IN THE HOLY LAND

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 150, 14 March 1918, Page 5

IN THE HOLY LAND

NEW ZEALAND SOLDIER'S LETTER

The following letter, dated January 2, has been received from a New Zealand soldier, who at that time with our lighting forces in Palestine :— Christmas and New Year have passed without excitement for us, except in the way of rain. It poured with rain on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and also New Year's Day. It has been fine to-day, so thank goodness I have dried my clothes and can sleep to-night. 1 received- three papers from you yesterday, two of October 5, one of November 9. In the latter was tho account of tho fall of Gaza, but it said very little about it. I am dying to see what the New Zealand papers say about our work at Beersheba jnd. Sharia, and Ayuncara, and a few other battles. I think we kept up the New Zealanders' reputation there. The Battle of Ayuncara was the heaviest battle for us, as we fought it absolutely on our own, and therefore captured Jaffa —about four miles past Ayuncara. We had some very nasty work- to do after the capture of Jaffa, too, but I daresay you will read about it, so 1 will not roeeat it. Tho fall of Jerusalem will please you when hear , of it, no doubt. Do you know that is tho fourteenth timo in history that Jerusalem has fallen and changed hands, the Turks being the last to hold it —they held it for 400 years—and now the British have it. What a great relief for the Jews. You have no idea how pleased thev are.

I had a hurried view of Jorusalem, as some of ua New Zealand Mounteds formed the bodyguard to Genera] Alienby when he marched into the city and read the proclamation. I was one of tho lucky thirty New Zealanders who formed tho bodyguard to our great leader. It was a great sight I can assure you, and one that I shall never forget. General Allenby is a great man. Wo all think the world of him. A German officer captured by us said that it was our 'planes, cavalry, and General Allnnby that had beaten the Turks this time. No doubt tho cavalry was responsible for the big push, for once wo got them on the run we kept them going, and played havoc with them, I can assure you. Where we loss most of our men was when we attacked trenches. It is the first time cavalry has been asked to attack trenches. It was no pleasant task either, for we had to gallon up in full iiew and well within range of all guns, and advance on foot our led horses galloping back. Wo lost a groat number of men and horses. The Turks were well dug in, and, of course, as is our usual way of of fighting, wo had to find the best cover we could—such as hollows in the ground and little rises, and perhaps a small bush, or the first thine; to be seen. However, we have '.'arriod the day each time.

I had a cood l.ook at Jaffa. As wo were the brigade that captured Jaffa wo had to take over the town and the different duties. One place of interest was the spot where Jesus Christ fed tho thousands of.people on the loaves and fishes. It is fenced in and guarded by soldiers now. It was guarded by civilians before. Who would have thought that we would see these places. Tho view if Jerusalem from Gpthshemiino is beautiful. It would make you tiikc in vour breath. Let me State here, it is the first wo had seen <ef what could be called beautiful, and *i was worth fighting for. I shill never forget it. We saw many other places of interest, too, suoh as Ranleh, another captured town, and fairly pretty. That was the junction of the Ti'rks' lines. One line ran from there to Jerusalem, another to Jaffa, another to Gaza, and still another to Beershoba. so you see .Tncko was well provided with railways. Re had connecting linns between Beersheba and Gnza and Slmria. But even with this elaborate system of railways can you iinngine why tbn Tnrks could be so foolish as to think that tlioy could seize tlw Supz Cnnal? For eighteen months a<lo or ovr thnt was their intention, aii'l vmv look at the map and Rpp where thoy are—pnst Jaffa, and .ihnnfc s"vpii mil n s rast Jerusalem. '.AnoMior plncp of interest was tbp buried citv of Ascnlon.