SPLENDID VICTORY IN PALESTINE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 150, 14 March 1918, Page 7

SPLENDID VICTORY IN PALESTINE

MOST COMMANDING POSITION GAINED LINE OF GREAT STRENGTH OBTAINED London, March 12. Writing from Palestine headquarters on March 11, Mr. W. T. Massey says: "Stern fighting in the mountainous country between Jerusalem and Nablus has given General Allenby's army another splendid victory. The operations were as difficult as anything in Palestine. All the objectives were gained, though the Turks fought desperately to retain positions they thought impregnable. The efforts made by the British infantry and the Australian Light Horse were magnificent, iu ground which was a continuous succession of steep, rocky hills, deep valleys, and watercourses.

"We havo beaten back reinforcements of tho enemy 10,000 yards on a front of, approximately, 20,000 yards. Great wadis, with sides like cliffs, intersected the country. The guns had to be frequently man-handled. In one place the artillery was lowered by ropes, and a long lino of men hauled it up the other side. There was only one road, and a large portion of th» force was employed to make pack tracks, which later were improved for wheeled traffic. The British troops blasted a road out of a mountain, and had lorries running over it next day. "The. advance began at dawn on March 9. The Welsh troops captured El Asur, tho most commanding position in Palestiuo, and engaged tho enemy on tho top with bombs. Suddenly they ceased, and the Turks came over the top to counter-attaok, and wore swept down by. the Lewis guns. They left us in setnire possession of the hill. "Dismounted Yeomanry and Irish troops on the left made excellent progress. When I was in their area to-day they held positions commanding Turmus, Aya, and Sinjer. The London troops were busy in tho Jordan Valley to prevent reinforcements coining down tho Beisan road. They met a good deal of opposition in occupying Abu, Teltul, and Boidudat. Tho enemy never had a chiinco to uso the ford over tho Jordan where the Auja joins the nyor. "The Welsh, Londoners, and Australian Light Horso operated in hills unsuitable for cavalry. They were admirable in protecting tho Hanks, thus releasing many of the infantry. "We have now obtained a lino or great strength, from which we can eeo the Plains of Sharon and Esdraelon (Plain of Jerrecl)." ADVANCE HASIfjUBLE OBJECTIVE TURKS IN ARABIA IN CRITICAL POSITION. Paris, March 12. The "Journal des Debats" says General Allenby's advance has a double objective: firstly, to cut the great transverse road through Samara; secondly, to extend east in the valley of the Jordan and threaten the great line north and south and ,the communications between Damascus and Mecca, it he cuts the railway to Hejaz, tho Turks in Arabia mil be in a critical

position. British aeroplanes are already bombing the railway.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.

A FURTHER ADVANCE MADE 6

ENEMY SUFFERS CONSIDERABLE CASUALTIES. (Rec. March. 13, 8 p.m.) London, Mar.ch 12. A Palestine official report states: "We have further advanced astride the Jerusalem-Nablus road. We inflicted considerable casualties on tka enemy and captured several' machine-guns."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.