" ALLENBY THE WITCH"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 274, 15 August 1919, Page 10

" ALLENBY THE WITCH"

TUKKIBH VIEW OF CONQTJEKOR, "lie is a witch." , / "'Puis is the verdict universally, passed on General Allenby by the TiirKisli soldier*," nays Sergeant C. Mitchell, of .the. Queen's Koval West Surreys who nas ]ust returned to England from Palestine. "He got that tit.u because, lime after time, when flic Turks had made arraiigeJiients to attack the British forces by 'surprise,' General Allenby .seemed to know all about liieir arrangements, and attacked first and always with success. "This happened so often thnt it became really uncanny to tho lurkisli soldiers. . "A good instance of this wn3 nt lalawir, just the other side of Jerusalem. We suddenly had warning that wo. were to attack just before dawn. "Wo went over the top and camo on to tho Turkish encampment: J'lio soldiers were asleep, but everything was readv for an advance. The enemy was stupefied. They had made secret preparations to attack - just after <lawn. "Wo captured hundreds of prisoners, machine guns, ammunition, etc. "A good example of the devotion all his soldiers felt for General Allenby is an incident which occurred in connection with my own company. "We we're on garrison duty nt Kamleh, on tho way to Jerusalem, and the company was at dinner when tho news camo that the general had arrived at his keajl-cjiia-rters a mile away and would Shortly be leaving in his motor-car. "'Let's come along, boys,' several of them shouted, and we fill got up from i our dinner, which we had just started, and itcft, under the charge' of a sergeant, and marched to headquarters. "I bet wo were a queer-looking lot. You seo, wo went just as we were. Few of us had our coats on, and helmets wero a missing item; but we wanted to see tho general. "Presently his car came in sight, and as it approached, wery man came fiinarlfy to attention and tho sergeant g.'ivo tire salute. "Word had been sent to General Alien--by that the men had turned,out to greet him, and his smiling salute" in return appreciation of the men's act. "General Allenby was. always showing consideration for the men. Tt was no uncommon thing for a man, fresh from 'home, to fall out exhausted on the march. The general, when he came across one of theso porir fri'lws, stopped and spoke to him, and invariably gave orders for him to be taken on by mdtor : onr so that ho could overtake and rejoin his regiment."