ANOTHER SPLENDID VICTORY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1918, Page 3

ANOTHER SPLENDID VICTORY

ALLENBY’S . LATEST SUCCESS. (Received this clay at 1.30 p.m.) LONDON March 12. Mr Massey reports from Palestine headquarters on the 11th, that there was stern fighting in the mountainous country between Jerusalem and Nablus, which has given Gehoral Alienin' army another splendid victory. The operations were as difficult as anything in Palestine. All the objectives were gained, though the Turks fought desperately to regain the position they thought was impregnable. The British infantry and Australian light horse were magnificent. The ground was a continuous succession of steep rocky hills, deep valleys ,and water courses. We have beaten back the reinforcements of the' enemy ten thousand yards on a front of approximately twenty thousand 4 Great wadies, with sides like cliffs intersected the country. The guns were frequently man handled. In one place the artillery was lowered by ropes and a long line of men walked them .up the other side.

• There was only one road and large portion of the force was employed to .make pack tracks which later were ilm.pr'oved fbr wheels. British troops blasted a road out of the mountain, and had lorries running over it the next day. The advance began at. dawn. The Welsh, captured Elsasur, the most commanding position in Palestine and engaged the enemy on the top with bombs, which suddenly ceased to counter jattack, but were swept down with Lewis guns, and this left us in secure possession of the hill.

The Dismounted yeomanry and Irish Tm the left made excellent progress. When I was in the area to-day they held positions commanding the terminus of Aya and Singer ' London troops were busy in Jordan Valley, to prevent reinforcements coming down Bcisan road. They met with a good deal of opposition in occupying Abu. Selful and Beidudat. The enemy never had a chance to use his forces over the Jordan, where the Arjn joins the river. . \ *

The Welsh, Londoners and Australian Light Horse operated in the hills, which were unsuitable for cavalry and gave admirable protection for tho flanks, .thus releasing many infantry. We have now obtained a line of great strength from which we can see' the Plains of Sharon and Esdraolon.