ANZAC DESERT PATROL.

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 September 1917, Page 8

ANZAC DESERT PATROL.

SKIRMiSiIES WITH THE TURK. CAIRO, Sept. o. W itli the slowing down of operations on the Gaza front to the conditions of trench warfare, the task of patrolling the .southern think, where the lines drift off into the desert, is in the bands °t the Anzac and Imperial mounted divisions. It is a thankless task and a dreary one mostly, but occasionally reconnaissances and encounters with enemy patrols invest it with welcome opportunities for excitement. Turkish horsemen have a. wholesome respect for our men, and the skirmishes which take place are never of their seeking. They are as shy as hawks, and to get near them requires patience and careful study of their tacticsAlso they are as cunning as serpents. In these conditions of warfare the Anzacs have distinguished themselves, as the following typical cases will show;—

It hod been observed that three Turkish patrols for several days followed certain parallel routes to a particular ridge, whence they had a good distant view. It was decided to intercept them, and an adequate force of Austi'aliau Ligdit Horse was despatched one dark night to make a long' detour in order to take up a position on some broken ground not very far from the Turkish lines. It was not an easy matter to find the way by compass only across the trackless wilderness in the pitch-black darkness- But no mistakes were made. - The Turks early next morning' essayed their round in complete unconsciousness of the proximity of the enemy. When they had gone sufficiently forward our men closed up behind, entirely cutting off their retreat, \ with the result that the_ majority of the Turks were either capured or killed. In these encounters the Turks seldom put up a fight- They simply gallop for all they are worth, and the Australians ride them down, hauling them out of their saddles by the scruff of the neck. ' A certain distinguished Australian officer on one occasion went in a motor-car armed with a Hotchkiss gun in order to see how a junior officer carried out an ambush of another enemy patrol. Topping the sand ridge the party in the car saw the patrol_ in the valley beneath coming their way, and immediately decided to intercept it- The car raced down the hill, landing at a nullah which could not be crossed. The Hotchkiss without delay was dismounted and rushed across and opened fire. But meantime the ’Australian cavalry had caught up with the Turks, and could be seen hauling them off their At another place a r l urkish patrol used to cross the open plain, where there was no cover for miles, to visit certain ruins. Three- dismounted Anzacs hid themselves overnight in small sand depressions near the route the Turks were in the habit of following. A Turkish officer with two advance posts passed between them, but suddenly became suspicious. * and wheeled, back upon the main body._ The Australians in ambush immediately opened fire and brought down the officer and a sergeantFinding only three adversaries, the former drew his revolver, but was immediately shot dead- The remainder of the Anzac patrol then dashed to the scene and the Turks bolted.