NEW COMMANDER ARRIVES ON PALESTINE FRONT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16583, 5 July 1917, Page 5

NEW COMMANDER ARRIVES ON PALESTINE FRONT.

CONDITIONS RESEMBLING THOSE FOUND IN FRANCE,

BOTH ARMIES RESTING ON ENTRENCHED LINES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON Jul <» Mr. W. T. Massey, the official correspondent on the Palestine front,' writing from headquarters at Gaza, states that Lieutenant-General Sir Edmund Allenby, who was until recently in command of the Third Army in France, has assumed command of the army which is operating eastward from Egypt. He finds the operations in Palestine similar to those in France. The forces are deeply entrenched, the British being securely dug in on a long line- They give the Turks no rest, the enemy positions being frequently heavily bombarded, while the guns are daily searching the enemy's artillery and ammunition dumps. Much good work is being done in preventing the enemy harvesting the barley behind the lines.

Over half a ton of bombs was dropped on an aerodrome at Ramleh near Jerusalem. Another squadron attacked and severely damaged an important depot at Tulkeram, north-west of Jaffa. A squadron attacked the headquarters of the Fourth Turkish Army within a mile of the walls of Jerusalem and dropped 50 bombs on the headquarters buildings. The Turks have issued an announcement that the British bombarded the Holy City of Jerusalem, sacred alike to Mahommedans and Christians. Mr. Massey states that the town was not bombed but four bombs bit the roof of headquarters.. "