THRILLING STORY OF ANZAC HEROES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1597, 12 August 1916, Page 3

THRILLING STORY OF ANZAC HEROES.

HOW THE MOUNTED MEN SAVED EL ROMANI. Loudon, August 10. Mr W. T. Massey, tlae British correspondent in Egypt, writing from El Romani on Sunday, says: “I can now give, fuller details of the lighting. The Anzae Mounted Corps did sterling work. These magnilicent troops fought with a tenacity, courage, and endurance comparable with their greatest deeds at Gallipoli. Their part in overthrowing the attempt to reach the Canal will stand out as one of the finest, achievements of the colonials during the war, and,illumine the pages of the Anzac’s short but illustrious military history. The Australian Light Horse was in touch with the enemy for forty-eight hours, two brigades taking turn and turn about. The first brigade made contact with the Turks at midnight ou Thursday, and then the two brigades fought them without interruption unid darkness on Saturday. The horses for hours had no water, and the men had little food and scarcely a. drop of water ou Saturday to relieve the agony of thirst on the desert. The first brigade held oIT throe thousand Turks in the darkness on a four-mile lino, retiring very slowly, and so preventing the Turks from obtaining the undulating' ground south-east of El Romani, the success of which would have enabled them to cut the railway, isolate the El Woman! garrison, and slop reinforcements by rail. The first brigade held on doggedly, staving off the Turks. The second brigade reinforced them at daylight, when both brigades then held the Wellington Ridge a mile west of Gamut, for several hours in the face of heavy artillery and infantry lire and desperate Turkish attacks at 100-yard intervals." DESPER ATE FIGHTING. “Though the Turks occupied Mount Meredith (two miles south of Gnnnit) and Mount Royston (three miles west-north-west of Gannit), they never secured Wellington ridge. The success of the Australian Light. Horse paved the way for our triumph, and the battle of El Romani was made an absolutely sure success when the Now Zealanders drove the enemy from Mount Royston, and onr infantry thrust, them towards Kalin. There was desperate lighting early in the morning when the enemy’s strong advance line threw itself furiously against, the Light Horse, shouting the battlecry ‘Allah, finish Australia!’ The Light Horse regarded llu; cry with immense amusement, shouting derisive answers, and showed that they were more than a match for the Turk with steel. 1 saw the Light Horse on Wellington ridge when the enemy’s shrapnel was bursting with wonderful accuracy, but the Australians showed not the. slightest sign of movement; until the enemy rushed, and then the Light. Horse poured in a terrible tire. The appearance of the battlefield subsequently supported the tales of their accuracy as marksmen. GALLOPING INTO BATTLE. GAvi tiofmvlov rn/miincr holll livi-

“On Saturday morning both brigades, with the Now Zealand

Mounted Corps on the right, worked down the battlclield, while the Third Light Horse, on the flank, attacked Haraisah, two miles south of Katin Oasis. There was a. combined attack on Katia at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, when the three brigades galloped three-quarters of a. mile into action across extremely heavy country. The horses carried ihe cheering men at such a, pace that the Turks’ artillery (attempting a bax-rage), never found the range. The charge was made on a. three-mile front, and filled the men with enthusiasm. At this point the Warwickshire's, Gloucesters, and Yeomanry entei’ed the' action, and advanced across a swamp for several hours under heavy gunfire, but the action was discontinued at dusk, is it was seen to be impossible to capture Hamisah before darkness set in. The wisdom of the desert charge was shown by the Turk's helter-skelter rush from their positions, the enemy doubtless fearing that the mounted men would use the steel, as they did on the previous day. A few of the Light Horse charged with fixed bayonets, using their rilles as lances.

A SON OF MARS.

“A story is told which is typical of the spirit of these men. A Light Hoi’se trooper, who had been awarded the D.C.M. on Gallipoli, had smuggled on board a, transport and reached Prance. He was recently discovered and sent back to Egypt, rejoining his regiment at tho vexy outset of the battle. He was placed in the guard tent, but broke out 'of the tent, tramped into the hottest centre of the engagement, and, working as an ambulance man, rescued fourteen wounded. He was killed while reselling the fifteenth.”