DETAILS OF THE FIGHTING

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 115, 12 November 1917, Page 7

DETAILS OF THE FIGHTING

HARD WORK AND HEAVY GOING.

(Received November 12, 11 a m.) M w £°? r DON ' Uth November. Mr. W. T. Massey states that on Ihureday a- division in a central posi--tion was holding the Atawinch section south-east of Gaza, though it was deprived of- support on its right and left. It held trenches and redoubts, but was heavily shelled. We had begun on Wednesday to get round both flanks, and tlie Anzac mounteds tried to move across the rear. Apparently the enemy had determined to remove the bulk of his troops at night, leaving the trenches lightly held. West Countrymen got these, trenches early in the morning. In the afternoon we had an indication that the -Turks were retreating. A'big ammunition store was blown up a lon°way to his rear. °

Scottish Territorials had made a night march,of thirteen miles across the' sand dunes, ankle-deep in sand all the way, to tlie higlvground north of the AVadi- Hesi, to prevent the Turks using the railway their material. The.Scots brought up field-guns and heavy batteries, which was a wonderful feat over such terrible ground. The Turks felt the weight of their -metal, and at Lahihanun moved out of the way. Our troops to the -east.'are meanwhile overcoming difficult conditions. Irishmen, Londoners, and others made long marches with spells of hard fighting, and their progress with the dismounted yeomanry displayed their fitness and determination. Their keenness was whetted by the trials of the mounted?. The Yeomanry, Australians, and New Zealanders have worked magnificently. A flight of aeroplanes bombed two bodies of Turks numbering 5000, near the coast between Seneid and Medjel. The fliers also got many men with their machine-guns, and bombed columns of transport, railway, stations, and aerodromes. . -