EGYPT.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1916, Page 5

EGYPT.

TURKS IN TROUBLE. PUKSUED FOR EIGHTEEN MILES. London, August 7. The Commander-in-Chief in Egypt reports: Our artillery, machine-gun, and rifle fire in the Kith* district was effective, and the numbers of Turkish killed and wounded were very heavy. Territorial infantry late on Saturday night gallantly carried a strong rearguard position. Our pursuit continued for eighteen miles ami we took 3100 prisoners. The prisoners are -i fine body. British cavalry, sent out to entice the enemy at the beginning of the buttle, fought an admirable rearguard action, drawing on the Turks until a mounted division enclosed tlieir flanks, compelling a whole brigade to surrender. We captured a battery of German ijuns and 30 officers. Cairo, August 7. Sixteen hundred prisoners have arrived. THE TURKISH INVASION. IRRETRIEVABLY SMASHED. BATTLE OF ROMAXI DESCRIBED. Times Service. Received August S, S.lO p.m. London, August S. Mr. <RV. T. Massey, writing from Ro-mani-on August 7, states that at sunset yesterday he witnessed the Turks' pretensions to a conquest of Egypt irretrievably smashed. The latest'attempt at invasion was more severely beaten than that in February, despite German leadership and.more scientific methods. Besides the Anzacs, troops taking a prominent part were the Scottish, Lancashire Territorials, Warwicks and blloucestershii'e Yeomanry. POSITION OF THE FORCES We held the line from Mahmadiza. Roinani, Katia, and flannil. At the latter place, three hundred feet of sandbags afforded an excellent observation post. Three miles west was the Wellington ridge,' which the Turks energetically attempted to reach; two miles south was Mount Meredith. Mount l'oyston lay three miles wcst-uortli-west, upon which the. enemy managed to get a footing in the ' afternoon, choosing what seemed to be the easiest path towards the calial. This .was an undulating, sandy plain, flanked by sand dunes. Turkish divisions strongly held the north to south line through the Katia oasis, about seven miles long, with tlieir Hanks thrown to the westward. The Scottish infantry were stationed from Romani to the Mediterranean coast. The Anzacs, in front of them, fought for an hour before daylight with ° - cat steadiness and determination against a well-handled enemy of superioi numbers. The Anzacs yielded ground gradually till Major-General Lawrence could reinforce the line with more tavahy and infantryANZACS BEAR THE BRUNT. The brunt of the fighting was borne by tne Anzac mounted troops, consisting of the Australian Light Horse and N'ew Zealand Mounted Rifles. These .magnificent horsemen had been anxious 1.0 follow theii comrades, but remained in Egypt because it was an ideal place for troops to work in front of our defences. ACQUIT THEMSELVES SPLENDIDLY The Anzacs acquitted themselves splendidly, and had little rest for more than a week, keeping in touch with the enemy, pushing back patrols and reconnoitring the country where the wily enemy was largely outnumbered by the Australasians They were well led by men displaying a, high. degree of military intelligence and courage. THE ENEMY ATTACKThe enemy attack on Roinani and Gannit began, at three o'clock in the afternoon, but the Light Horse and Scottish Territorials drove the Turks back towards Abuhamra with heavy losses. Meanwhile, the Lancashire regiment had been brought by rail and marched to the attack ankle deep in sand. The Warwickshire's Yeomanry vcie also out, following the infantry, who were attacked at five o'clock. The Yeomanry dismounted co-operating towards Mount Ripton. NOTHING WITHSTOOD OUR MEN. Our guns belabored the Turks, but the rifles and machine-guns inflicted the heaviest casualties. Nothing withstood i:s. We soon cleared Royston, Wellington ridge, and Mount Meredith, taking 1000 prisoners here, and scattering the remainder over the desert. The pursvit of the Turks began at daylight, and it remains to be seen whether the Turks will attempt to hold their trenches. EGYPT SAFER THAN EVER. Whatevoi Jiappens, Egypt, lis safer from invasion now than at any time during the war. The results are abundantly justifying General Murray's policy of making the Turks fight far from the canal, as the waterway traffic has not been stopped a single minute. IUKK'SII COMMANDERS. Received August 8, 5.5 p.m. Cairo, August S. Moura Bey commanded the Turks in the recent attack, a German officer and Franz Pasha, assisting.