ANAFARTA FIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1915, Page 8

ANAFARTA FIGHT.

HEAVY CASUALTIES. GREAT STEP FORWARD. References to the fighting at Anafarta early in August and the heavy casualties sustained by the Australian and New Zealand forces are made by-Corporal N. Elennerhassett. Auckland Mounted Rifles, who was woundfd in that action, in a letter to his relatives i.t Matamata, written from a Cairo 'hospital. "There is no denying it, we have, one and all, suffered severs losses in taking those hills at fiallipoU' says the writer. "But we are happy for we have taken them and made the Turks suffer enormous losses. This is, I fully believe, a great step fonvird towards bringing to a quicker termination the Turkish offensive there, and naturally it must have its influence on our cr.emy elsewhere." Proceeding, he says that the Auckland Mounted Rifles when relieved after the Anafarta fight came back a mere handful but covered with lauvels.'They would, he feared, be no further use as a fighting unit until heavily reinforced. That applied to nearly e' cry regiment, battalion, company, etc., ir> the Australian and New Zealand foiee.

"Too mucli honour could not go to the little Gurkha?." says Corporal Blennerliassett. "As a body they have fought the fiercest and suffered the heaviest. Time will show, but I believe the remnants of the Mo'inted Brigade, anyway, will be sent back to Egypt to reorganise and strengthen pp. I do. not think they will be absorbed temporarily in the infantry companies to light more for a while as some ihink. The Australian and New Xeabw'i iorros' operations at Gaba, Tepe are just about over for .• while, I should for we have been successful, and we have thousands upon thousands of Tommies (o carry on. Our artillery is beginning to fire from higher country while guarding us."