Attack On Egypt

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 212, 15 February 1915, Page 5

Attack On Egypt

THE FIGHT AT ISMAILIA. TURKISH SNIPERS AT WORK. TREACHERY fJOON AVENGED. Rceivcd 14, 5.5 p.m. London, February 13. The Times' Ismailia correspondent reports that when the night fighting at Ismailia began a torpedo bout dashed up and landed five men on the eastern bank soutli of Toussoum. The party stumbled into a Turkish trench, and miraculously escaped and rejoined the torpedoer, which dashed to Ismailia under fire. She enfiladed the enemy, and destroyed pontoons.

Twenty of the enemy crossed the canal at Toussoum and sniped the gunners from the rear until the Indian cavalry captured them. The Turkisli artillery hit a couple of merchantmen, but there were no casualties. Sniping continued after the repulse at Toussoum, and a man was killed in the British battleships tops. The Indians at the outset found hundreds of Turkish soldiers in a hollow. The latter fired after signifying that they would surrender, and the. Indians charged with bayonets and killed, captured, or routed them all. A British officer killo.l a Turkish officer with his sword i n single combat.

TURKS ANNIHILATED. SURPRISED BY BRITISH FORCE. Received 15, 12.5 a.m. London, February 14. A Cairo detachment of troops landed near Tor, crossed the hills, and surprised and annihilated a Turkish force of 200, whereof .100 were taken prisoners, including a Turkish major. Twenty camels were captured. One Ghurka was killed, and one wounded. -[Tor (or Tur) is a seaport town on the east coast of the Gulf of Suez, on the southern portion of Sinai Peninsula.]

ENEIIY'S LOSSES, 4000. Sydney, February 13. Mr. Bean cables that the Turks began to leave their advanced' positions on Friday, and are' now retreating'. During the fighting on Wednesday the Turkish losses were 4000, and ours about 150, who were mostly wounded' in the left fori arm. Two New Zeala'ndcrs were wcunded, and one has siiit'c died.