BALACLAVA IN PALESTINE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17217, 21 January 1918, Page 6

BALACLAVA IN PALESTINE

TUT!,KISH DIVISIONS ROUTED. BEJSRSHEBA-GASSA LINK STORMED. (FpOlf Otin OWM COBBESPONDENT.) LONDON, November 13. Tho question whether FiiLkcnhayii will light for Mosul or for Darruscus is still u.iv settled, but tho r J.iurkiali lino of defence on tile borders of tho, }loly Land ha.--, fallen, and tho Ottomans and their Gorman masters arc to-day making a rather precipitate retreat northwards. General AUciiby's plan of campaign was ,to turn tbo position at Gaaa. by outflanking Beeshcba.. It succeeded , completely, and tho Turkish counter-attacks in tho Gaza direction failed before our heavy artillery bombardments. Tho Turks retired from ono position after another, and only si tow signs of pulling up in time to savry Jerusalem, which is thirty miles behind tho middle of their lino. The New Zreilanders seorn to lir-.vo taken a main part in tho capture of Bcersheba, and London troops distinguished themselves* over and over again on the Crusaders' Plains overlooking Gaza and Askalon.

In the actual attack on Gaza some French ■ warships belonging to the Syrian divißion took part, destroying tho railway embankments to tho northward over end over again, as often as the German engineers rcpairiod them. Tho campaign here, as in Sinai, is a matter of supply, and tho pipelines carrying water to tike far flanks of tho advance "mean almost as much as tho preponderating artillery. After the fall of Boersheba tbo enemy tried hard to defend' certain roar positions in the desert, but they wore stormed ono after another by an astonishing number of different British units, and by our own oversea brigades, and Indian cavalry. West Country patrols found Tank Redoubt, where a tank burnt during the second battle of Gaza in April remains on the skyline near the Boersheba road, and Atawina Redoubt almost empty. A big ammunition store was blown up a long way in tho rear of tho enemy's old lino. The concussion was terrific, says Mr Massey, tho official correspondent. "Looking across country, we saw a. gigantic cohimn, with a mushroom head, in tho direction of the enemy's nawly-mado but now useless railway. I have heard that a building twenty miles away was shaken by the explosion. Tho enemy hbd doubtless learned that this valuable store of ammunition, could not possibly ba saved." GAZA TAKEN. British yeomanry dismounted; played a great and novel part, while tho Imperial Camel Corps, on tno right, did the distinctly desert work towards the Plain of Hebron. " Tho Turks on leaving Gaza," says Mr Massey, "fillled in tho wells with filth, and generally made tho ancient city unrecognisable. There still 'remain, however, souio traces of old civilisation. Most of tho architecture is crude, and the work of vandals is seen in the old marble columns embodied in comparatively modern dwellings. Marble seems to have been stripped from the ancient temples and the church to make a lintel and doorways in the tower of the building used by the Turkish Headquarters. There is an ancient carved stone with a iion, perhaps connected with Cocur do Lion's landing at Ascalon. When in Gaza to-day I saw Samson's mound, Ali Muntar, crowded with British Tommies looking at the lighting in the distance. It is the first time in eight months since a head dared to show itself on this landmark, a sure and certain sign of tlie completeness of our victory."

Tho best description Mr Massey has given is of a Balaclava charge by Midland Yeomanry, and excellent work by Londoners. He says:—

"The Londoners had many opportunities, and made tho most of them. A distinguished officer who has seen nearly three years of war in France, and watched every movement of the London County Territorials here, told me he could not speak of them without a lump rising in his throat TTiese Cockneys,' he says, 'are the best men in the world. Their spirits are simply wonderful. Discipline was absolutely perfect, physique iind courage alike magnificent. The Cockney makes the perfect soldier.' Whether tho men came from Bprmondsey;\ Camberwell, Kennington, or belong- to what were known as 'class corps' before tho war, or other battalions equally good, they may well be rewarded with tho title of London's I'ride. In eight days tho men marched 66 miles and fought a number of hot actions. The march may not seem long, but Palestine is not Salisbury Plain. FEATS OF LONDONERS. " Hill 1070 was the key to Beersheba. During wire-cutting at this hill dust prevented good observation, and scouts at groat risk crept up and inspected tho wire. During the final bombardment men were lying down 60 yards from the wire, ready to rush the trenches, and the wire-cutting parties wriggled forward and tore up the wire'3s yards from the trenches. The hill was won a few minutes after. From the morning of November 6 till the afternoon of November 8 the Londoners marched 23| miles, fighting practically the whole time, night and day, and taking positions of remarkable strength against the best troops the Turks had in line. They started the attack at Kawukah, a very important system of trenches, about noon ou the 6th, and carried them early in the afternoon with irresistible dash Though this was the day's objective, the possibility of taking tho adjoining Rushdi system, also of great strength, was recognised, and an attack was mado on it with overwhelming success. TLeu, swinging round at right angles, the Londoners marched north and knocked the enemy out of Sheria Station at 5 o'clock. At 4.30 next morning the Londoners stormed Tell el Sheria with the bayonet. There were still four field guns in action against us, and one battalion commander called for volunteers, and, personally leading tho charge, dashed over the broken ground, putting tho pftmners to death and capturing all the guns. This was a good' beginning of another good day. A bridgehead was formed at the Sheria, and tho Londoners fought hard hero throughout the day, at one time stopping a strong counter-attack, which broke 200 yards from our line., In the evening tho 'brigade was sent to capture high ground on our front as a. starting place for tho next day's operations. On November 8 the Londoners drove in the enemy's weighty flank guard three times, and by then had outmarched tho cavalry. While occupying a ridge loss than two miles from the enemy lines at Huj, the Territorials came under extremely heavy gunfire. THE CHARGE OF THE YEOMANRY. "Meanwhile the Yeomanry had come up, and til© commander of tho Londoners, who had seen tne whole enemy's position and their guns, ordered tho Yeomanry to charge them. Thero wero 10 troops oi Worcester and Warwick Yeornajiry, commanded by a colonel who is a master of hounds. Ho and his men swept over the ridgo in successive lines about 2000 yards from the enemy, and raced down tho slope across tho flat, partly obscured by a mound in front. Over this rise the yeomen spurred their chargers, and took the final riso at a terrific pace. Tho ranks wcro somewhat thinned by gun, machine gun, and rifla lire, which tho enemy switched oil tho Londoners soon after the tmils of dust told of tho advancing cavalry. Tho Midland horsemen dashed through the enemy left flank guard, who threw oft" their equipment and tried to liee from tho charging lines. Many were too late.

''The cavalry's target was not so much infantry as guns. Giving full-throated cheers they -went straight for the field and heavy pieces. The gunners did their utmost to stem the onslaught, and set their shell fuses at zero to make them buret at tho mouth of the gun, but nothing could stop , tho charge. There we-ro 12 guns in action, nine German-made field guns and three 5.9 howitzers. Th<j field sfuns banged as fust as the Austrian and German gun crews could load them, ibut every enemy artilleryman was sabred by his piece. The Londoners heard tho Ore of all tho guns stop dead almost at tho same moment.

"Finished with tho batteries, the Yeomen swept up towards the ridgo again to silence throo machine guns used against them. These were captured and brought into action against the departing Turks, many of whom were killed by their own weapons. This brilliantly execoted and moat dashing charge is considered by those who saw it as worthy of a high place in tho annals of British cavalry. Tne Worcester"? and Warwicks have exacted terrible retribution for tho losses they sustained against overwhelming odds at Katia and Oghratina in Easter of last year."