ATTACKING THE SENUSSI.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 67, 24 February 1916, Page 7

ATTACKING THE SENUSSI.

BLOODING OF THE Ist BATTALION, CHRISTMAS DAY FIGHTING IN THF. DESERT. COOLNESS AND BRAVERY UNDER FIRE. A HAPPY CROWD. (From Malcolm Ross, Official Correspondent with the N Z. loices). Cairo, New '-car's Ere. The First Troatlnm Battalion rereived its baptism of lit'c on Christmas Day and came most creditably through tne ordeal, ollicers and men displaying the utmost coolness under fire and great dash in attack. r lhe Second ‘‘Trents,” who are at present somewhere along the lino of communications, were not in it; the other forces engaged being the loth Sikhs, some of the recently-arrived Australian Light Horse, who were mounted, and English Yeomanry.

Morsa Alatruli, near where the New Zealanders fought, is a little port on the north-western frontier of Egypt. Here, at the end of November, the smaller frontier posts at Solium and Sidi Brani had been concentrated in order to avoid possible causes of friction with the tribes. It lies in an arid zone with desert sands and barren, rocky hills beyond. Near the shore the water is blackish; inland thetc are fresh water wells. German mfiuence has been at work in this region, the Senussi and the neighbouring tribesmen being stirred up to open rebellion by the arch-conspirators of Europe, whose wonderful organisation, conjoined with a well lined purse, roa-

dies even into distant Persia and the desert lands of Mesopotamia and Africa. Early in December a reconnoitring force from Matruh came upon a band of 300 Arabs who were attacked and driven westward. Of those 35 were killed and seven taken prisoners the British casualties were 16 killed and three officers and 15 men wormThe New Zealanders reached Matruh in trawlers and sweepers, which set sail from Alexandria. Arrived at their destination, they found permanent barracks occupied by an Egyptian garrison. Tlieir first days were spent m fatigues and in making entrenchments on the hill overlooking the station. Wire entanglements were erected, and the position generally was strengthened. The camp was close to the beach. Drinking water had to he conveyed from Alexandria. Each night i few shots were fired at our outposts by the tribesmen, who used to creep up under cover of the darkness, and one or two of our men were hit. The main body of the Arab force was encamped in a rocky donga some seven miles away to the southward. On Christmas Day it was decided to attack the position., The attacking force, consisting of the Sikhs and the New Zealanders, loft camp at 4 a.m. and marched for seven miles along a cough road towards the place where the enemy had been spotted by one o* our aeroplanes. The gnus on the sweepers opened lire and a mountain battery on shore was also m action. The first shell from the sea hit the top of the hill, and the second went just over it where the enemy were congregated amongst the rocks and cayes. The enemy replied with a field piece firing common shell; but though then shooting was close it did no damage. Three shells landed on the left oi the road about a hundred yards from the New Zealanders.

facing the enemy. Shortly after dawn the Sikhs advanced, the New Zealand A Company •einforcing them. This advance was the signal for a shower of bullets iiom the Arab snipers, none of whom could be seen. Another section of the New Zealanders were sent to take the donga, where the enemy, with his camels, was supposed to be. They advanced quietly in extended ordei, to within 600 or 700 yards of the position, and opened a heavy fire. The enemy, from hidden positions, replied, and bullets were Hying all about out men, but were doing little or no dariiage. Our force then advanced to within 400 yards of the enemy. From

this position they could see numbers c; tlie enemy sheltering bohind rocks and in eaves across the donga, and the order was given to charge down and across it. Led by their officers the men went at it with dash and enthusiasm. At tlie bottom of the donga the little force became bunched up somewhat and there was a regular fusilade of enemy bullets, but scarcely a soul was hit. In places, the side of the donga was steep, and occasionally the men let themselves go, and slid down fifty foot at a stretch. In Ibis manner they got within 200 yards of the concealed enemy, and the real fighting began. The Sikhs fought with great dash and courage, standing up boldly in the open and firing. They seemed to disdain cover, and their somewhat reckless daring won the admiration of every New Zealander. Moth Sikiis and New Zealanders now began to fall. Lance-Corporal Ormistou fell wounded, and near him S.M. Purkis, of Auckland was shot through the head and killed instantly. Private Leslie Morice fell wounded in the arm and the chest, and Corporal Meresford Wilkinson, who went to his assistance, was shot through the body while undoing his tunic, and died at once. Sergt. Weir, who was killed early in the day, got a bullet in the groin. Finally, the British force advanc-

ed, and drove the enemy out of their position at the point of the bayonet, chasing them away beyond the wells. ,\Vo captured several prisoners and Camels. A number of women and children were discovered hiding in the caves. The Arabs had cut the throats of some of their wounded camels that they could not get away. Our men counted over two hundred dead of the enemy, and our total casualties in killed and wounded, including the, Indians, were some sixty or seventy. The section of the Australian Light Horse and some of the English Yeomanry made a sweeping movement on the left flank. They lost a few men, and four of the officers were wounded. No Now Zealand officers were killed or wounded. They inflicted considerable loss on the enemy. With darkness, the enemy having been driven off, the attack ceased, and our men and the Indians marched back to camp singing. The New Zealanders had had “A Merry Christmas ” and they then-

oughly enjoyed it. A wounded uoncou. said to me: “It was a holiday!” with the emphasis on the was. “As

they marched hack in the nigat lime singing,” lie milled, “you could not have wished for a happier crowd.” | And thus it was tnat the new battalion was blooded, 'they have started .veil, and i. have not the least hesitation in saying that they will worthily uphold the reputation that New Zea- ( land has already earned on the .battleheid. 1 have just a lew minutes been watching tne 7tlx and Bth Hein-, forcemeats coming back to camp, after one of their route marches. With a oaud at their head, they swung past cue New Zealand Hospital with a line swinging step, loudly cheering the wounded heroes from Gallipoli, who flocked to the gates and on to the balcony to see them pass. They are really a/line type of men. Wim some knowledge of the English, the French, the German, the Swiss, and the Austrian and Hungarian soldiery, and, latterly, of the Turk, I have no hesitation »u saying that the Australians and lie New Zealanders must be just about the finest infantry in the world. .