Attack on Egypt

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 207, 9 February 1915, Page 5

Attack on Egypt

BATTLE OF TOUSSOUM. STATEMENTS OF CAPTURED OFFICERS. ENEMY ALREADY SHORT OF FOOD. London, February 7. The Press Bureau states that t\c officers taken prisoner r.3 Toussouin state that the division was subdivided at Katabelklier, four hours from the Canal, in order to attack different points. Six hundred attacked at Toussoum. When they reached the Canal they encountered a hot and well-aiined fire and there were, inany casualties. They then surrender- [ «l. The oommandant, Aris Bey, was wounded and carried off the field. The si-eond in command was wounded and taken prisoner. The Daily Chronicle's Rome correspondent says that the fighting in Egypt has caused a notable change in the atutude of war correspondents in Esypt who have hitherto been alarmist regarding the situation. Nine German officers are included among the prisoners. The latte- are chiefly Syrian Arabs who ar e dea l beat and exhausted, owing to defective victualling. NO FURTHER FIGHTING. WHOLESALE DESERTIONS FROM TURKISH ARMY. I Received 8, 7.30 p.m. | Cairo. February 8. P Official: There has been further fighting on the Canal. Besides Arabs, a number of Anatolian and Turkish soldiers are deserting and surrendering to the British. They are very despondent over the failure of the attack on the Canal. Some stated that they attempted to rejoin their regiments, but they saw the German and Turkish officers shooting runaways and decided that it would be safer to return to the British lines. During the recent fighting none of the enemy reached the left bank of the Canal except prisoners and four soldiers, search for whom is proceeding. Ismailia is undamaged, no shells having reached the town. TURKS' CAPITAL MARCHING. SYRIANS' BRAVE ADVANCE. THE ADVANCE GUARD IN FULL RETREAT. Received 8, 10.35 p.m. Cairo, February 8. The enemy's arrangements for travelling the desert were good. They marched well, covering the distance from Beersheba to the Canal in ten days. The chaplains were instructed to warn the soldiers that victory or paradise awaited them i n Egypt, death or hell if they retreated. The Syrian troops advanced bravely on the warship, a shell from which wiped out a party of officers. The latest news indicates that the enemy's advanced guard is in full re- ■ treat. i