PALESTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1917, Page 5

PALESTINE.

GENERAL MURRAY'S DESPATCHES. NEW ZEALANDERS PRAISED. A. & N.Z. Cable Association & Esutet Received July 8, 5.5 pan. ' London, July fl. General Murray's despatches coveting operations between October 1, 1910, am February 28, 1917, mention 129 Austxnl ians and 43 New Zealanders. He «wei. ally comments on the Australian #nr. : New Zealand Mounteds, and the skilful occupation of El Arish and Masrni on December 20, ending in General Chairral's fine march on Magdhaba, where 1282 prisoners were taken, we only,(losing 154 , killed and wounded. The brilliant dasli of the New Zealand Mounteds which included Col. Chetwwle's column advancing on Rafa on Jan. 9 ipa» the • outstanding feature of the action resulting in the capture of the etttire 1 : Turkish force of 1000 men. Tie Isttin factor in the success was the conquering of the Siilai desert by intense, unranltting work. Hundreds of miles of roads and railways were built, filters installed supplying 1,500,000 gallons of water daily, quantities of stone transported from distant quarries, Kantara transformed into an important railway water terminus, hundreds of miles of barbed wire entanglements erected, also aerodromes, wireless stations, as well as sanitation works necessary to make the desert habitable. General Murray pays a tribute to the excellent organising powers of laant.- ~ General Dobell in maintaining troqjß in the waterless desert well a&ead at th» railway, also to Colonel Chetwoda, wh9 was commanding the desert column \&k great foresight and decision, and to Cten« eral Chauvels skilful leadership.