IN PALESTINE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 163, 30 March 1918, Page 8

IN PALESTINE

THE CROSSING OF THE JORDAN FINE WORK BY THE ANZACS (Roc. March 28, 8.30 p.m.) London, March 27. Mr.. W. T. Mabsey, cabling from Palestine Headquarters on Tuesday, says: General Allcuby's army marched from one success to another. On the anniversary of | the first Battle of Gaza it occupied Esalt, twenty-five miles east of the Jordan. The brilliantly-exeouted operations began on Friday, with bridging the Jordan, which was much swollen by abnormal rains. An attempt to cross at Ghoraniyes, east of Jericho, where the Turks destroyed tho only bridpw, failed because, of the strength of the stream. The three strongest swimmers in the army failed to breast the current Swimmers Tow a Rope Over tha Rive?. An attempt was then made four miles south, at Henolah, where seven men swam over, towing a rope, with which they hauled light rafts loaded with men to the epposite bank, which was densely wooded and crowded with Turks with' machine-guns. Almost two battalions of Londoners who were ferried! orcirnould only occupy a. narrow bridgehead, 300 yards wide. No further progress was made on Friday, but during the nit;ht the infantry inadp a gallant charge asainst the Turkish trenches and widened the hriduobp-nd to 1000 yards with a- depth of a thousand yards. Anzao Engineers Work Under Fire. In the meantime the Anzac engineers constructed a steel pontoon bridge wTiile the infantry were cutting paths through the thick jungle, without which none could move. Considerable shell and rifle fire on the Anzncs did not interrupt the work for a moment. It wii3 due to their remarkably fine work that we were able to get over an entire Anzac mounted regiment by dawn! The cavalry moved silently up the left bank through breaks in the jungle, then climbed low cliffs and suddenly emerged on to the plain and galloped towards Ghoraniyih. Another Anzac mounted regiment got across at Hajlh and scouted eastwards. The Duke of Connaught on Saturday was well east of the Jordan watching the operations, including the work of the Anzacs. An excellent piece of work was done southwards. It was decided to threaten the. Turks' flank at Hajlh. Two officers and 45 men volunteered to make the march from the Jordan. Enemy Driven Northward. There was keen fighting on Saturday and Sunday, but our troops were irresistible. Near Shunetnimrin they captured four guns and also about 40 Germans. Australian airmen heavily bombed enemy troops and transport, scoring many direct hits, which scattered the Turks. The weather wns against us, and heavy rains again made the Jericho road a mass of slippery mud. It was almost impassable for wheel traffic, and only pack transport could move. Our troops triumphed over the adverse conditions. With the Anzac cavalry on both flanks, the Londoners made their way through the foothills into the mountains over 3000 feet above the level of the Jordan. On Sunday evening they were only 1500 yards from Essnlt, when a thick mist stopped their progress, but at sunrise next morning Essalt and the surrounding heights were captured, the Turks and Germans being driven northward. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FURTHER PROGRESS REPORTED (Roc. March 28, 8.15 p.m.) London, March 27. A Palestine official report states:— "We occupied Essalt on Monday night. Our mounted troops.are now approaching Amman, upon the Heiaz railway." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Eec. March 59, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 28. A Palestine official report states: — "Our forces eastward of the Jordan are converging on Amman. Our mounted troops are within half a mile rf the town. Our aeroplanes heavily bombed, the traffic on the Hejaz railway."— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.