RESULT OF RECENT OPERATIONS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 4 January 1918, Page 5

RESULT OF RECENT OPERATIONS.

RETENTION OF JERUSALEM PRACTICALLY ASSURED.

LONDON, Jan. 2,

Summarising the result of the latest operations near Jerusalem, Reuters Palestine correspondent says:

With the linking up of the troops north-east of Jerusalem we hold an ■unmensely strong line for its defence.

To-day we occupied Beiten, the ancient Bethel. The Turkish losses in the three days' operations were extraordinarily heavy. We counted over 700 dead before one position, and the enemy must have carried off a considerable number, as is the invariable practice. We captured 600 prisoners 5 including 40 officers. An estimate of the total enemy losses at 5000 is a low one.