CARPET BRIDGE

Hokitika Guardian, 13 January 1920, Page 4

CARPET BRIDGE

ALLENBY’S TRICKS TO WIN JERUSALEM. LONDON, Nov. U. The war in Palestine gave much more scope for tactics, that is, for ingenuity oh the part of local commanders, than did the war in France. Mr W- T. Massey (official correspondent with Lord Alienby’s forces) lias, therefore, a varied and interesting tale to tell of “How Jerusalem Was Won”, although . the broad outlines of it are so well remembered. . - Whose was the idea that wire-fenc-ing “rabbit wire,” as it is called, because it is frequestly used to keep outrabbits —who suggested that this would make good roads across sandy desert ? For ambulances and light cars it served admirably; just as string snow shoes enable the wearer to walk on snow, ,so tlie wire fencing prevented the wheels from sinking into the sand. Has anyone been rewarded for that brilliant device ? After this the laying dows of carpets on a bridge of rafts, in order to deaden the sound of the men marching over, does not seem so particularly clever. Yet someone deserves credit for it. Not only did it help to catch the Turks napping in the literal sense (they were many of them awakened by the summons to surrender), hut it amused the men and so kept their spirits up. FACES CAKED WITH DUST.

Mi- Massey tells a plain straightforward story and makes no appeal to the feelings of his readers to pity the conditions under which our men fought in Palestine. But he lets us see clearly liow abominable they sometimes were. If it was hot and still, the marching columns "appeared to be advancing through one of London’s own particular fogs. Men’s faces became caked with yellow dust, their nostrils were hot and burning, and parched throats could not be relieved because of the necessity of conserving the water allowance.” If it was wet and windy, "men whose blood bad been thinned by summer heat were called upon to endure long hours of piercing cold with their clothes wet through and water oozing out of then boots.” ... Mr Massey describes an event which will live for ever in history with the sober judgment of a historian. This will he one of the classics of the war.