PALESTINE.

Taihape Daily Times, 28 March 1918, Page 5

PALESTINE.

A TRIUMPHAL MARCH. BY GENERAL ALLENBY

PROGRESS IN PALESTINE

Received 11.10

LONDON, March 27,

Mr. Massey, writing frcm Palestine headquarters on Tuesday, says General Allenby’s army marched from one success to another. On the anniversary of the first battle at Gaza they occupied Esalt, 25 miles east of the Jordan which was brilliantly executed. Operations began on Friday with bridging the Jordan, which was much swelled by abnormal raiss'. Attempt to cross at Ghoraniyes, east of Jericho, where the Turks destroyed the only bridge, failed because of the strength of the stream. Three of the strongest swimmers in the array failed to breast the current. An attempt was then made four miles south of Hcnolah ■where seven men swam over towing a rope with which they hauled light rafts loaded with men to the opposite bank, which is densely wooded, and was crowded with Turks and machineguns. Almost two battalions of Londoners w r ere ferried over, who could only occupy a narrow bridgehead 300 yards wide. No further progress made on Friday, but during the night infantry made a gallant charge againist Turkish 'trenches and widened the bridgehead to 1500 yards by a depth pf 1000 yards. Meantime Ahzae engineers constructed a steel pontoon bridge, while the infantry were cutting paths through the jungle, withuot which po one could move- There was. considerable shell and rifle fire on the Anzaies but that did not interrupt thelrL-wofk for a moment. It was due tou'thdii;. remarkably • fine work -that ■VV/j VV.MTQ. able to get over an entire Anzac mounted regiments. By dawh-'.L'thc cavalry moved silently up the loftbank through- breaks m the- jungle, then climbed low . cliffs and suddenly emerged on to the plain and galloped towards Gharaiyih. Another An/ac Mounted regiment got across at Hajeli and scouted eastwards. The Duke of Connaught, on Saturday, well east of the Jordan watching operations, including the work of the Anzacs. An excellent piece of work was done southwards.lt was decided to threaten the Turk’s flank at Hajch, two officers and 45 men voluntcrcod to make a march from. Jordan.