PALESTINE FIGHTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17296, 21 October 1919, Page 7

PALESTINE FIGHTING.

ALLEN BY'S CAMPAIGN.

ANZAC DIVISION'S SUMMER,

LONDON, Oct. 7. Speaking at the Guildhall to-day, on the occasion of the conferment on him of the Freedom of the City of London, FieldMarshal Lord Allenby acknowledged the splendid service of the Sixtieth London Division in the capture, of Beersheba, and in the surrender of Jerusalem, which was effected without a shot being fired m the neighbourhood of the city. The same Londoners fought in the Jordan Valley, and with the assistance of the Australian Light Horse and the NewZealand Mounted Rifles, carri.-d out two great raids, in which the Emir Feisul (sou of the King of Hedjazj gallantly cooperated.

Dwelling on the difficulties of keeping troops in the Jordan Valle.v in the summer time, which all the text-book authorities said was impossible. Lord Allenby said that this was accomplished bv attacking the mosquitoes, draining the "swamps, canalising the streams, burninr' the bush' and oiling the pools. " ' He is glad to call the Emir Frisul one of his greatest friends. "We learnt from a spy at von Sanders' said' the field-mar-shal, " that the enemy expected an attack from the Jordan Valley.

' All the text-books' authorities said that it was impossible to keep the troops in the valley during the summer, hut I kept the whole Anzac Division there for the whole summer, and lost thrice as rnanv men through sickness as from wounds " "