BATTLE IN THE DESERT.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1916, Page 3

BATTLE IN THE DESERT.

FIGHTING DAY AND NIGHT. AXZAC'S' BRILLIANT CHARGE UNDER FIRE. ' (Router's Telegram). Cairo, August 11. Tno more one learns of the Romani fisliting the more one admires the generalship that brought about a brilliant victory under the most trying and most dillicult conditions. When the Turks were drawn in all depended upon striking at the right moment. There was not a hitch from first to last. The plans were well-eonccived and perfectly carried out. A bright feature was the astonishing small total of British casualties considering the importance and duration of the lighting, and this testifies to the excellent leadership of one of the most brilliant operations ever performed. It taught the Turks a lesson that they will long remember. No eulogy is too high for the British Com-mander-in-Chief, General Sir Archibald -Murray. The following details of the lighting have been gathered till the moment of the Turkish flight from Katia. The Australian Light Horse and New Zealand Mounted Rifles, on the 3rd. finding Katia occupied by the enemy, was expected, took up a position on the high ground overlooking Katia, and two miles distant. There wes mild fighting and the troops retired towards Etmaler at Sin the evening. A fresh Light Horse regiment went out towards midnight and made contact with the Turks a mile and a half from Etmaler, returning to camp early in the morning. TURKS ATTACK. On the 4th the Turks attacked at Etmaler, which is three-quarters of a mile distant from Romani. The enemy came on in force from the north-west, and the fire was of the heaviest description, bullets flying evorwherc about the camp. Men at the kitchens and in other areas of the camp were hit. Two regiments of Australian Light Horse and one of New Zealanders were ordered to proceed to the ridge about a mile from Etmaler, and the Ayrshire*' battery of artillery came into action an hour later. These troops held the foe until 0 in the morning, when they retired, in accordance with plan, and under cover of our artillery fire, to a ridge 500 yards to' the rear. The Turks attempted a flanking movement from the north-west, pressing on persistently, and supported by heavy and accurate, artillery fire. The Anzacs retired on foot, the horses having been kept :n shelter at the rear, and removed 20 minutes before the retirement. KEY TO FOE'S MOVEMENT. The enemy continued the pressure all day on the 4th, and brought up large reinforcements. The time was now come fo strike the blow. The Turks had been drawn gradually in. The New Zoalandors were ordered to assault Mount Royston, which was recognised as the key to other Turkish flanking movement, and the project was successfully accomplished by the evening with fine dash and the capture of 200 prisoners and four mountain guns. With the British flank thus secured to advantage, another order was carried out in the early morning of the r>th. Two regiments of Light Horse and a New Zealand regiment were sent out in the dark with an idea of what was ahead of them. Rut they went off resolutely, fixed their bayonets, and charged 1000 \ arils in splendid style. They met heavy rifle, and artillery fire, but the casualties were not severe, the sand-dunes affording fair covflr. The Turks stuck to their posts until the Aliases were sixty yards away, and then ■ bolted, throwing away their rifles and kit.-. Many surrendered, many were shot while escaping, and the Anr.aes got through to the second line in no time. Numbers of prisoners were taken in the second line, anil the. main body of the Turks on that flank was in headlong flight at 10 in the morning towards Katia. ' GLORIOUS PIECE OF WORK. The charge, was undoubtedly a glorious pieee of work, and its fierceness and impetuousness commenced the rout. Coupled with the enptnrc of Mount Royston i s sealed the fate of the Turks. All this time the enemy's aircraft had been most active, fruitlessly endeavoring to interfere with our communications. The airman inflicted a few casualties on the .infantry. Three Australian Light Horse, regiments, a New Zealand regjment, and Yeomanry attacked the enemy's rearguard at 2 on the afternoon of the fitli. The heat was great, but it was cheerfully suffered. The fact that the fatigued liorses had to be rested for a couple of hours gave the Turks time to get under the cover of their strong artillery fire to a position at Katia, and although there was brisk fighting until 8 in the evening, we were unable to break the enemy's defence. The British then returned to Etmaler, five miles to the north-westward. INFANTRY MOVES AT LAST Early on the morning of ihe 6th the Territorial Infantry advanced towards Katia to engage the foe, but found that lie had evacuated his positions at the oasis, and had retreated towards Oghralina. Many enemy dead were seen. The Turks had piled up the bodies at Katia, ready for burial. The Territorials captured considerably booty. The Australian Field Ambulance did splenddid work, and the medical arrangements were excellent. Wounded men were generally attended to within five minutes, and the wounded were carried back in sand-carts and on camek. The Anzacs treated their prisoners well, sharing their cigarettes with them, and even lending the fatigued ones horses. There were many heroic acts, but it would be invidious to mention them, in view of the bravery of all