SINAI CAMPAIGN

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 127, 31 May 1919, Page 10

SINAI CAMPAIGN

STORY OF THE DESERT COLUMN

Upon the reorganisation of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt. in February, 1916, after the conclusion of the Gallipoli campaign, the Mounted Eifles Brigade,, comprising the Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury Mounted Rifles Begiments (each with an establishment of 26 officers and 523 other ranks) was detached, and a Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance and Veterinary Section were added to it, bringing the total .strength of the mounted force to 1764. officers and men. ' The Ist and 2nd Australian Light Horse1 Brigades, also Gallipoli veterans, being available the New Zealand Mounted Eifles Brigade was incorporated with them,, forming the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division, which, together with the 3rd Australian Light Horse and Imperial troops, was set apart for the defence of Egypt, and more particularly for the safeguarding-of the Suez Canal. The Division was officially designated the ~" Anzac Mounted Division," and, remaining in being until the conclusion oi the armistice, its members became in actual fact the only real Anzacs who fought together throughout the war. TEEASUEED COMRADESHIP SEVERED. 'In the reorganisation the Mounted Rifles Brigade lost its association with the gaUant Otago'Mounted Rifles Regiment, which had been attached to it when the Main Body left New Zealand, and which shared the Brigade's trials 'and glories on tho Peninsula. The Otago Mounted Biflcs Regiment was'reduced~to »■ Mounted Eifles Squadron (six officers and 151 other ranks), and included in the newly-created New Zealajid Division as divisional mounted troops, the excess personnel being transferred'to the vari- . ous new units of the Division. The Otago Mounted Eifles henceforward were destined for the Western front, while the Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury Mounted Rifles were committed to renewing their acquaintance with that re-' doubtable fighter, the Turk, and to try conclusions with him until the end of tho war. The Mounted Brigade was much affected at the severance of a comrade\ship so greatly prized, but t the men had their compensation—they jhad already been restored to their beloved chargers, which they had left behind in Egypt while they, their maDters, went to fight as infantry in the attempt to force the passage of the Dardanelles. The Brigade at the same time lost its commander, Brigadier-General A. H. Russell, who was promoted Major-Gen-eral and- given command of the New Zealand Division. He was replaced by Colonel E. W. C. Chaytor, who was . promoted Brigadier-General. ' LEAENING THE SECRETS OF THE •■■ \,,y ..: DESERT. .., No sooner had the Anzac Mounted Division been constituted than it was stationed on the canal, "tho jugular vein of the British Empire," and put under a grilling process of intensive training, which extended over a period of several months. The Brigade made frequent excursions for miles into tho Sinai peninsula, occasionally coming into contact with the Turkish outposts. It was.in these journeys, over waterless tracts of burning sands, that they began to learn the secrets of the desert—how to endure : thirst and keep their horses fit though • -without water for days on'end, how to cope' with sand-storms and plagues of ' flies and insect*, and all .vthsucrawHrig..

things of the East.' \These ; «ecreis previously were known only to the rude Arab horsemen and to the traders of the caravan who have been crossing the Sinai desert since the days of the Pharoaha ' Knowing-something already of the sands of Egypt, the Australian and New Zealand horsemen were not long in picking up the secrets of Sinai; they learned them well, and they were to profit immensely by their knowledge in the forthcoming campaigns. *•

DESERT COLUMN FORMED. Acting upon the military truth, that the best defensive is the offensive^ General Murray, commanding the Egyptian Expeditionary Forces, decided to protect the Canal and Egypt by throwing the Turkish forces back across Sinai into Palestine. To do this it became necessary to construct a railway to supply the troops with food and water, munitions, and all the paraphernalia of war as they advanced. The route selected was the old caravan track- running from Kantara to Kntia, and co on- along the coast to El Arish, Rafa, and' Gaza—"the oldest known road in the world/ the road which has been used for invasions of Egypt from time immemorial, and which the soldiers of Napoleon, also trod little more than a century ago. To enable the work of construction to- proceed, General Murray stationed a division of infantry at the advancing railhead, and organised a covering force which he officially named "The Desert Column." The Desert Column was- composed of the Anzac Mounted Division and the newly-raised-Imperial Camel Corps. The latter was truly representative of the Empire, being composed of British, Australian, and New. Zealand units. The New Zealand quota "was made of two companies, each 'comprising six officers and 177 other ranks. True to its title, the Desert Column dwelt in the desert, and brilliantly succeeded in accomplishing its mission, the work of pushing ahead with the construction of the railway never being- allowed to be interfered with. ! "SECOND INVASION^ EGYPT."

The Turks, however, were not perturbed. , They were bent on attempting a second invasion of Egypt, and were constantly bringing up large forces with which to launch the enterprise. The outposts were continually in contact. On 31st May, 1916, the New Zealand Mounted Eifles Brigade with other troop* attacked the enemy's post at Bir Salmana, 20 miles E.N.E. of Katia. The post was stormed, and the enemy pursued for a' considerable distance.

As the Turkish commander's intentions became more evident, the Desert Column was instructed to entice the Ottoman troops on to the railhead at Katia, where, with the presence of the British Infantry, there were good prospects of being able to secure a victory. Skirmishing operations ensued, which were so successful that by the end of July the Turkish forces were drawn up within striking distance of the line at Eomani. A sharp engagement on 27t I.i-28th July held up 'the right flank of the advancing Turks. ■ The enemy i got no farther, but'his heaviest blow, testing the entire .strength of the British, force severely, was yet to come. The New Zealanders were engaged in an encounter on 2nd. August.

THE VICTORY OF EOMANI.

On 3rd August the Turkish commander delivered his main attack in three columns, the whole being well conducted. Against the flank, the Wellington Regiment assisted in checking him; in the centre, however, he attained a considerable success, occupying Mount Royston, undefended, from which he was able to shell the railway, and which in consequence became the key position. The battle became general the following day, when the Now Zealand Brigade, held in reserve under General Chaytor, was ordered to take Mount Royston, and stormed it with brilliant dash. Heavy fighting continued, but the enemy had spent himself, and a British advance commenced along the whole . line. The Anzae Mounted Division followed the retreating enemy <to Bir El Abd, where the Turks heavily counter-attacked,- the New Zealanders, who were in the centre, suffering severely. . ' 1 Such- was the victory of Eomani, in which the New Zealand Brigade played no small part. It was decisive in its results, marking the total collapse of "the second invasion of Egypt." The followers of the Prophet under their German leader withdrew along the coast, ami .offered no further resistance to the British advance until four months later, wnen the- railhead from the Canal reached Mazar, about 20 miles from El Arish, the largest town in Sinai, -where the Turks had established their advanced headquarters.

Offensive operations were resumed on 20th December, when tho Desert Column set out in/ the moonlight on a march of twenty miles with the object of .capturing El Arish. The coiumn arrived before .the town at sunrise on the 21st,

and, finding the Turks had withdrawn, occupied it unopposed.

BATTLE OF MAGDHABA.

The Turks had halted at the wells of Magdhaba, about 21 miles from the coast, ■where they took up an exceedingly I strong and well-fortified position. The Desert Column rode all night again on the 22nd, and at 4.50 a.m. on thei 23rd drew up in front of the enemy's positions and forthwith proceeded to attack in front, right, and rear. The frontal I attack was delivered by the Imperial Camel CoTps, and that on the right and rear by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles and Australian Light Horse, under General Ohnytor. "The attack," wrote General Murray in his despatch, "developed about 9 o'clock. Progress was rather slow, but at 10 o'clock airmen reported to General Chauvel that there were indications that the enemy would try to break away. Thereupon the mounted troops in reserve were pushed iv. Advancing at a trot they came under shrapnel fire, whereupon they broke into a gallop. The Turks replied with heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, and the horsemen were compelled to gain the cover of the Wadi. Dismounting, they went forward on foot to attack the left of the enemy position. By half-past one in the afternoon, the Turks were almost surrounded, but they were holding their, own. The ground of approach was absoi lutely bare of cover, while a mirage added to the difficulties of the assailants. In particular, the mirage bothered the gunners, Territorial horse-artillery batteries, the constant companions of the Anzacs. The horses, too, were becoming exhausted ; they had had no water since the previous night, and there was none at Magdhaba, except in the enemy lines. For a while it appeared that this lack of water would compel the breaking off of tho engagement, but this misfortune was spared the gallant men. About 2 o'clock the Australians captured one of the enemy outworks, and by 3 o'clock the whole attacking force had reached to from 600 to 200 yards of the enemy trenches. The pressure on the enemy was intensified, and/ at 4 p.m. one of the main redoubts was carried, the prisoners including the Turkish commander. The end came when the Australian Light Horse, with bayonets fixed, charged right into the enemy lines;" The New Zealanders shared in.this brilliant finish. The captures included 1282 prisoners, four mountain guns, one machine-gun, aad over 1000 rifles. Some hundreds of Turkish dead were left lying on the

battlefield, which had been hotly contested for eight hours.

THE BATTLE OF RAFA.

The next step in expelling the Turks from Sinai was the Battle of Rafa, which was followed by the capture of the town. Beaten at -Magdhaba," the Turks took up a strongly entrenched position, controlled by a central redoubt, at Magruntein, two miles south-west of Rafa. The task of surprising, surrounding, and capturing the stronghold was again entrusted to the Desert Column, which set out from El Arish at sunset on Bth January, 1917, tho march ahead of them being one of thirty miles. . Making good going, they reached their objective, and by dawn on the 9th had the position almost surrounded. The main attack was launched about 10 a.m.; within an hour.Rafa itself was in the hands of the New Zealanders. The small enemy force at Eafa. endeavoured to escape by road to Guza, but was intercepted by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles, who. took 171 prisoners, including six . Germans. The capture of Rafa enabled the position, at Magruntein to be attacked from the rear,'which was at,once done. By 2 p.m. the enemy was completely encircled; the cordon was drawn closer, and a concerted attack was ordered on the dominating central redoubt by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles and all other available Anzac troops and the Yeomanry, which, by this period had strengthened the Desert Column. The aviators: report ing that a large Turkish force was marching to the relief of the beleaguered garrison, General Chetwode ordered the attack, which had already been launched, to be pressed with greater vigour. " The troops," wrote General Murray in his subsequent despatch, " admirably supported by the artillery, advanced with great gallantry, and at 4.45 p.m. the New Zealand Mounted Rifles captured the redoubt with brilliant dash, covering the last 800 yards in two rushes, supported by machine-gun fire. By this achievement they were able to take the lowerlying works in reverse, and these Soon fell to the Camel Corps, the Yeomanry, and the Australian Light Horse. By 5.30 p.m. all organised resistance was over, and the enemy's position, with all its garrison, were captured." The battle had lasted ten hours. The unwounded prisoners, totalled over 1600, and four Krupp mountain guns, seven machine-guns, and valuable booty, including camels and mules, were captured. The enemy casualties in killed and wounded besides ran into nearly 600. The force marching to the_Magruntein garrison's relief was attacked by the aviators and retreated. .