THE PALESTINE CAMPAIGN

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16324, 23 September 1918, Page 7

THE PALESTINE CAMPAIGN

GENERAL ALLENBY'S ATTACK. A SMASHING BLOW. ' (By Cable.—Pr*«i Association.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Auoci*tion.) LONDON, Septomber 20. Mr W. T. Massey, writing from tho Palestine Headquarters on Thursday, says: Anothor magnificent triumph is on the records of General Allenby's i army. The General was at Beersheba. Concealing hifi intentions in a masterly way, he launched a tremendous artillery and infantry attack at dawn. It swept over a most elaborate system of defences from the coast north of Arsuf (the site of the ancient Appolonia), and crushed all resistance •in the coastal sector within two hours. Then he threw in his cavalry, which, passing rapidly over the flat ground near the coast, is now many miles north. London and Indian troops, after passing over the entrenchments within five miles of the sea, swung eastwards to onvelop tho villages, which were being attacked by otlier troops from the south. This movement was so successful that right across the Plain of Sharon the whole Turkish intricate chain of fortified positions is securely in our hands. Three thousand prisoners had passed through the cages by afternoon, but to-day's capturos possibly will prove greater. When t left the front I saw several groups of uncounted men coming in. However, the victory is much more important than the number of prisoners indicates, for the Turk, who has had a smashing blow, is retiring into the hills as fast as his. weary legs permit. We are pressing him with splendid energy, delivering overpowering blows whenever there are attempts to resist. The situation is most promising. It seems certain that General Allenby will deliver another large portion of Palestine from the dominion of the Turk, as woll as inflict on the enemy a severe j defeat. j '1 he preparations for the battle involved a good deal of marching. The troops were always moved at night, and remained hidden in orange and olive groves during the day time. Through our mastery of the air we prevented enemy observers seeing any change in our dispositions. The movements of largo columns of troops of all arms were concealed skilfully. In a country where marching men raise huge columns of dust, and the enemy .possessed observation posts commanding a wide range, the fact that the Turks remained mystified is the finest trib'ite that could bo given to the staff's work. When tho first shafts of light appeared over the Judea hills, there wore signs of enemy anxiety. All was quiet in our lines until half-past four, when, as if every gun was fired by the pressure of an electric button, vivid gashes on n fifteen-mile front, from tlio. sea to the foot of the hills, illumined the British front. At the same moment the infantry had gone over the top, and were making their way towards the enemy entrenchments. Thev were a long way towards their objectives before the Turks could put down a ,_ barrage. In almost every case their shells burst a .long wav in' the roar of the attackers, who. at many points, were cutting the wire when, ten minutes after the artillerv bombardment started, our barrage lifted to catch the remaining enemy. Three miles in the rear of the enemy s positions deep shell scars on the road, and dead Turks, caught in the retreat, toll of the harassing effect of our guns. Near the coast tho London and ludian troops turned the flank very quickly, and, leaving the prisoners to be brought in, pressed on to take tho next system on the Londoners' right. Other Indian troops attacked a deep series of entrenchments well situated on tho low hills. Those wore carried with great dash. Practically all the Turks wero accounted for, and hundreds of prisoners of the Nineteenth Regiment, including the commander, were taken. Farther east,. tho Western County battalions, with, the Indians, did equally meritorious work. They not only achieved their objectives early, with slight Joss, but overcame all efforts to delay them. They got into the village of Miskchj a inile and a half southwest of ISt Tireh, early in the morning. Their rapid advance must havo caused the Turks deep concern. When they got to Et Tireh in the afternoon, there were Germans north of tho town, hut the Londoners were moving towards the enemy rear, and the possibilities are favourable for us. The Indian. and British troops, operating more to the right, having got through the front lino, turned east, and assisted by tho East Anglian troops, captured Kalkilioh, which waa stubbornly defendod, and had been submitted to devastating fire. The East Anglian/} had met with strong resistance, but long before noon they had the crests of the shell-torn foothills, and remarkable peace seemed to prevail on the stony ground, which I earlier had 'boon hidden by a mass of shell bursts. The French troops did well at Rafut and Wadi Ayun, in difficult country,' taking about two hundred prisoners by half-past seven. Tho infantry had opened the way for tho cavalry to pass through, and we had a wonderful spectacle of long columns of British Yeomanry over a wido expanse of country in tho coastal sector attempting to get to the enemy's roar. "There has bean no finer spectacle in the Palestino war," says Mr Massey, "than this rapid, well-ordered advance. The horsemen had to cross deep wadis, and move over roads heavy with sand and dust, but all obstacles wore lightly brushed aside, and I believe tlipy have made remarkable prograss. While important work was being accomplished on tho Plain of Sharon, the force on the Nablus road had boon kept busy. "Welsh and Indian troops made an advance east of the road, securing important positions. Air work throughout the day materially aided in securing the big victory. From daylight till dark machines, piloted by the Royal Air Force and the Australian Flying Corps, incessantly bombed the troops and transport columns, and machine-gunned men on ' the march, and in camps and transport. Thoy also heavily bombed Anuleh and 1 the headquarters at Nablus. All day i patrols were ovor the enemy aerodrome , at Jonin, and whenever, "a German machine appeared likely to rise, it was 1 bombed. I did not see ono enemy aero- 1 plane durins the day. 1 NEW YORK, Septomber 20. < Tho British smashed the Turkish , line in Palestine, and advanced twelve miles on a front of Rixteen miles. LONDON. Septomber 20. ' ' A Ti'rkish communique reoorts in- 1 tonse fighting activity on the wholo Palestine front. GENERAL ALLENBY'S VICTORY. 8000 PRISONERS TAKEN. ] (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (ifeuterV Telegrams.) (Received September 22nd, 5.5 p.m.) t LONDON, September 20. 1 A Palestine Headquarters' corres- | * jondent says: The immense important* J jf General Allenby's victory cannot be £ jxaggerared. Under pressure exerted ; a jverywhere by our troop 9, full of en- ; thusiasiu and undeterred by lony 1 narcheß and fighting, the Turkish Army s ill full retreat. We have driven the

II enemy from » -wide tract- of country in « two days. Our cavalry are in the plain of Esdraelon, astride the HaifaBeisan railway, a few miles south of Nazareth. The infantry are north of the Wadi-Esh6hair mountain pas 6 1o Nablus The other infantry, facing east, are harassing the enemy's retirement towards the Nablus roads through country that favours the soldiers, who throw their kits away in the endeavour 1 to get free. This afternoon 8000 prisoners passed through the camps, hut a large number 0 of captures hare still to come in We r , have taken fully a httndrod guns of all a calibres, and it is impossible to estimate 8 the vast quantities of machine-guns, motors, ammunition, stores, and rolling [. stock, which the Turks will find it diffit cult to replace. On the low ground m f I the passes a great quantity of transport fj was immovable, because the men had 1 j taken the horses J.o try to escape the e J advancing troops, or the alternative of g being smashed by aircraft action. Raile way communications have been dam- ■" aged everywhere. The-Arab regulars 5 and Bedouin levies have done invahiable service, cutting the Hedjaz railr, vray north and south of Deraa, and the e line running westward of it. Although i- some of the enemy are putting up vigorous rearguard fights in the hills, they ° cannot stop our progress. We aro on i. three sides of them, and onr net is s drawing tighter every hour. The battle s is far from finished yet. It is too soon I to predict the results of the enemy's defeat. It already is severe. £ The Londoners and Indians made a swift march from Wadi Galik, across f the marshy ground to Tulkeram, where j t with the aid of a Mounted- Brigade j " they rounded up much transport on ' the move from Tulkeram. The infantry 9 have moved to north of the railway, b which the Australians destroyed yesI terday, denying this pass to Samaria - to the Turks. Progress in the rough 5 hill country is rapid. Some infantry 9 aro approaching Samaria and Mesudieh, - though they were at first stubbornly J iesisted. Tho Turkish reaj-guards are > now retreating heavily towards Aflleh ' and Beisan, where our cavalry are waitj ing for them. f The attack near Nablus road, which - began the operations, was brilliantly 1 conducted by Welsh, Indian, and Cape 1 Battalions. All shared in the Buecess. 7 THE ATTACK COMPLETELY ■ SUCCESSFUL. b (Received September 22nd, 5.5 p.m.), 3 LONDON, September 20.^ A Palestine official message states: — 3 During the night of September 18tU 5 wo commenced a general attack bei tween the Jordan and the sea. British : and Indian troops east of the Jerusa- ' j lem and Nablus road advanced successj' fully, and intercepted the Turkish road - communications leading south-east from > Nablus. The main attack, in which the • French participated, was launched on 7 the morning of September 18th, after [ a short bombardment between Refau r and the coast. The infantry made P rapid progress, over-running the entire > defensive system on this frontage by " 8 o'clock in the morning, and penetrating , to a maximum depth of five miles before swinging eastwards. Latest rft- > ports indicate that the Tulkeram raili way junction was occupied in the afterI noon, whilst a brigade of Australian L Light Horse reached the main Tul- j . keram-Mossudick railway, and the road ; . in the vicinity of Anebta. cutting off » large bodies of Tetreating enemy with guns and transports. Meantime a strong -British, Indian, and Australian cavalryforoo, moving northwards on the coastal plain, seized at midday the road junction at Hudeira, nineteen miles from tho point of departure. Eastward of the Jordan, strong detachments of Hedjaz Arabs severed the rail communications leading northward, southward, and westward from Derra. NavaJ units co-operated in our advance, clearing the coastal roads with gn afire. The operations continue. Over 3000 prisoners -were counted by 8 o'clock at , night, and many have not yet been counted. Large quantities of material were taken. THE TURKS' RETREAT. (Received September 22nd, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 20. General Allenby's attack began on the morning of September 19th. Tho infantry broke right through and reach 7 ed Tulkeram, twelve miles from the original front position, by 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The cavalry, after passing through, wore advancing eastwards in the direction of Nablus, while another portion of cavaliy advanced north-west towards Elafula and Beisan, , in order to completely intercept the Turks' retreat northward. General Allenby's right wing on September 18th attacked west of the Jordan, advanced four miles, and occupied El Mugheir, which is an important junction of several roads east to west of the Jordan, with the object of cutting off the escape eastward. There aro 18,000 Turks on the west side of the Jordan, and 6000 on the east. General Allenby is now in the rear of the main Turkish force west of the Jordan. The enemy will have great difficulty to cxtricate himself. Moreover, General King, at Hedjaz, reports that he severely defeated the Turks at Tifile, south-east af tho Dead Sea. A GREAT VICTORY. 18,000 PRISONERS TAKEN. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, Soptomber 22. Mr W. T. Masscy, writing from Palestine on Saturday, states: —General Allenby's victory grows greater every day. Nazareth, Nablus. Samaria, Dcisan, and Jenin have been occupied. Tho cavalry have captured an enormous number of prisoners. Tho total counted is 18,000, and thousands more have been taken. The Australian mounted division captured Jenin and over 4000 prisoners. One brigade charged the trenches brilliantly, .ising their swords for the first time. The Turkish Palestine army is smashed.