TURKISH HORDES ADVANCE ON EGYPT

Manawatu Times, Issue 6848, 1 March 1929, Page 10

TURKISH HORDES ADVANCE ON EGYPT

While English Officers Dance

lIOW BIRDWOOD PLANNED DEFENCE OF SUEZ CANAL

“Times” Special

The death of General Sir John Maxwell, who was Commander in Chief in Egypt from the commencement of the Great AYur until 19J5, recalls a stirring incident which happened in Cairo when Sir William Birdwood, “The Soul of Anzac” planned, during a, staff ball, the rout of the Turkish forces who wc-re advancing on Suez Canal. It was one of those nights of Oriental splendour with the scene laid in the spacious ballroom of Shephard's hotel, Cairo, where luxuriously-gowned ladies danced with brilliantly-uniformed partners on a floor made smoother than the smoothest glass by 50 sous of Allah before the departing Sun called them to prayer.

The occasion was a Staff ball and to the alluring music of the orchestra which blended with the Orient atmosphere, the dancers waltzed and foxtrotted, joyfully ignorant of the sterner things which, at the moment, were exercising the minds of those charged with the protection of Egypt from the Turks. For somewhere, out on tho soulless Sinai, a great army of Turkish soldiers was slowly advancing towards the Suez canal and its objective, Egypt.

The incident about to be recorded is not without precedent —the illustrous Drake was playing bowls as the Spanish Armada hove in sight; and, so- the English officers danced while the Turks trudged over the Peninsula to close Britain’s gate to the east. Drake was ready for the Spaniards and the English were ready for the Turks. Egypt, for defensive purposes and for the protection of the Suez Cana!, had just passed under the complete control of the Army of Occupation and the country was flooded with khaki, including the Australian and New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, which had arrived in the middle of December, 1914.

The la to General Sir John Maxwell held the command of Egypt and General Sir William Birdwood, with a staff - of British officers from India, had taken over the command of the two forces from the Pacific and they were, at the time, about to be grouped and given the famous name Anzac. The Suez Canal, was guarded by thousands ! of Indian troops, and all was progressing serenely uutil the Turkish Command resolved upon bringing the Sinai ( desert in a grand effort to recapture Egypt, or at least to command the Canal. Progress reports of the slew, metkodical advance of the Turks over the desert' came to hand regularly and it was not until the enemy was nearing the ground upon which he -would deploy for the puiposo of launching his attack, that the late Sir John Maxwell commenced to entertaiu some little apprehension as to the reliability of his forces guarding the Canal. They comprised all Indian troops, with but a sprinkling of English officers they were Mohammedans and so were the advancing Turks. Fifty sons of Allah had finished putting that wonderful surface on the ballroom floor of Shephard’s hotel. Other attendants, equally as numerous as the floor polishers, had completed the furnishing and the room was closed in readiness for the ball while the guests dined. Everything was set for the evening’s entertainment. The guests were preparing to leave the beautiful lounge when General Sir William Birdwood was silently called away to Teccive an important communication from the late Sir John I Maxwell. In this was laid bare the | inevitable conflict about to be staged lon the banks of the Suez Canal.. Sir William proceeded at once to business —the defence of Egypt. The gay scene in the magniliciont lounge of Shephard’s never recorded the least sensation of tho disturbing news which Sir John’s despatch had conveyed to “The Soul of Anzac.’’ Quietly withdrawing from the distinguished gathering, the General proceeded to his office, which was near the ballroom, wdicrc his military clerk was called in to learn of tho High Command’s fears as to tho safety of tho Canal. The better to appreciate what was to be dictated, the military clerk was ! instructed to read Sir John’s communication, which was a wcll-reasoncd study of tho situation generally and particularly of the Indian troops who Guarded tho canal, with a candl'd confession of fear as to their quality when standing alone and called upon to meet a force of the same religious beliefs. In the opinion of Sir John the situation on the canal did not offer that security which spelt confidence. The intimate knowledge of Indian troops possessed by Sir William would possibly assist to clear away doubts entertained by Sir John; in any case .Sir William might well consider the i position and if so disposed offer any suggestions as to the deployment of the troops which would have for its object the adequate defence ofth Canal and Egypt. Clearly, kir John was disturbed. It was always doubted whether tho Turks would be able to overcome the almost insurmountable difficulties the crossing ot sun-baked Sinai presented. The task appeared impossible to transport a whole army across a desert was a feat indeed, when it is remembered that the Turks had to coniine their long trek to' a line well away from the coast, civilisation, water an-i fresh food supplies. As they progressed, they had to build a railway and lay water pipes. Their close proximity to the Canal, then, awakened a sterner view of the situation —would the Indian troops on their own be capable of dealing with tho advancing hordes? General Birdwood lost no time in allaying the fears of Sir John and the confident manner in which he set about dictating his r>lsn-. for the defence of the Canal and Egypt was the same which won for him the s.dmira-

fion of all Anzacs. His fluent dictation disclosed a generous appreciation cf tho situation and the scheme was unfolded rapidly and concisely, with never a detaiL missing. A battalion o? two of Anzacs—one from the Australian and one from the New Zealand forces—would be sent down to the Canai immediately to strengthen the Indian forces and companies of engi ncers from tho same forces would also be sent for special work. The distribu tion of these troops among the Indian regiments would have the desired effect.

Sir AYilliam then proceeded to detail tho organisation for repelling the Turks once they reached within strik ing distance. His scheme included the use of an armoured train, which would be hidden along tho bank of the Canal on tho Egyptian side. Tho Turks, who were known to be dragging largo pontoons to be used for crossing tho canal, were to be allowed to reach tho Canal and actually to launch their pontoons. At that moment, tho defence was to be launched—to strike while the troops were embarking on the pontoons would produce confusion. Phis, with much other important detail, was the main outline of Sir AVilliam’s scheme, which he set out in a personal letter to Sir John, while a brilliant assembly waltzed —all blissfully unconscious of the role one of the guests of the evening was then fulfilling. I General Birdwood’s plan was readily | accepted and next morning the Anzac j encampments at Zeitoun and Mena were astir with the ncw3 that at last they were going to see real fighting. The Anzacs were getting bored with the monotony of life in Cairo and talk of real fighting sent a thrill through all ranks. The fate of the Turkish advance on Egypt, everyone knows, but few have known that +heir complete rout was due to the plans of General Sir William Birdwood “The Soul of Anzac.” _