ON THE SINAI FRONTIER.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1916, Page 4

ON THE SINAI FRONTIER.

TURKS SUFFER HEAVILY, * ' deceived August 12, 6.30 p.m. London, August 11. The British official report states: Th» mounteds inflicted very heavy casualties, to the number of six thousand, on the Turks in the Birelabo district, on the Sinai frontier. TURKS HEAVILY PRESSED. COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED. BRITISH CAVALRY FALL BACK. Received August 12, 8.10 p.m. London, August 11. TV mounteds, on the 9th,' heavilr pressed 11000 Turks, including a fresh regiment not engaged at Roinani. The enemy held a line north and south through Birelabo. Their right was on the Bardaivill lagoon, and theii left curving south-east. Their three counterattacks were repulsed. A general counter-attack ensued along the whole line. Our cavalry fell back slowly. We shelled large stacks of stores and convoys at 2000 yds, The Turks replied with fl-ini howitzers, their casualties being heavy. Our cavalry, on the 10th, nmained in observation on the enemy, who retired to their entrenchments.

TURKISH REGIMENT ANNIHILATED. ALL THE OFFICERS KILLEDI Received August 13, 5.15 p.m. London, August 12. An unofficial Turkish communique mits that the British captured yart of the Turkish left wins nu the rcf jou of Khntara. They later repulsed a strong British attack, inflicting heavy losses, after which the Turks retired ejstward of Katia. An official communique states: Prisoners report that an enemy cavalry regiment was almost- annihilated, all the officers being killed. GERMANPRESS SURPRISED Times Service. Received August 13, 5.5 p.yn. London, August 15. The German press was completely sur* prised at the attempted invasion of Kgvpt, and do not believe the smallness of the Turkish forces. They complain of the scantiness of the Turkish reports in not revealing whether a general offensive was intended.