TURKS ATTEMPT TO CROSS SUEZ CANAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13602, 6 February 1915, Page 3

TURKS ATTEMPT TO CROSS SUEZ CANAL.

DESCRIPTION O'F FIGHTING

CAIRO, Feb. 5. Twelve thousand Turks participated in the Canal fighting. An official announcement sums up the fighting thus : — "The invasion of Egypt has token the form of Turkish prisoners being brought to Cairo." The statement adds: — "The forces engaged were truly Imperial, and the conduct of the troops was excellent;" Other accounts state that Turkish infantry attacked Toussoun at 3 o'clock in the morning, during a sand-storm. They made a resolute attempt to cross the Canal, covered by a heavy Maxim fire.

The bombardment of Toussoun and Serapeum followed at daybreak. The Turks were prodigal with their snmmunition, but their shooting was verv bad. .

There, was fighting until 3.30 p.m., when advanced British infantry from Serapeum compelled the Turks 'to tiy, leaving many de,Ttl on the desert below the sandhills east of the Canal.

The warship liardinge was rwice hit by shells, and ten of her crew wore wounded.

The British wounded included a. few of the Egyptian field artillery near Serapeum, who behaved with splendid courage.

Two thousand Turks were discovered entrenched near the Ismalia rerrv, 800 yards from the British lino. There- u-a-s intermittent fire.

Every time the Turks attacked the British outposts at El Kantara early in the morning they were quickly driven off, losing 29 killed, 25 'wounded, and 36 being taken prisoners. The Turkish prisoners were marched through the streets of Cairo, roped together.

Some of the deserters 'belonged to a body of irregulars forcibly impressed from the Bedouins in Southern Palestine by Mumtaz Pasha, Ehiver Bey's former aide-de-camp, who was imprisoned ifor murdering a brother '■ officer at Salonica. Muntaz Pasha escaped and became a highwayman in Palestine, and is now leader of the Turkish advance guard. MELBOURNE. FeK 5. General Maxwell cabled to Mr Pcarce (Minister for Defence) : ''Australian gunners were employed in the defence of the Canal. Under fire, they comported themselves as you would wish."