PALESTINE.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 April 1918, Page 3

PALESTINE.

IN MESOPOTAMIA. LONDO NMarch 30. A Mesopotamia communique states: —We are pursuing the remnants of the Turkish force, and have advanced beyond Ana, 83 miles northwest of Hit. Our captures prove to be of great importance, including large depots at Hadna, containing quantities of stores; also many small river boats. Our prisoners now total SGOO.

OVER THE JORDAN. WELLINGTON. This Day. The High Commissioner reports* from London March 30th at 5.10 p.m.—

Palestine official—Westward ef, the Jordan we advanced two miles on an eight mile front, occupying Deoraiman, Elilcht and El Buried.

HALF WAY TO ALEPPO. •Received This Dnv at 11.25. a.m.) LONDON, April 1. A London message states the troops in Mesopotamia have reached a point, half way between Rnghad and Aleppo. CHEAT CAVALRY WORK. } EAST OF THE, JORDAN 1 . •>. a) '!’>• • ! * ‘V>. n.m » LONDON March 1. Mr Massey, writing from Palestine headquarters on Sunday says by a dashing raid the Anzac Mounteds and Imperial Camel Corps blew up a portion of Hedjai? Railway north . and south of 'Amman, after the infantry had taken the town of Essalt, 26 miles <Hist of the Jordan. [Amman is close to the Pilgrim’s route from Damascus to Mecca, whioh, at this point., is about 90 miles east of the river Jordan.] Infantry and cavalry in these operations captured over seven hundred prisoners, many of them Germans, with four guns, a number of machine guns' and . much ammunition. When the Jordan was bridged a number of troops were put across and so surprised the enemy, that he did not put up much fijjfbt before ©wait, but

, he was strongly reinforced at Aminat 1 and fought stoutly behind tranche)The Cavalry and Camel Corps (made ; , Stoat holding attack at Amin am, am , shelled the station with made up train . in the siding. The airmen droppe< i bomba causing much destruction, whil, I the Anzac engineers, moving on th< other, flank blew up two arch bridge. l north of the town, and destroyed several culverts to the south, oompletelj ruining five miles of the section line. In the march from Jordan valley, the teiVillrV were oii either flatik of the infantry-, who used the' road to 'fesalt, The Anzacs went ovPr the mountains,using steep goat and sheep tracks nearly all the way. The troops had to dismount and pull their horses behind them for miles. They heeded not the barriers that nature had erected, nor the hardships entailed by the country n. which transport must be precarious ana scanty. Towards the end of the journey the country was so terribly rough, that some of the Anzacs had to leave their horses three miles behind them. Campaigning in this wild, hilly country is a terribly arduous business. The accomplishing of the raid on the railway is « noteworthy military feat. The weather was very bad and the Jordan rose eight feet, in one day. Rain and mist in the hills added enormously to the difficulties.