CHRISTMAS DAY FIGHT IN EGYPT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2656, 30 December 1915, Page 5

CHRISTMAS DAY FIGHT IN EGYPT

NEW ZEALANDERS AND SIKHS ENGAGED FORCE OF SENUSSI ARABS ATTACKED AND ROUTED By Telezraph—rio3B Association—Ooryrighl Cairo, December 27. The New Zealanders and Sikhs successfully engaged the Senussi on the western frontier of Egypt on Christmas Day. There were few casualties. London,' December 28. Only the hare fact of the New Zealand operations in the Senussi country has reached London. V OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE AFFAIR.FROM CAIRO. I London, December 28. A Cairo official message received this morning states that a British force from Matruh located the Senussi a little westward of Jebelmedwa, whore a New Zealand battalion and th& Sikhs immediately attacked them, and wore completely successful. The enemy weie driven wostward towards Wadewyicl. Our casualties were slight. EFFECTIVE SUPPORT FROM THE WARSHIPS. (Rec. December 29, 8.5 p.m.) Cairo, December 28. "Wo had effective support from the ship's gunfire in driving back the Tripolitau force of eight thousand strong on Christmas Day. The cremy left two thousand dead." ONE OF THE RIFLE BATTALIONS GETS ITS BAPTISM OF FIRE .iAuclUand, December 29. The following cable message, dated Cairo, December 28, was received this afternoon by tlie Prime Minister from Mr. Malcolm Moss, the New Zealand war correspondent:— "One of tbe Earl of Liverpool's Own Battalions had its baptism of fire oil Christmas Day, when it engaged an Arab fore© on the western frontier, near Mersa* Matruh. The loth Sikhs participated in the engagement. The enemy was driven west of Wadi Majid. Our casualties were slight. "General Godley arrives here to-morrow." THE TURKS GIVEN THE LIE DIRECT BY THE WAR OFFICE. London, December 28. A Turkish communique claims: "Ihe Senussi in Egypt continuo to successfully attack the English. The Sista region is almost completely cleared of the enemy. During the attack on "Matruh (100 miles east of Solium Bay) 300 English wore killed. The Mohammedans captured two guns, ten motorcars, and a large quantity of munitions." The War Office yesterday issued a denial of the Turkish statement. It states: "There was no fighting against Arabs on,the western frontier between the 14th and 24th, but we located and attacked the principal Arab forco eight miles from Matruh on Christmas Day, and dispersed it, with trifling British loss." , . . A TRAWLER ATTACKS TWO ENEMY SUBMARINES. , Paris, December 28. A communique states: "A cruiser exploring Solium Bay destroyed a Turkish battery. The brawler Paris attacked two largo enemy submarines, which fled after being fired at foi two hours." HEAVY GUNS FOR THE EGYPTIAN OPERATIONS. Rome, December 28. The "Messagero's" Bucharest correspondent states that numerous tfains, conveying ammunition for Constantinople, and two 42-centimotre howitzers, intended for the Egyptian operations, have been carried on the Belgrade-Sofia-Gohstantiiioplo lin». i ■