THE MIDDLE EAST

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17628, 5 November 1917, Page 5

THE MIDDLE EAST

IN PALESTINE. ATTACK ON GAZA. TRENCHES TAKEN ON WIDE FRONT. • A. md N.Z. Cable Association and Reuler. (Received November 4, 11.20 p.m.) LONDON, November 3. An Egypt official message says:— After a heavy bombardment we attacked on Thursday night tho western and south-western defences of Gnza. We captured tho Turkish first lino on a front of 5000 yards, and repulsed Ihreo counter-attacks, with heavy enemy losses. THE .BEERSHEBA VICTORY. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reutor. LONDON, November 2. An Egypt official messago says:— Eighteen hundred prisoners and nine guns were captured at Beersheba % The British losses were slight compared with the results. SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS. A and N.Z. Cablo Association and Reutar. , LONDON, November 2. An official message from Egypt reports as follows: — We hold tho position northward of , Beersheba, and successfully raided another portion of the front, killing a large number of tho enemy. DETAILS OF THE ACTION. Reuter's Telegrams (Pieceived November 4, 11.20 p.m.) LONDON, November 3. Reuters headquarters correspondent at Cairo says:—<ihi November i the veil which has obscured the happenings on tho Palestine front for some t,mo was partially lifted by the welcome and important capture of Beersbeha, for which preparations were made with great secrecy, and the quiescence was broken nve days ago, when the guns began a vigorous shelling of the Turkish lines. Tho fire was most intense about Gaza and Ali Munxar, and thero was nothing to show that the first blow was going to fall at the other extremity of the line, nearly thirty miles away. The country round Bcershoba is undulating and traversed from north to south by deep wadis, xhe town itself lying in a depression along tho banks of the the Wadi Baba. The Turkish defences extended north-west and south at distances averaging from three to five miles. The position was one of great natural strength and was well provided with guns and machine-guns. It was held by two complete regiments and detachments from other regiments of infantry and a brigade of cavalry. The attack came as a complete and absolute surprise. The Turks were practically wiped out before news could roach headquarters. The success is not merely due to tho carefully laid plans, but to the perfect working of all the movements of the troops. All arms participated, but the lion’s share fell to the cavalry, who marched nearly fifty miles, chiefly at night time, with the object of taking the enemy in the rear. The Anzac Mounteds took over the circuit inarch with the Yeomanry, forming a junction with the infantry. General Chauvel commanded the cavalry The cavalry movement began after dark, and the Turkish position was completely outflanked before tho enemy i realised that anything more serious • than a reconnaissance was occurringf The first real resistance was met at a strong redoubt at Tel el Saba, defending the eastern approaches to the town. This held up the immediate advance to the town, but while the fight was progressing, General Ryrie’s Light Horse Brigade captured a position across the Wadi further east, and established themselves across the Hebron road, cutting off the escape of reinforcements from that direction. Tel cl Saba fell a couple of hours later, but a strong force of- the enemy still held tho Wadi, preventirig the approach to the town. General Grant’s brigade of Light Horse was ordered to support tho Anzacs, and, attacking after sunset, using fixed bayonets as lances, they swept over all opposition and carried the town with a rush. Meanwhile the infantry, after a preliminary bombardment/attacked strong defences westward of Beersheba and captured the Turkish first line. After consolidating their gains they attacked the main position, which was captured after a fight lasting twenty-five minutes. Among the bills to the northwest the enemy continued to fight, but our combined movements drove them out. One of the,most satisfactory features of the fight was that our casualtiM were comparatively small, The new

part of Beersheba was found in good condition, but hardly anything remains of tho old town- Some buildings are found to be mined, but tho water supply and pumping plant were practically intact. Considerable quantities of barley were found in the storehouses. Prisoners aro still coming in, and already number over 1500! Wo have counted nine guns and a number of machineguns were captured.