WORK OF THE MOUNTED MEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16909, 23 July 1918, Page 6

WORK OF THE MOUNTED MEN

NEW ZEALANDERS IN EGYPT THREE MONTHS' OPERATIONS. fBY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Monday. A summary of the April, May, and June operations of the section of tho New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt, has been received by the Minister for Defence from tie officer commanding.

The New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade returned from the Amman raid to the Jordan Valley on April 2, occupying trenches and constructing defences near the bridges and fords and patrolling across the Jordan until April 29. It took part in a reconnaisance in force east of the Jordan on April 19 under considerable hostile artillery fire. On April 30 and May 1 the brigade was engaged in a raid on Es Salt, being detailed to operate from the south. During May 1 and 3 pressure was maintained on the position at Shnnet Nimrin by a force attacking from the south, while other forces entered Es Salt from the west. On the return from Es Salt, on May 4, the brigade withdrew to the west of the Jordan, where it was occupied in guarding bridges and patrolling until May 17,s when it moved into reserve. On May 28 it moved into the rest camp and remained there until June -13. It took up the defence of a sector in the Jordan Valley on June 15, and was patrolling and occupying trenches until the end of the month. The enemy shelled the bivouac areas on several days, and snipers were more active than usual. The Rarotongans were employed on special duties north of Jaffa. The 15th \Company of the Imperial Camel Corps was training and patrolling the canal area until June 14, when it moved np the line to join another company and to commence training as a mounted rifles unit. The 16th Company of the-Imperial Camel Corps was with the Imperial Camel Corps in operations east of the Jordan Valley in April and May, after which it also moved back and commenced to reorganise as a mounted rifles unit. One other unit moved from camp to a new camp in the canal zone on May 30, and the Now Zealand section of the camel depot jflined it on June 26.