Egypt

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 76, 27 October 1916, Page 5

Egypt

OPERATIONS IN THE bESERT. Press Association—Copyright, Austra- i Han and N.Z. Cable Association. ] London, October 26. ( * The war correspondent, Mr Massey, , now in Egypt, writes that the occupation of Da kb la and Basara (cabled on October 23) has recovered from i 1 the Senussi all the oasis in the west- j 1 ern desert except Siwai. It also dealt 1 a crashing' blow on the Senussi and 'Brought about the waning of their prestige. | An Imperial camel corps, compos- J |d of.'flJHtish Yeomanry and Australians;- left Kharga, accompanied by armoured cars, and by a rapid movement completely surprised the Se- 1 nussi rearguard at Dakhla. The ) prisoners included important political i personages. A considerable quantity [of arms,, ammunition and treasure was captured. Dakhla is an important oasis, and the Senussi spent the summer there with two thousand troops. Owing to the exceptional heat, it was impos- (i , siblo to send white troops in the summer, but full preparations were j made in anticipation of cooler wealth er. A light railway was built along !a wide belt of had sand. The Sonus(si, when they learnt of the preparations fled, but our advance, was so jinpid ‘that the rearguard wore cut oil. f NtfhoWftpwl. 1 Eighty miles of light railway were laid towards the Basara waterless j proceeded’ through- . out the entire summer. The Senussi army, weakened by malaria and almost ] deprived of camels by* our attacks, , moved to Suvai, subsisting on nates and olives. The coast was blockaded, and the Senussis’ resources were insufficient to maintain them. The formidable force of followers seemed to have lost faith.