PALESTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1918, Page 5

PALESTINE.

DRIVING THE TURKS BACK.

CONSIDERABLE CASUALTIES INFLICTED.

Aus. and X.Z. Cable Assoc. and Rente?. Received March 13, iO.lu p.m. London, March j2. Palestine official: We further advanced astride the Jerusalem-Nabhis road and inilieted considerable casualties. We captured several machine-guns.

DETAILS OF OPERATIONS. ENORMOUS DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME. London, March 12. Mr. Massev reports from Palestine headquarters on the lltli: There has been stern li ghting in the mountainous country between Jerusalem and Xablut!, wjiich lias given General Allenbv's army another splendid victory. The operations were as difiicult as anything it Palestine, bat all the objectives were, gained, though the Turks fought desperately to retain the positions they thought impregnable- The efforts made by the British infantry and Australian Light Horse were magiiiil.ent, in ground which was a succession of steep, rocky hi'ih, dstp \ alleys, and watercourses. We have beaten back tl:e reinforcements of the enemy 10.000 yards on a front of approximately 20,001) yards. Great wadis, with sides like cliffs, intersected the country. Guns were frequently man-handled. In one case artillery was lowered by ropes, and a long line of men hauled them up the other side.

There was only one road, and a large part of the forte was employed to make a pack track, which later was improved for wheels.

I'iritish troops blasted a road out of the mountain and haa lorries running over it next day. The advance began at dawn on March 9. The Welsh captured El Asur, the most commanding position in PalestineThey engaged the enemy on top with bombs, then suddenly ceased. The Turks came over the top. A counterattack swept down with Lewis guns and left us in secure possession of the hill. Dismounted yeomanry and Irish oil the left made excellent progress when I was in their area to-day. They hold jipsitions commanding Turmus Aya and Sinjer. The London troops are busy in the Jordan Valley to prevent reinforcements coming down the Besan road. They met a good deal of opposition in occupying Abu Telfull and Boidudat- The enemy never had a chance to use the ford over Jordan where the Auja joins the river. The Welsh, Londoners, and Australian Light Horse operated in the hills which were unsuitable for cavalry. They were admrable for protecting the flanks, thus releasing many infantry. We have obtained a line of great strength, from which we can see the plains of Sharon and Esdraelon.

ALLENBY'S DOUBLE OBJECTIVE. Paris, Maith 12. The Journal des Debats states that Geenral Allenbv has a double objective, firstly to eut the great transverse road through Samaria, secondly to extend cast in the valley of the Jordan and threaten the great line of north and south communications between Damascus and Mecca- If he cuts the railway to the Hedjaz the Turks in Arabia will be in a critical position. British aeroplanes are already bombing the railway.