CAPTURE OF DAMASCUS.

Taihape Daily Times, 30 October 1918, Page 3

CAPTURE OF DAMASCUS.

A DELIGHTED POPULACE. HEROIC FIGHT BY TURKS. The Australian Commonwealth’s official correspondent, writing from Damascus on October 1, says. Our entry into Damascus was strangely unwarlike. Not a shot was fired About 10 o’clock an Australian Light Horse regiment patrolled from the south-west along beautiful winding lanes through a wilderness of irrigated orchards and gardens. Reaching the great square iu the centre of the city, we had a dramatic meeting with the Hedjaz Arabs, who came from the south. We also met some Indians. The enemy made no attempt to fight. Small bodies of Turks surrendered at every turning, and strolled about among the crowds without the least concern, appearing vastly relieved that their long flight had ended. Scores of thousands of gailydressed people thronged the streets, clapping their hands, and, as their excitement grew more intense, they surged after the scattered horsemen. The great capture of 5000 prisoners by one brigade was highly dramatic. At the termination of our long ride, many thousands of Turks lined the ridge on the west of the town, in an endeavour to protect the railway and the road leading through the Barada Gorge towards Beirut. A Light Horse regiment a few hundred strong made a frontal feint on the Turkish position, who was stiffened by upwards of 40 machine guns, and at the same time flanked the enemy, riding swiftly through the dense wood and firing briskly from the left and rear. The Turks immediately abandoned the fight, and rushed like an untrained rabble for the narrow gorge through which the Barada rushed down from Lebanon to the plain. Already the pass, for about three miles, was choked with slow moving Turkish transport of every kind — motor lorries, cars, horse and bullock drawn vehicles. A party of 13 Light Horsemen gained a stone house at the entrance to the pass, just before the leading fugitives. They opened fire, as pursuing Australians pressed in from behind. The whole Turkish force outnumbering our men, flung away their arms and begged for mercy. The booty included a battery of field guns, mountain guns, and 60 machine guns.

Then, in the darkness, an appalling tragedy fell upon the huge Turkish column in the gorge. Turks had armed many vehicles and the railway train with machine guns, and the gunners made an heroic but forlorn effort to fight the column through. Our men. firing from pockets of the cliffs, were few in numbers and unable to go down to finish the affair by close fighting. They continued shooting from the heights until their ammunition was exhausted. The enemy survivors, who fought until there was scarcely "a man left alive, then shouted surrender. The gorge this morning was a ghastly spectacle. Dead Turks and animals, in a welter of broken, overturned vehicles. It was almost incredible that such slaughter an k chaos was caused by small arms alone.

Recaptured in the city were three Australians, taken prisoner for one week. They marched six days, practically focdless, but since reaching Damascus they have been kindk* treated. A resident reports that 3000 of the enemy, including a largo number of Germans, evacuated the city upon the British approach. Lieut.-General Chauvel marched through Damascus in the afternoon at the city from the south by the Blithe head of a great force. Approaching grims’ Road, the column, extending over many miles, entered the city by the Gates of God and rode along the narrow, winding streets between dense massed citizens of many races and religions in distinctive gala dress.