BRITISH VICTORY IN PALESTINE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9623, 31 March 1917, Page 7

BRITISH VICTORY IN PALESTINE

TWENTY THOUSAND TURKS DEFEATED PRAISE FOR ANZACS AND YEOMANRY 900 PRISONERS, INCLUDING FOUR AUSTRIAN OFFICERS, TAKEN. NEW YORK, March 29. A message from London states that twenty thousand Turks were defeated south of Gaza, in Palestine. 1 [Gaza is on the coastal route from Egypt to Jerusalem, thirty miles -beyond the Egyptian border, and about forty miles from Jerusalem.! High Commissioner’s Cable. LONDON. March 29, 3 p.m. On Tuesday wo defeated a force of about 20,000 of the enemy, inflicting very heavy losses. We captured 900 prisoners, including tho General and the whole Divisional Staff of the 53rd Turkish Division, besides four Austrian officers and thirty-two other Austro-Germans; also two Austrian 4-inch howitzers. All the troops behaved splendidly, especially, among others, the Anzac and Yeomanry mounted troops. LONDON, March 29. An official report from Egypt states: We advanced fifteen miles from Rafa to the Wadizhuzze {? Wadi E» Seba), five miles southward of Gaza, for tho purpose of covering the construction of the railway. Wo heavily engaged 20,000 of the enemy in this neighbourhood on Monday and Tuesday, and inflicted heavy losses. Nine hundred prisoners, including tho General Commanding and tho Staff of the 53rd Turkish Division, and four Austrian officers, were taken, and we captured two Austrian howitzers. All the troops behaved splendidly, especially the Welsh, Kent, Sussex, Hereford, Middlesex, and Surrey Regiments, and the Anzaes Mounteds and Yeomanry.