THE SYRIAN CAMPAIGN.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 17 January 1917, Page 5

THE SYRIAN CAMPAIGN.

A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT

LONDON, Jan. 15. Mr Massey (the war correspondent) describing the Rafa fight, says: It was one of the finest achievements of the Egyptian campaign. A swift march brought the men within striking distance while the enemy slept. The whole battle resembled old-time warfare. Many Bedouins watched the fight, some tending their flocks between our firing line and the enemy trenches, either ignorant of their danger or trustting their fate to Allah. The New Zealanders were detached from the column five miles south of Rafa, on the border of Syria. They rounded up and disarmed a large number of Arabs, whose attitude was unknown. They completed this operation before daylight, and then made an enveloping movement from the east, the Australians attacking from the southeast, and the Camel Corps from the south. The guns registered, and after development the dismounted attack began. An hour later the New Zealanders moved very quickly over the grassy ridges directly on Rafa, which was lightly held and immediately taken, the prisoners including fleeing camel men. One New Zealand regiment was sent well to the cast to protect the flanks. This proved a very wise precaution. The rapid taking of the town was a valuable part of the day s work, and enabled the New Zealanders to get behind the enemy’s position, sorely troubling the foe for the remainder of the day. When the fight was in progress the approach of relief forces was reported, at a critical moment. The general called for an immediate supreme effort. The New Zealanders swooped into the Turks’ strongest position from the rear, two Australian brigades carried the south-eastern works, and the Imperial Camel Corps gallantly assaulted from the south-west, while the Yeomanry kept the western side fully employed. Meanwhile the New Zealanders" east of Rafa were holding a long crescent line. They engaged vastly superior forces who were trying to escape, and threv. T them back. Great booty was secured. The prisoners included 11 unwounded German machine-gunners. The Turkish prisoners included some from formations not previously used south of Syria.