CAMPAIGN IN PALESTINE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17427, 23 September 1918, Page 5

CAMPAIGN IN PALESTINE

TURKISH LINE SMASHED. BRITISH ADVANCING. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. NEW YORK. September 20. The British have smashed the Turkish line in Palestine, and advanced 12 miles on a front of 16 miles. TURKISH STATEMENT. INTENSE FIGHTING ON WHOLE ■FRONT. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association and Renter. LONDON, September 20. A Turkish communique reports intense fighting and activity in the whole Palestine front. A GREAT TRIUMPH. RESISTANCE QUICKLY OVERCOME. TURKS IN HURRIED RETREAT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, September 20. Mr W. T. Massey, writing from Palestine Headquarters on Thursday, says: — Another magnificent triumph has been added the records of General Allenby's army. The general, as at Beersheba, concealing his intentions in a masterly way, launched a tremendous artillery and infantry- attack at dawn. Our men swept over a most elaborate system of defences from the coast north of Arsnff (theancient Appolonia), and crushed all resistance on the coastal sector within two hours. Then General Allenby threw in his cavalry, which, passing rapidly over the flat ground near the coast, is now many miles further north. The London and Indian troops, after parsing over the entrenchments within five miles of the sea, swung eastwards—i.e., inland—to envelop the villages, which were being attacked by other troops from the south. _ This movement was so successful that right across the Plain of Sharon the whole Turkish intricate chain of foriined positions is securely in our hands. Three thousand prisoners had passed through the cages by the afternoon, but to-day's captures will possibly prove greater. When I left the front I saw several groups of uncounted men cominc m. ° However, the victory is much more important than the number of prisoners would indicate, for the Turk has had a smashing blow, and is retiring into the huls as fast as his weary legs will permit. We are pressing him with splendid energy, delivering overpowering blows whenever he attempts to resist. The situation is most 1 ' promising, and it seems certain that General Allenby will deliver another large portion of Palestine from the dominion of the. Turk, as well sis inflict on the enemy a severe defeat. The preparations:'for the battle involved a good deal of marching. Our troops always moved at night, and remained hidden in the orange and olive groves in the day time. Through our masterv of the air we prevented enemy observers from seeing any change in our dispositions, and the movements of large columns of troops of all arms were concealed skilfully in a country where marching men raise huge co:umns of dust, and where the enemy possessed observation posts commanding a wide range. That the Turks remained mystified is the finest tribute that could . be given to the staff's work. When the first shafts of light appeared over the Judea hills there were signs of enemy anxiety. All was quiet in our lines until half-past 4, when, as if every gun was fired b.yi the pressure of an electric button, vivid flashes on the 15-mile front from the sea to the foothills illuminated the British front. At the same moment our infantry had gone "over the top," and were making their way towards the enemy entrenchments. They were a long way towards their objectives before the°Turks could put down a barrage, and in. almost every_ case the enemy's shells burst a long way in the rear of the attackers, who at many points were cutting wire within 10 minutes after our artillery bombardment started. Our barrage was then lifted to . catch the retreating enemy. Three miles in the rear of the enemy's positions deep shell scars on the road and dead Turks caught in the retreat tell of the harassing effect of our guns. Near the coast the London and Indian troops turned the enemy's right flank very quickly, and leaving the prisoners to be brought in, they pressed on to take the next system! On the Londoners' right other Indian troops attacked a deep series of entrenchments, well sited on the low hills, and these were carried with great dash, practicality all the Turks being accounted for, and hundreds of prisoners from the 19th Turkish Regiment, including its commander, were taken. Further east the Western County battalions, _ with the Indians, did equally meritorious work. They not only got their objectives early with slight loss, but overcame all efforts to delay them. They got into the village of Misch, one mile and a-lialf south-west of Ettereli, early in the morning. Their rapid advance must have caused the Turks deep, concern. When they got to Tireh in the afternoon there were Germans north of the town, but the Londoners were moving towards the enemy's rear, and the possibilities are favourable for us. Indian and British troops, operating more to the right, having got through the front line, turned east, and, assisted by East Anglian troops, captured Kalkilieh, which was stubbornly defended, though it had been submitted to a devastating fire. The East Anglians had met with strong resistance, but long before noon thay had the crests of the shell-torn foothills, and a remarkable peace seemed to prevail on the stony ground, which earlier had been hidden by a mass of shellbursts. The French troops did well at Rafut and Wadi Ayun, in difficult country, taking about 200 prisoners. By half-past 7 our infantry had opened the way for the cavalry to pass t-hrouga. We had a wonderful spectacle of long columns of British yeomanry over a wide expanse of country in the coastal sector, to get to the enemy's rear. There has been no finer spectacle in the Palestine war than this rapid, well-ordered advance. Our horsemen had to cross deep wad is, and move over roads heavy with sand and dust; but all obstacles were lightly blushed aside, and I believe they have made remarkable progress. y While important work was being accomplished on the Plain of Sharon, our force on the Nablus road (Jerusalem-Shechem) had been kept busy. Welsh and Indian troops made an advance east of the road, securing important positions. The air work throughout the day materially aided in securing our big victory. From daylight till dark our machines; piloted by members of the Royal Air Force and the Australian Flying' Corps, incessantly bombed Turkish troops and transport columns, and machine-gunned men on the march and in camps, and enemy transport. They also heavily bombed Anuleh and the Turkish Headquarter?; at Nablus. All dav our patrols were over the enemy aerodromes at Jenin, and whenever a German machine appeared likely to rise it was bombed. I did not see one enemy aeroplane during the whole day. A GENERAL ATTACK. RAPID PROGRESS MADE. THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Router. LONDON, September 20. (Received Sept. 22, at 5.5 p.m.) A Palestine official message states : Durincr the night of September 18 we commenced a general attack between the .Tordan arid the sea. British and Indian troops east of the Jerusalem-Nablns road advanced successfully, and intercepted the Turkish road communications leading-south-east from Nablus. The main attack, in which the French participated, was launched on the morning of September 18. after a short bombardment between Refat and the coast. The infantry made rapid progress, over-running

the entire defensive system on this frontage bv 8 o'clock in the morning and penetrating to a maximum depth of five miles before swinging eastwards. Latest reports indicate that the Tulkerani railway junction was occupied in the afternoon, whilst a brigade of Australian Light Horse reached the main Tulkeram-Mossudieh railway and the road ill the vicinity of Anebta, cutting oil large bodies of the retreating enemy with guns and transports. In the meantime a strong British, Indian, and Australian cavalry force, moving northwards in the coastal plain, seized at mid-day the road junction at Hudeira, 19 miles from the I>oint of departure. Eastward of the Jordan strong detachments of Hedjaz Arabs severed the rail communications leading northward, southward, and westward from Derra. Naval units co-operated in our advance, clearing the coastal roads with gun-fire. The operations continue. Over 3000 prisoners were counted by 8 o'clock at night, and many are not yet counted. Large quantities of material were taken. EST AN TRY AND CAVALRY ADVANCE. TURKS IN BAD POSITION. SEVERE DEFEAT BY HEDJAZ , THO OPS. LONDON, September 20. (Received Sept. 22, at 5.5 p.m.) • General Allenby's attack began on the morning of the 19th. The infantry broke right tiirough, and reached Tiilkeram, 12 miles from the original front position. By 3 o'clock in the afternoon the cavalry, after passing through, were advancing eastwards in the odrection of while another portion of cavalry advanced north-west towards Elafula and Beisan in order completely to intercept the Turks' retreat northward. • On the 18th General Allenby's right wing attacked west of the Jordan and advanced four miles. It occupied El Mugheir, which is an important junction of several roads running east to west from the Jordan, with the object of cutting off escape to the eastward. There are 18, COO Turks on the west side and 6000 on the east side. General Allenby is now in the rear of the main Turkish force west of the Jordan. The enemy will have great difficulty to extricate himself. . * Moreover, the King of the Hedjaz reports that he severely defeated the Turks at Tefile, south-east of the Dead Sea. HIGHLY-IMPORTANT VICTORY. TROOPS FULL OF ENERGY. TURKS IN FULL RETREAT. LONDON, September 20. (Received Sept. 22, at 5.5 p.m.) The' Palestine Headquarters correspondent says the immense importance of General Allenby's victory cannot be exaggerated. Under the pressure exerted everywhere by our troops, who are full of enthusiasm and undeterred by long marches and fighting, the Turkish army is in full retreat. We have driven the enemy from a wide tract of country in two days. Our cavalry ai'e in the Plain of Esdraelon, astride the Haifa-Beisan railway, a few miles south of Nazareth. Our infantry are north of Wadi Eshshair (? Esheh), a mountain pass leading to Nablus. Other infantry facing east are harassing the enemy's retirement towards the Nablus roads through country in favour of the soldiers, who throw their kits away in an endeavour to get free. This afternoon 8000 prisoners passed through the cages, but a large number of captures has still to come in. We have taken fully 100 guns of all calibres. It is impossible to estimate the vast quantities of machine- guns, motors, ammunition, stores, and rolling stock which the Turks will find it difficult to replace. On the low ground in the passes a great quantity of transport is immovable because the men have taken, the horses to try to escape from the advancing troops or has been by aircraft action. The railway communications have been damaged everywhere, and the Arab regulars and Bedouin levies have done invaluable service in cutting the Hedjaz railway north and south of Debaa, and the line running westward thereof. Although some of the enemy are putting up vigorous rearguard fights in the hills they cannot stop our progress. We are on three sides of them, and our net is drawing tighter every hour. The battle is far from finished yet, and it is too soon to predict the results of the enemy's defeat, but it is already severe. The Londoners and Indians made a swift march from Wadi Falik across marshy ground to Tulkeram, where, with the aid of a mounted brigade, they rounded up much transport- on the move from Turkeram. Our infantry moved to the north of the railway, which the Australians destroyed yesterday, denying this pass to Samaria to' th e . Turks. Other infantrv, which carried the coastal defences in one marvellous rush, faced east. _ The progress in the rough hill country is rapid. Some men are approaching Samaria and Mejudieh, though- they were at first stubbornly resisted. The Turkish rearguards are now retreating heavily towards El Afuleh and Biesan, where our cavalry is waiting for them. The attack near the Nablus road which began the operations was brilliantly conducted by the Welsh, Indian, and" 'Cape battalions, all of which shared in the success. BIG HAUL OF PRISONERS. A BRILLIANT "CHARGE. TURKISH ARMY SMASHED. LONDON, September 22. (Received Sept. 23, at 0.40 a.m.) Mr W. T. Massey, writing from Palestine on Saturday, states: General Allenby's victory is growing greater every day. Nazareth, Nablus, Samaria, Beisan, and Jenin have been occupied. The cavalry have captured an enormous number of prisoners. The total counted is 18,000, and thousands more have been taken. The Australian Mounted Division captured Jenin and over 4000 prisoners. One brigade charged the trenches brilliantly, using their swords for the first time. The Turkish Palestine army is smashed.