WAR IN HOLY LAND

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 27, 1 August 1917, Page 8

WAR IN HOLY LAND

FROM EGYPT TO GAZA.

LONDON, 16th July. A special correspondent, of the United Service writes from Palestine: —

Where our Light Horse is fighting it a wilderness of shifting sand and shadeless, shelterless, rolling sand hills, sparsely sprinkled with coarse grasei, which only camels eat. A train journey reveals occasional glimpses of the limpid, blue Mediterranean passing wire en.tanglements, widespread. ■ f-Mrenches; and redoubts half buried in the said, and marking the stages of our advance across the peninsula. . ..Although .our line, is; safe..from, enemy, depredations", still it has "to "contend with violent desert winds, sweeping sand across the track, and breakdown gangs are always kept ready to clear the traffic. Already several solid stone stations replace the wooden erections, giving an air of permanence to the war line which one day will be a favoured route for Holy Land tourists, and will enable travellers to go to Egypt without having to cross the sea.

' The aspect of the scenery changes rather as the Holy Land is entered. Near Gaza there are ' patches of soft, friable soil, mixed with the sand dunes, palms, and cactus hedges,' marking permanent water. The plains are extensively cultivated, although to-day everything is dried up, and the land is hardly distinguishable from the neighbouring'desert, which stretches its dreary length for a hundred miles, making the feeding and watering of the troops and animals a feat as wonderful as the railway construction. The enemy line extends west of Gaza, southwards to'Beersheba. It is not continuous to Beersheba, but: the enemy is gradually strengthening and linking up his defences, which have been rendered as formidable as pick and; shovel and unlimited barbed-wire "and machine-guns and German military genius can make a place naturally euited for defence. The enemy lines practically skirt the road to Beersheba. They have been strengthened with powerful redoubts, and advanced posts, are some distance^ ahead of Ac main positions. Gaza is pictures^ quely situated amid verdant gardens. The redoubts and white houses are conspicuous for miles, /It shows little sign of' damage' We are mercifully,sparing it the horrors of bombardment. Since,the: fighting in April the situation is comparatively ■'■ calm.. Raids and patrol skirmishes are frequent. , The Australian Light Horse ifi prominent in the latter. Our,gunners have constantly worried tne foe, bombarding at the least movement the enemy ponitions day and night. _ Oiu aeroplanes are constantly reconnoitring the positions and discovering targets for the artillery! The Turk is now extremely careful, and rarely gives signs of life. Recently an airman, after vainly searching for a,target, disgustedly wirelessed the terse message, "N.8.G." , .. The Turkish artillery is generally in? active. It is careful of shells, and only lavish if a special target is offered. _ The prisoners are , well fed and equipped. Our organisation is machine-like in its precision and regularity, and there is no confusion nor congestion. The troops receive vegetables daily and unstinted water. The general health of the Australians is excellent. The weather is moderate, cold night winds tempering the .heat of the daytime.