BATTLE OF MAGHDABA.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 March 1917, Page 6

BATTLE OF MAGHDABA.

A BRILLIANT VICTORY. FINE WORK OP 'AUSTRALIAN AND KEW ZEALAND MEN, j The news that El 'Arish liad beeli evacuated was received by the troops engaged in the operations with mixed feelings (writes the special correspondent of the Egyptian Times). They could not but feel unbounded satisfaction at the successful conclusion of an arduous undertaking, but at the same time they were keenly disappointed that the enemy had not waited for the crushing blow which they had been prepared to deal liim. The retreating force had a long start, and to many it seemed that the affair was over. Doubtless the Turk thought so, too,, and congratulated themselves that they were well out of it. They had from past experience a wholesome dread, of the relentless* -pursuit of our Mounted 'Division, Wilt they felt confident that the task of capturing them was beyond the powers even of these redoubtable troops.

A NIGIIT MARCH. There was every reason for their confidence. When Genera'. Chauvel's force entered El Arish it had accomplished a most arduous night march of 20 miles, it was 15 miles from railhead, and the task of supplying it by means of camel transport would have been formidable enough if it had remained at El Arish. But General Chetwode, the commander of the Desert Column, decided to pursue the retreating enemy, ahd by wholehearted effort and skilful arrangement the difficulty of supply was conquered sufficiently to enable a flying column to start from El Arish at half-past 1 in the morning of December 23. The force consisted of three brigades of the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division, with Territorial Horse Artillery batteries attached, and eight companies, of the Imperial Camel Corps. There was no moon, but the line of march up to Wadi El Arish presented fewer difficulties than those experienced two nights before on the march to the town. A distance of over 20 miles was covered in less than three hours, a remarKable performance when one considers that both men and horses were still feeling the effects of their last grlat effort.

A FORMIDABLE POSITION. At 1 0 minutes to 5 the columns was close to the enemy's position at Maghdaba, 20 miles. south-east of El Arisb. Reconnaissances made as soon as it was light revealed an entrenched position of great natural strength. Five redoubts,, all save one admirably screened from artillery observation, had been constructed commanding the approaches and supporting each other by flanking fire. Such a position, defended by a force well equipped with the most modern weapons, was not to be tackled lightly. Under ordinary circumstances its capture would probably have been reckoned a matter not of hours but of days, and while the Turks, beine in possession of the Maghdaba wells, could afford to sit tight and bide their lime, our mounted troops, operating at a great distance from their base of supplies, were dependent on camel transport even for the water for their horses. The enemy had therefore every encouragement to offer a most stubborn resistance. THE ATTACK W*c oh our part bad only one thought and that was to prevent the escape of the enemy. ' About S o'clock we had occup'ed it. ridge about 400ftyds from the enemy's position, and at !) the Imperial Camel Corps, supported by the fire of our batteries, advanced to make the frontal attack. This was followed l>v an encircling movement on the part of the mounted troops, the 3rd Light Horse Brigade under General Royston, and the N.2. Mounted Rifle Brigade, under General C'haytor. moving round the enemy's northern flank to surround him from the east and t-hp south-east. Later in the day General Chauvel was informed by aeropkne messages that the enemy had been seen retiring. The 3rd Light Horse Brigade and the Xew Ze.ilanders pushed on rapidly to cut them off, and the Ist Light Horse Brigade, which had been in reserve, was moved up in prolongation /if the line of "the Imperial Camel Corps. Coming tip tinder c-lose range fire which threatened serious casualties among the horses, the brigade had to get back and dismount, but the way they handled horses under fire and the steadiness and precision with which they manoeuvred at the gallop were the admiration of all who watched them. Every man showed the, same cool and intelligent appreciation of the situation and the same fearless confidence in himself and his comrades which made their skilful manoeuvring at Wellington Ridge one of the sights of the war. Having extricated themselves with trilling loss, the brigade made a wider sweep with a view to supporting the frontal attack by coming in on the enemy's flank, while at the same time completing the envelopment by encircling the enemy's left. It was soon found, however, that it was only small parties of the enemy who had attempted to retire. The main body held 011 stubbornly in their formidable position, hoping to hold off the attack till want of water and sheer exhaustion compelled our men to withdraw. But, In spite of heavy rie, machine-gun, and artillery lire, our troops continued to make progress. The frontal attack had to cross a wide plain absolutely devoid of cover, but the Camel Corps, composed of British and. Dominion troops, pressed forward with a steadiness worthy of all praise. Our batteries pounded the enemy's position with deadly accuracy, completely destroying one of the redoubts, from which white flags were put out, but as the redoubts were mutually supporting and heavy fire was still being kept up from the other four, no notice was taken of these tokens of surrender.As the day wore on every effort was made to press the attack, and the fighting became more and more severe. The firing line was reinforced and redoubled the volume of its accurate (ire, while our artillery lire also increased in intensity. Our devoted airmen rendered most valuable support, circling round the redoubts under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, and dropping their bombs tfith great effect. Meanwhile a regiment of the Ist Liglit 'Horse Brigade had swept round the enemy's left flanlc as far as Aulad Ali, four miles south-east of Maghdaba, and coming right in behind the position completed the overthrow of the Turks, whe surrendered en masse. TRIUMPH OF ENDURANCE, The battle had lasted eight hours, and oug men had fought through the heat

of the day with hardly any water and little prospect of getting any. But (lie agonies of thirst had no effect on the keenness of our brave and enduringv solcapture of the positiorr enalded tTts*"horses to be watered at the wells, and drinking water for the ir.cn was despatched from .151 Arish by camel convoys, our energetic and resourceful supply service once more rising to the whole operation was an unqualified success. It is impossible to speak too highly cither of the skill or boldness of the troops who carried it through. Our aeroplanes were invaluable. The whole attack was, of course, planned cn information supplied by them, while they also bombed the enemy most successfully both in his trenches and on the march. The Imperial Camel Corps did splendid work and proved how valuable a fighting force we have in this unique organisation. The gunners had a day after their own hearts, and the Territorial batteries enhanced the good name they had earned for themselves at Romani and >Bir el Ahd. As we learn from the statements of •prisoners, this quick and accurate fire made it impossible for the enemy to get awavja single or.e of his precious guns. Last "but not least there was the Australian and New Zealand Mounded Division, a division like no other division in the world. Of fine physique and hard as nails, these born horsemen can stand any amount of arduous campaigning and their hardy horse? seem to be as ideally suited to the country and the kind of warfare as they are themselvas. Keen, cool, and reseurccful, with an eve for country and a reputation for marksmanship, they shine both in attack and defence, and when dismounted are as firm believers in the bayonet as the l-e.it infantry.

THE FRUITS OF VICTORY. Hie enemy's force had /consisted of about 2000 men, of whom 1350, including 15 officers, were made prisoners. Judging by the large number of dead whom we buried on the field, the enemy's losses during tlio battle must have been very heavy, and we may fairly claim to have accounted for the whole force. T n addition we captured four mountain guns, three Krupp guns, and large quantities of rifles, ammunition, stores, and equipment. Our own casualties were us low as 130, of whom only five officers and seven men were killed. But even more important than the number of prisoners and guns is the moral effect, of the victory. The remarkable perform-, ance of our flying column, which eoyered •25 miles of desert in a four hours' night ,march, surprised even an enemy whore evacuation of Ei Arish proved that lie had a wholesome respect for the mobility of our troops and the efficiency ■ of our transport services. His nerves are never likely to recover from the effects of this dramatic coup. He is compelled by the extent of the country, the scarcity of water, and the difficulty of transport, to make a wide dispersion of his forces, and each isolated -body now feels itself in constant danger of annihilation by a like swift and sudden blow. Owing to our superior mobility and grentpr transport facilities it is impossible for him to reinforce any threatened point in t:me, and his lines of communication aTC in such imminent peril that his one desire now is to get away as far and fast as possible. Before the battle of Maglidaba the litrkish forces in Sinai were in retreat, now they are on the run.