DASH BY CAES

Evening Star, Issue 16912, 9 December 1918, Page 6

DASH BY CAES

CAPTURE OF ALEPPO. (The closing days of the Palestine campaign nro described in the following cable from Reuter’s correspondent with General Alleuby’s forces. The message was written from Aleppo, and was transmitted from Cairo.) Since Saturday our troops have been in Aleppo, the most important town in Syria. Tho progress across tho plain northward oi\ Rayah was more in tho nature of a military promenade than serious warfare. Nevertheless the operations entailed a severe strain on men and horses, but the demoralisation, of the Turks enabled us to wrest the last Syrian vilayet from their dominion, as far as llama. The cavalry had a plentiful water supply, and more or less good roads, but once past the river Orontes there is a rolling plateau for about ICO miles, with hardly a drop of water till a few miles south of Aleppo. Consequently, only a limited number of mounted men could move at a time; and, coming upon five weeks’ continuous progress, the push entailed great exertion. FIGHT KNOCKED OUT OF IDEM. The Turks might have made things unpleasant if they had shown anv of their old spirit, but the fight seemed to have been completely knocked out of them. Apart from slight rearguard actions, there was no real opposition, and our casualties were consequently exceedingly light. The cavalry were preceded bs - armored cars, and a light car patrol, who‘loft llama on October 22. and on the same afternoon had a brush with the Turks 40 miles south of Aleppo. A small force of the latter was apparently holding the ridge the road, but on the approach of our cars the enemy hastily embarked on half a dozen waiting lorries, armed with machine guns, and tied northwards, while a German armored car attempted to cover their retreat. A running fight ensued, the German car being quickly knocked out and captured, but most of the lorries escaped, thanks to the bad surface of the road, where ironbound wheels were actually an advantage. One lorry was overtaken and the occupants were k^led. THE AIRMAN’S USELESS PRIZE. A German aeroplane was brought down by an Australian pilot, who alighted alongside and set tiro to the enemy piano, which he had no means of salving. The cars found tho Turks occupying a position a few miles south and south-west of Aleppo, whence they were shelled. * For three days they kept the enemy busy by feints to attack, especially attempts to work round across country' and intercept the Alexandretta road, but tho ground was too difficult. The Turks, however, are rapidly evacuating the town, and on October 24 and 25 they set fire to stores and supply dumps. The Imperial Service Cavalry arrived on the scene on October 25, and drove in the Turkish advance posts on tho hills south and west of the town. On the same evening Arabs and villagers east of Aleppo, aided by Aneyaah tribesmen, acting under the influence of Sheriefian agents, rose against Turkish authority and attacked the Turkish flank, which was practically unguarded. They penetrated Aleppo from tho east, where, in t!*o extensive gardens, there was bitter fighting between small parties of Turks and tribesmen. It is stated that over SCO Turks were killed. Early next morning tho cars entered the town, being accorded a reception of unparalleled enthusiasm. The people crowded the cars, shouting and cheering. Arab women crowded the housetops, and men fired guns and pistols in the air. A number of British find Americans were found in the town, tho Turks having no time to evacuate thorn. They included 13 British wounded. LANCERS’ DOUBLE CHARGE. Tho retreating Turks were overtaken on the Alexandretta road by Jedhporo Lancers, who, with fine impetuosity, charged right through the force. The 'furies, who ware over 3,000 strong, at first threw up their hands and surrendered; but, seeing the smallness of the attacking force, they reopened heavy fire at close range, causing a certain number of casualties. Tho Indians charged back again to safety. While our cars were holding the road south of Aleppo a Turkish mounted patrol canto from tho south, but bolted across country as soon as they detected our men ahead of them. An exciting chase across country ensued by an Australian patrol van, a couple of Turks being killed and three captured before the arrival of cavalry'. A British officer was sent with a white flag to propose surrender to the Turkish commander, and, although the reply was in the negative, the officer met with a verv warm reception in the Turkish lines, and was assured that all desired peace and thoroughly hated tho Germans, Every officer insisted on shaking hands with the envoy, and, although ho was blindfolded when he was taken in, he was allowed to remain unbandaged to return, even' sotdier standing at attention and saluting him. The booty included five locomotives, a number of lorries, and 18 guns, as well as Other war material. Tho enemy were pursued northwards by ca.va.ltv and armored cars. During a fight a couple of German aeroplanes swooped down and machine-gunned their own lorries, which apparently they mistook for ours.