EGYPT.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1917, Page 5

EGYPT.

DETAILS OF ENGAGEMENT. TURKS FIGHT DESPERATELY. AN INTENSE BOMBARDMENT. ( t GALLANTRY OF NEW ZEALANDERS. - 5 CASUALTIES SLIGHT. t Router Service. i i Received Jan. lfi, 5.3 p.m. i 1 London, Jan. 1.1. ( _ Many of the enemy were concealed in . lifle pitp almost to the last. The mount- i eds moved ftnt from El Arisb at 4 in the t afternoon on January 0, the horsemen giving the road to the guns, and themselves travelling across the country. It was heavy going on sand dune country for ten miles. Afterwards the ground became harder, and progress was so good that a long rest was given tc the horses In the light. Two hours before dawn the New Zealanders surrounded a large <<amp of Bedoiiins, whose attitude wan unknown. They were disarmed and prevented from participation in the action. The New Zea landers then proceeded to Rafa to attack the town on that side. Two Australian Light Horse Brigades operated ".gainst the south-eastern' trenches, two miles from the town,"%hilc the Camel Corps fought against the south and the Yeomanry from the west. The Turks 1 fought desperately, the leep entrench- 1 , ments preventing rapid progress over ' ground where there was not the slight- ' est cover. A? they were 30 miles from ! the base it was necessary to redouble the 1 efforts in the afternoon to finish' the ' action before nightfall. After an intense hombardnien„ at ! three o'clock, when the trenches were battered to pieces land twr. guns were 1 silenced, the advance gave signs of sue- ' cess. 7he approach of reinforcements ! T as sported an hour later. The Wei- , lingtons splendidly held tlie enemy, ! n 'l> n «'«s times' their strength. The , remainder of the New Zealaiulcrs, who occupied the town of Rafa, captured the 1 (mailt trendies frm the rear. The Aus-j tralians- and Camel Corps entered,, the trenches from the front. The whole of I he garrison remaining univoundec' was ' : surrounded. i I Our casualties were astonishingly , light, considering the strength of the I position. Well-placed machine-guns were 1 manned by German marksmen, all of j >vhom were killed, wounded, or captured. 1 . iJ