THE FIGHTING IN PALESTINE
HOW AN ADVANCE AVAS CAMOUFLAGED.
Tho story of the fighting of tho Ausiriilinii Light U'orsc in ]'i\les!ir.c-, rvLici* is embodied in. I'lio report of LieutenantGeneral 11. G. Cliauvel the commander of the Desert Mounted Corps, to tho Acting-Minister of Defence, i.s a complete review of the three years operations under extraordinary difficult conditions, which culminated in the fall of Damascus and the capitulation of tho entire Turkish forces.
In his account of the first battle of Gaza, 'General Clinuvel says it failed through a fog delaying the infantry attack for two hours. 'Dip second batiilo was oven more unsatisfactory than the ' first, and the losses on both sides were ! heavy, and the only advantage gainedi; was a slightly improved position. Tlio j problem of the advance in Palestine was ' the eternal one of water. A fortnight's ! work by tho Australian and New Zealand Vield Engineers, assisted bv tho men of tho Second Light Horse Brigade, and the Imperial Camel Brigade provided sufficient water fov all cavalry divisions at Kalasa, and cavalry division at Asluj, thus rendering iihe proposed operations against (he cast of Bcerslieba feasible. Tho actual battle lasted all day, and the position was captured After a brilliant operation by the Fourth Light Horse Brigade., under Genernl Grand, which charged over successive lines of trenches in tlio dusk, and galloped into the (own before the Turkish command realised what had happened. In the extended operations some of the Australian horses went without water for 5G hours. Between October 111 and November IS the desert corps had covered 120 miles, fought five general engagements. and captured nearly 7000 prison, ers. 50 guns, and much other spoil. Dealing with tho operations of the Australian troops in tho Jordan Valley, General C'hauvel states that (hey were informed that no European couid live in tho valley after 31 av 1, but ii, was decided to hold the valley, and combat the disease. Although there were considerable losses from malaria, the intense heat, and dust, worse than hitherto experienced, the result more than justified this decision. The duty of cacli brigade in the valley was shortened as much as jjossible by reliefs. As the. time drew near for iilio advance every conceivable, form of camouflage was adopted to keep the enemy's attention fixed on our flank. Dummy camps were constructed, and new bridgeheads wero made across the Jordan. Thousands of dummy horses were constructed to bo left standing out in the linos vlicn the cavalry moved out. For a fortnight before the attack the cavalry were boing moved from tho Jordan Valley to the orange.-.grovps by day. Si well was this tuso carricd out that a Turkish air reconnaissance oil September 17 found afterwards among Jam,in von Sanders's lwpsrs at Nazareth, reported: "T\ir from there b»ing nnv diminution in {ho cavalry in tho Jordan Valley, there was evidence of 25 more srniadrons." The, battlo on the Plain of Armageddon, for which the camouflage in the Jordan Vallcv was a preparation, is closely described by General Chauvel, as is also tho great ride to Damascus.
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 29, 29 October 1919, Page 8
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514THE FIGHTING IN PALESTINE Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 29, 29 October 1919, Page 8
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