EGYPT.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1916, Page 5

EGYPT.

The march on el arish. ALMOST, INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE. Received Dec. 2S. 1.13 a.m. London, Dee. 27. Mr. Massey, tlie war correspondent, warmly praises the horsemen and camijlry for their day and night marcii over extremely difficult, country, the great precision of the movement' enabling the town to be surrounded. Mr. Massev, who accompanied the convoy to El Arish, says the first eight miles consisted of rolling billows of sand, deep valleys and plentiful scrub dunes that have sharp crests and steep sides like elifl's, necessitating long and tortuous windings. The hoof marks in the terrific gradients showed- that whole regiments had scaled the giddy paths in the yielding sand. It was almost incredible that these intrepid horsemen had ascended by seemingly impossible steps. The difficulties near'El Arish appeared to be insurmountable, and that, perhaps, explains the Turl;i=h neglect to construct trenches; yet they were all overcome.

CAPTURE OF MAGHDABAH. ANOTHER POSITION TAKEN. London, Dec. 20. Official.—ln the Maghdabah engagement the total captures were 1350 men, of whom 45 were officers, and seven guns. The total enemy engaged were about 2000, therefore the force has been practically destroyed. Southwards our mobile troops penetrated the Mitla Pass, destroyed the defences at the eastern end and burned the camps in the neighborhood.