THE TURKISH FIASCO ON THE CANAL FRONT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2845, 9 August 1916, Page 5

THE TURKISH FIASCO ON THE CANAL FRONT

OVER 3000 PRISONERS TO DATE BRILLIANT TACTICS BY THE BRITISH CAVALRY • Australian-New Zealand Cebl« Association. X London, August 7. The Commandcr-m-Chicf in Egypt (Sir Archibald Murray) reports: "Our pursuit continued for eighteen miles. Tho British cavalry was sent out- to entice the enemy at the heginning of tho battle and fought an admirable rearguard action, draw-, mg on tho Turks until a mounted division enclosed their flanks, compelling a wholo brigade to surrender. Wo captured a battery of German guns, including 36 officers." HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. Tho High Commissioner reports:— London, August 7,1.25 p.m. General Sir Archibald Hurray reports from Egypt: ."In the fighting in tho Katift district our artillery, rifle, and machine-gun firo was very effective. The Turkish losses in killed and wounded were very heavy. On Saturday evening our Territorial infantry gallantly carried a strong rearguard position. The pursuit of tho Turks continued for sonic distance. Our prisoners now total -15 officers and 3100 men, a very fine body of troops.'' ARRIVAL OF PRISONERS AT CAIRO. ' Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. Cairo, August 7. Sixteen hundred prisoners have arrived. , SPLENDID WORK BY MOUNTED ANZACS !', ' ' "MAGNIFICENT HORSEMEN, SPLENDIDLY LED."("Hie Times.") (Rcc. August 8, 8.45 p.m.) London. August 8. Mr. W. T. Masso.v (tho British correspondent in Egypt), writing from El Romani on August 7, says: "At sunset yesterday wo witnessed the Turks' pretensions for the conquest of Egypt irretrievably smashed. This latest attempt at invasion was more severely beaten than was February's attempt, despite German leadership and more scientific methods. Besides the Anzacs, the troops which took a prominent part were tho Scottish and Lancashire Territorials, tho Warwicks, Gloucesters, and Yeomanry. We held a line along Mahamadiza, 151 Romani, JCatia, and Gannit. The latter point, an elevation of 300 foot, was'fortified with sandbags, and made an excellent observation post. Threo miles to the west was the Wellington Ridge, which the Turks energetically attempted to reach. Two miles south was Mount Meredith, and Mount Royston, threo miles west-north-west, on which tho' enemy managed to get a footing in tho afternoon, choosing what seemed to ho the easiest path towards the Canal. It was an undulating sandy plain, flanked by sand dunes. The.'Turkish divisions strongly held a line north to south through the Katia oasis, about seven miles long, with flanks thrown out to the westward. The Scottish infantry were stationed from El Romani to the Mediterranean coast. "The Anzacs, in front of them, fought for an hour before daylight with great steadiness and determination, f.gainst a well-handled enemy superior in numbers, and yielding ground gradually till Jfajor-Geiier.il Lawrence could reinforce their line with more cavalry anil,infantry. The brunt of the fighting was borne, by tho Anzac mounted troops, consisting of the Australian Light Horse and the New Zealand Rifles. These magnificent horsemen had been anxious to follow their comrades to France, but had remained in Egypt because they were ideal troops .for work in front of our defences. They acquitted! themselves splendidly. 'J hey had had little rest for more than a week, keeping in touch with the et/emy, pushing hack patrols, and reconnoitring country where the wily enemy largely outnumber them. The Australians and.New Zealanders were well-led men, displaying in a high degree military intelligence and courage. . . "The enemy's attack on El Romani-and Gannit began at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, but tho Light Horse and Territorials drove the Turks back towards Abu Hamra, with heavy loss. Meanwhile the Lancashire Regiment, brought up by rail, marched to the attack ankle-deep iu the sand. The Warwickshire."! and the Yeomanry followed them out. The infantry attacked at 5 o'clock, the dismounted Yeomanry co-operating towards Mount Royston. Our guns belaboured tho Turks, but our rifles and machine-guns inflicted the , heaviest casualties. Nothing withstood us. We denied Royston, Wellington, Ridge,, and Moiitit Meredith, taking 1000 prisoners here, and scattering the remainder into the desert. The pursuit of the Turks began at daylight, and it remains .to ho seen whether the Turks will attempt to hold their trenches. "Whatever happens, Egypt is safer from invasion than she has been at any time during the war. The results abundantly justify Sir Archibald Murray's policy in making tho Turks Sight as far as the Canal, as waterway traffic was not stopped for a single minute." TURKISH COMMANDER AND GERMAN CHIEF OF STAFF. (Router's T«l»eram.) • (Rcc. August 8, 3.(5 p.m.) \ . Cairo, August 7. ' Nouri Boy commanded the Turks in their recent attack. A German officer, Franr/Pasha, assisted him. v , REPORTED FALL OF THE TURKISH .CABINET. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. - (ilec. August 8, 3.5 p.m.) London, August 7. Swiss reports assert that the Turkish Cabinet has fallen. ■ ANTI-WAR RIOTS IN BULGARIAN CAPITAL ■ (Rcc. 'August 8, 7.10. p.m.) Athens, 'August 7. A. neutral traveller, who lias returned from Sofia, 6tate» that antiwar riots are frequent, and 17a ve had to be severely suppressed by the police. King Ferdinand does riot, show himself in public. GREEK TREACHERY EXPOSED WHAT THE PRO-GERMAN SKOULOUDIS GOVERNMENT DID. Athens, August 7. The newspaper ,"Nea Hellas" publishes revelations concerning tho Skouloudis Government. It constructed a telegraph from Koritza to Monastir for tho purpose of spying on the movements of the Allies and transmitting the information to the Bulgarians. It also arranged for the feeding and equipment of Austrian prisoners abandoned by the Serbians, and for providing them with means for rejoining the Austro-Bulgariau lines,.