualties, and inflicted severe loss on them in war material. It was another successful raid in the mountains of Gilead. "As wo watched tho Anzac Cavalry and British Yeomanry across tho Jordan Valley in tho intense hoat they wcro hardly distinguishable througn tho dense dust clouds. Their fortitude and endurance during fivo heavy days of work excited tho keenest admiration. „ ,

"Since our previous raid on Es Salt and Amman, when tho Hedjaz railway was damaged, tho enemy had collected a largo force to guard Shunnet and Nimrin, at tho foot of tho mountain pass leading from the Ghoraniych Bridge over tho Jordan to Es Salt. It is hardly possible to conceive n position of greater strength or more easily defended." (Australian and X.Z. Cable Association.) (Received Mav 9th, 12.10 a.m.) LONDON, May 7. Continuing his despatch, Mr Massey savs:— "Once across the valley the road winds up from 3000 to 4000 feet. J- s Salt lies between steep hills at the mouth of a pass flanked by hills which a few determined men could hold against overwhelming numbers. Six miles to the northwards thero is another track through a difficult route from tho Jordan to Es Salt. It was decided that the Londoners should make an attack on Nimrin, keeping the Turks pinned there, while Australian mountoil troops proceeded by the northern road towards Es Salt. Soma Auzau cavalry wore mounted in tho foothills south of Nimrin to harass tho ononis' if ho decided to retire ovor tho rough track to Amman.

"On Monday night the Australian mounteds aud Londoners crossed the bridges at Ghoraniyeh. Tho foriKov moving along the cast bank, got a'long way up tho road before dawn. At daybreak on Tuesday tho Londoners engaged the enemy position at Nimrin, where the onemy lay behind lines ot Sangas covoring the road and all approaches to tho .hills flanking it.

"Tho Anzacs to tho southwards faced foothills held by machine-gunners, but they got as far as they intended.

"Tho Australian mounteds, overcoming groat difficulties of oountry on a narrow froiit, with a detachment of troops, enveloped lis Salt on the north and by Wednesday had surroundod the town, securing 350 prisoners and 2.) machine-guns.

"During tho darkness on Wednesday morning a largo foreo of Turks from tho Nablus area crossed tho Jordar well north of tho Auja and crept south along tho river bank which to a. depth of over half a milo is a succession oi steep sandhills and watercourses, peculiarly suitable for hiding bodies of troops. They moved towards Rod Hill Ridge—a mass ol broken ground. Our mounted brigade and horse artillery guarding tho crossing had to give way before tho Turks' superior numbers, and abandoned nino guns, which they only got into position after extraordinarily heavy labour, ani! could not bo hastily removed. The gun crows got away with their teams.

"Tho situation at this moment whs peculiar, for wo were across Nimrin, with Turks in our rear,, while the Turks' occupation of Red Hill might develop into cutting tho rood tho Australian mounteds had taken towards Es Salt.

"Anzac cavalry, brought from the south, mado a rapid 'inarch to tho high ground north-west of this road. Their swift progress on tho wide plain was easily obsorvablo througn tho dust columns, but the Turks were powerless. The Australian mounteds in their roar thus mode good. Preparations worn made to remove tho prisoners from Es Salt, troops being sent from Es Salt to Howelj to prevent tho Turks marching up the Nimrin road, others engaging considerable reinforcements from Amman and some from across the Jordan. < Although greatly outnumbered, the covering troops very successfully held off tho enemy, two attacks being Ifloavily defeated. Tho Turkish dead about Es Salt were numbered by hundreds.

"On. Friday night the __ Australian mounteds were returning across tho plain, and by this morning all tho troops were over except those guarding tho bridgeheads."

TURKISH CLAIMS.

(Australian and N.Z, Cablo Association.) (Reuter's Telegram*,) (Received May 9th, 1;16 a.m.). LONDON, May 8. A Turkish communiqud claims that tho British attacks east of the Jordan on May 3rd failed with heavy losses, and that the British cavalry were beaten and dispersed.