THE TURKISH FIASCO ON THE CANAL FRONT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2847, 11 August 1916, Page 5

THE TURKISH FIASCO ON THE CANAL FRONT

PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY CLOSELY PRESSED Tlie High Commissioner reports: , ' London, August 'J, 1.55 p.m. The official report from tho Commander-in-Chief in Egypt states that the pursuit of tho enemy in tho Ivatia district continues. Northwards and westwards the Turkish rearguard was pressed back, while southwards tho Imperial Camel Corps made a dashing attack, which drove the Turks out of their ontrenchments._ Moro prisoners wero takon, and the enemy's rearguards have now retired to a lino running north and south through Birelbad, fifteen miles eastward of Katia.

THRILLING STORY OF ANZAC HEROES

HOW THE'MOUNTED MEN SAVED EL ROMANI. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rcc. August 10, 8.10 p.m.) ' London, August 10. Mr. W. T. Massc.v, the British correspondent in Egypt, writing from JSI Romani on Sunday, says: "I can now give fuller details of tho fighting. The Anzac, Mounted Corps did sterling work. These magnificent troops fought with a tenacity, courage, and endurance comparablo with their greatest deeds at Gallipoli. Their part in overthrowing tho attempt to reach tho Canal will stand out as ono of tho finest achievements of the colonials during tho war, and illumine the pages of the Anzacs' short but illustrious military history. Tho Australian Light Horso was in touch with tho enemy for forty-eight hours, two brigades taking turn and turn about. Tho first brigade mado contact with the Turks at midnight on Thursday, and tlion tho two brigades fought them without interruption until darkness on Saturday. The horses for hours had no water, and the men had little food and scarcely a drop of water on Saturday to rcliovo the agony of thirst on tho desert. Tlip first brigade held off threo thousand Turks in the darkness on a fourniilo line, retiring very slowly, and so preventing the Turks from obtaining tho undulating ground south-east of El Romani, tho success of which' would have enabled them to cut the railway, isolate tho El Romani garrison, and stop reinforcements by rail. Tho first brigade held on doggedly, staving off the Turks. Tho second brigade rninTorccd them at daylight, when both brigades then held the "Wellington Hid pee «. railo west of Gannit, for several hours in tho faco of heavy artillery and infantry firo and desperate Turkish attacks at 100-yard intervals." Desperate Fighting. "Though the Turks occupied' Mount Meredith (two miles south of Gannil) and Mount Roystou (three miles west-north-west of Gannit), they nevor secured Wellington ridge. Tho success of the Australian Light Horse paved the way for our triumph, and tho battlo of EI Romani was mado an absolutely sure success when tho New Zealanders drovo tho onemy from Mount Royston, and our infantry _ thrust thorn towards Katia. Thero was desperate fighting early in the morning when tho enemy's strong advance line threw itself furiously against tho Light Horso, shouting tho battlocry 'Allah, finish Australia!' The Light Horso regarded tho cry with immenso amusemont, shouting derisive answers, and showed that they wore more than a match for the Turk with steel. I saw tho Light Horso on Wellington ridge when the enemy's shrapnel was bursting with wonderful accuracy, but the Australians showed not the slightest sign of movement until tho enoiny rushed, and then tho Light Horso poured in a terrible fire. The appearance of the tattlofield subsequently supported tho tales of their accuracy as marksmen. Calloping into Battle. "On Saturday morning both brigades, with the Now Zealand Mounted Corps on tile right, worked down tho battlefield, while tho Third Light Horse, on the flank, attacked Hamisah, two miles south of Katia Oasis. There was a combined attack on Katia at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, when tho threo brigades galloped throo-quartors of a mile into action across extremely heavy country. The horses carried the choering men at such a pace that the Turks' artillery, attempting a barrage, never found tho range. The charge was mado on a throe-mile front, and fiUed tho men with enthusiasm. At this point tho Warwickshircs, Gloucesters, and Yeomanry entered tho action, and advanced across a swamp for several hours under heavy gunfire, but the notion was discontinued at dusk, as it was seen to /be impossible to capture Hamisah before darkness set in. Tho wisdom of 'tho desert charge was shown by the. Turks' heltor-skeltor rurfi (from their positions, the enemy doubtless fearing that the mounted men would uso the steel, as they did on tho previous day. A few of tho Light Horso charged with fixed bayonets, using their rifles as lancos. A Son of Mars. "A story is told which is typical of tho spirit of these A Light Hoi',so trooper, who had been awarded the D.C.M. on Gallipoli, had smuggled on board a transport and reached Franco. Ho was recently discovered and sent back to Egypt, rejoining his regiment at tho very outset of tho battle. He was placed in the guard tent, but btoke out of tho tent, tramped into tho hottest centre of the engagement, and, working as an ambulance man, rescued fourteen wounded. Ho was killed whilo rescuing the fifteenth." TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS FROM THIRST. ( (Eeutcr's Telegram.! Cairo, August 9. Tho Turks suffered terribly from thirst in the march to El Romani. They killed their camels and drank tho blood. KING GEORGE'S THANKS TO THE FORCES. Australiaro-Now Zealand Cable Association. London, August ft. The King has telegraphed to Sir Archibald Murray, Commander-in-Chief in Egypt, to convey to all ranks Britain's appreciation of tho efforts which brought a brilliant success, won in the height of tho hot season, in a desert country. THE SERBIAN ATTACK ON THE BULGARS Rome, August 9. The Serbian's dispersed Btilgar detachments on the Vardar. AUSTRIAN SUBMARINE TORPEDOED OFF CORFU (Rec. August 10, S.o p.m.) , , , , , Athens, 'August 10. A French destroyer torpedoed and sank an Austrian submarine off Corfu.