THE PALESTINE CAMPAIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3337, 27 February 1918, Page 37

THE PALESTINE CAMPAIGN.

CAPTUBE OF JERICHO. THE OFFICIAL REPORTS. (By Cable). Palestine official: Our advance eastward from Jerusalem was resumed. Despite heavy rainstorms in difficult country, and the enemy's obstinate resistance, we progressed 3£ miles on a front of eight miles, reaching to within four miles of Jericho. Simultaneously we advanced a mile on a front of four miles westward of Jerusalem, along the Nablus Toad. - Our air service co-operated. The airmen bombed camps and depots miles east and north-east of Jericho. Our losses on the 19th were very slight ; yesterday's have not yet been reported. We attacked next morning eastward of Jerusalem on a frontage of 15 mile's, and secured all our objectives by evening to an average depth of two miles. The Australians captured Jericho. Our forces advancing on the morning of the 21st encountered small opposition. The Australian mounted men entered Jericho and established themselves on a line between the Jordan and Wadi Duja. The weather is bad. Our casualties were slight. We have extended our position north and north-west of Jerusalem. From Jericho the enemy retreated to Wadi Duja, leaving their posts on high ground on the left bank. They also retired eastward across the Jordan, holding the bridgehead at Elghoraniye. A Turkish official message says: We were unable to repulse all the enemy's attacks in Palestine, and consequently we took up previously appointed positions.

WAR CORRESPONDENT'S REPORT. Mr W. T. Massey, writing from Palestine headquarters on the 21st -inst., states : General Allenby's army has driven the Turks from a strong position east of - Jerusalem, London troops capturing all the commanding positions overlooking the Southern Jordan Valley, and the Australian and New Zealand mounted men entering Jericho to-day. The enemy, who were entrenched on a series of hills, were attacked by the London infantry on Tuesday and yesterday on a 12-mile front. The enemy were defeated everywhere, and suffered heavy losses. The country comprised an extremely difficult mass of hills, valleys, kloofs, dongas, and worn, rock-faced hills. One place—Wadi Farar—has a perpendicular cliffside 500 ft high, but the infantry routed out the enemy from trenches which had been cut or blasted on ridge spurs and mountain ranges, showing great gallantry. On Tuesday at dawn they attacked on a line of about 20,000 yards. In eome places the Turks retreated during the artillery bombardment, but in the centre one battalion had to assault three times before winning a system of, trenches. During Tuesday night the infantry moved to the attack of the range from Talatod, on the Dumm, to Ektei. The key to the Jericho-Jerusalem road runs through these Kills. On the Dumm there is the Good Samaritan Inn and the remains, of the Crusader Castle Hill, known to the Arabs as the Hill. of Blood. I saw the Lon- ■ doners carry the hill in splendid style at an early stage after a most accurate artillery fire, but the enemy stubbornly defended Ektei, whose southern face is as precipitous as Gibraltar. : Marching' during the night the troops met with great difficulties owing to the rough ground. One column took nearly eight hours to cover slightly over three k miles. In some places the men walked in single file. The enemy were cleared off Ektei in the afternoon. Meanwhile the Anzacs moved through desperately hard country, threatening the enemy rear. They were held up for a considerable time in a defile through which only two men could pass abreast, the Turks bringing several guns to bear on this point. By nightfall we had occupied all the positions commanding the southern Jordan Valley, the Turks having hurriedly retired. The Anzacs made a rapid march this morning, entering Jericho at 8 o'clock. Yesterday the Turks burnt their stores on the northern shores of the Dead Sea. Our operations will retard, if they do not entirely prevent, an important source' of grain supply to the Turkish forces. Mr W. T. Massey, writing from the British headquarters in Palestine, says: The capture of Jericho was a most brilliant feat. The Australian and New Zealand Mounted Forces moved eastwards ■ over the hills, threatening the enemy's rear. It was most difficult country, and they were held up for a considerable time In a defile where only two could pass abreast. The enemy brought several guns to bear upon this point, but when darkness fell the Anzacs had such commanding positions that the Turks fled east. The Anzac cavalry entered Jericho in the morning. GENERAL ALLENBY'S POSITION. Reuter is authoritatively informed that the British advance on the Jordan will greatly help in establishing touch with the Arabs, thereby ..greatly encouraging the Allies. General Allenby's position is now welldefined. The right flank rests on the Dead Sea and the left on the Mediterranean, hence a frontal attack alone Is possible for the enemy. We control the Dead Sea, and have access to the rich lands on the. eastern side and menace the railway to Damascus. Ahead there are easier country and better roads. GERMAN BANKS WINDING UP. The Tribima reports that numbers of Germans are leaving Constantinople and Asiatic Turkey. The German banks in Constantinople are winding up their business.