NEAR DAMASCUS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1925, Page 1

NEAR DAMASCUS

FIGHT WITH ARABS

NKW ZFA LAN DEB’S MOTOR SERVICE. LONDON, Sept. 17. What is known as the Nairn route to Baghdad seems to have grown unsafe during recent months. It will be remembered that the motor-car sen ice across the Syrian Desert was inaugurated by Air Norman Nairn, of Blenheim. ;ind liis brother. It- has been carried on successfully up to recently, hut the mail convoy has had to ho diverted twice owing to the Bedouin, and last week it was attacked. News has been received from tho French authorities in Syria that tho part of the Nairn route within Syrian territory is considered definitely unsafe. All cars passing between liaglidad, and Damascus must travel by the Palmyra route, meeting tho French escort at Palmyra. No restriction is imposed on convoys using the Amman route, which branches oir Irom tho Nairn route near the Rutha Molls.

There is a growing feeling that a small road should he constructed facilitating the Amman-Baghdnd service, which is quicker than the northern route. It would ho an all-British route and easily patrolled by aeroplane. Such a road it is estimated would cost less than CJO.OW.

Wlmn Mr Nairn was last in London he explained that the Bedouin were induced lo behave themselves by a system of bribery. Something seems to linvo gone wrong with the system since then.

FIGHT IN THE DESERT. 'Plie .special correspondent of tho “Chicago Tribune ” sends this story of i lie lighting from Danni-i us: A -ton Ilf wild bnltle between Ereneli armoured ears and a tribe nl 1000 Arabs, apparently inspired by the Druse rebellion, in flic Syrian Deserl. 55 miles from Damascus, is told by the convoy which lias brought hack the wounded to Damascus, following the week-end attack on the cross-des-ert mail service. One French captain was killed: a British officer and a French officer were wounded, and at least fourteen Arabs were killed, whilst the mem hers of the American Financial Mission to Persia narrowly escaped disaster. The light lasted more than an hour, the French armoured ears keeping up a running conflict ter forty miles in the burning heat of the afternoon. The fifteen cars of Die British Overland Desert Mail and the Eastern Transport convoy, which the Bedouin attacked at first took refuge in the centre of a saucer-like hole in the desert while bullets churned up the sand at their feet.

DEFENDERS’ HEROISM. The members ol the convoy returning here with the wounded declare that great bravery marked the battle. The commander of the French armoured cars, Captain de Garpontiers, was killed because he went to the aid of a wounded Bedouin, who, pulling himself to his knees, shot the captain in the stomach as he was about to render medical aid to him. Lieutenant Roberts, rushing to the assistance of his wounded commander, was shot at and wounded as he carried Captain de Carpcntiers hack to the convoy, and drove his ear two miles across the desert, although praoticnliv delirious from liis wound.

Flight-Lieutenant Long, of the Royal Air Force, who was among tho passengers, volunteered to lend the armoured ears after Captain do Carpent iers was shot. Driver Davidson, in charge of one of the mail cars, although unarmed, captured three Arabs. A number of English women passengers shojved magnificent courage* in aiding and nursing the wounded during the actual time the light was in progress.

French armoured cars and aeroplanes have been sent out to patrol the desert routes. Everyone here appears to blame the Pnn-Tslamie agitators on the Turkish frontier and tho Djebel Druse rebels for the present unsafe condition of the desert routes.