THE CAMPAIGN IN PALESTINE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 60, 4 December 1917, Page 7

THE CAMPAIGN IN PALESTINE

DESULTORY FIGHTING AND CLEARING OPERATIONS 11,000 PRISONERS TO DATE London, December 2.

A report from the Egyptian headquarters states: —"There has been a considerable amount of desultory fighting at various parts of the line; but fortunately the results have been uniformly to our advantage. Op the left, north-east of Jaffa, the Australian Liplit Ilorse carried out a clever operation, which resulted in bagging numerous prisoners near Birketel Jain i us, soutli of tlio River Auja. Yesterday at dawn the Turks found themselves surrounded, without the least hopo of escape. Last night a further 200 _ Turks were captured. The Imperial Camel Brigade, operating on their Tight, drovo the Turks from the trenches, inflicting many casualties on tho fleeing enemy. Dismounted yeomanry, from Shropshire and Cheshire and Wales, attacked the enemy's advanco posts at Beit Urcl Foka, on tho hilly ground six miles west of Birch, and captured 300 prisoners, wliilo the Scottish drove tho enemy from a ridgo to the north-west, inflicting numerous casualties. These figures bring the total of prisoners to I practically 11,000, including 470 offi- | cors. In the centre, tho Yeomanry of 1 Notts and Derby drove the enemy from .'a ridge to the north-west, inflictingnumerous casualties. _ These figures , b.ring the total of prisoners to practically 11,000, including 470 officers. In |ho centre, the Yeomany of Notts and Beitoy drove back the enemy, and captured prisoners. Attacks on Sacred Places. ►'Tho Turks have lately been making much i.Mora liberal use of artillery, and wene particularly spiteful at Neby Saimwil, the famous height which some identify with the Mizpah of the ancient;. Holi\rews. ( It is crowned by whati was onco a Crusaders' church, but is now ft Moslem sanctuary, covering; tho r(.\">ttted grave of Samuel. Althotigh deeper venerated by all Moslem opinion, ths} mosquo has been mado the target of tli'c Turkish guns, which damag«jd the towtsr of tho shrine; but tho old. Crusading walls will stand a lot of (punishment, cven with modern high explosives. 'j\he enemy also attempted! to attack our position, hut was easily rtpulsed by the London troops."--Aus.-N.Z, CAhle Assn. TURKUSH ATTACK REPULSED. (R-ec. December 3, l\s p.m.) London, December 2. An officii report from Palestine states: "The Turks attacked at one o'clock yesterday morning in tto neighbourhood of Biitur-el-Tutha. t\id Bir-el-Buri, and obtained a foothold in our position. They were ejected aA daybreak. Tlio enemy's losses in r<sccnt attacks wore very heavy. Our aeroplanes dropped ten bombs on a Turkish camp, railway, batteries, and aerodrome at Tulkeram, an important junction of the Turkish lines of communis cations." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.* Router. A SIDE-ISSUE OFli OCCUPATION Paris, December 2. Cardinal Ametto presided at a special meeting of the Episcopate, which decided to. urge that the resumption of .diplomatic relations with the Vatican is urgent, because of the Allies' occupation or Palestine,—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.