The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1917. THE CAPTURE OF GAZA.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1917. THE CAPTURE OF GAZA.

"Oaza is ours, "and the enemy is in full retreat all aion." the line." Such is the terse manner in which Reuter's corresr, pondent at headquarters in Palestine descries the result of General Alleriby's assault on the Turkish lines covering Gaza. The attempt made by 'LieutenantColonel Dobell to rush Gaza last March (ailed, it being too strongly held by the enemv, and though the details of thp operations at that time have not yet been' published, the probability is* that the British attacking force was too small to capture this stronghold. It is quite possible that in the interval the defences

of Gaza," have been still |irther strengthened, but it is evident froni the rfecent capture of Beersheba that the strength' of our forces in Palestine has been considerably improved, ihence. the fall of Gaza. This was rendered possible by the construction of a railway'and the provision of-an "adequate water Supply, in addition to a satisfactory organisation of the occupation of the plain of Philis-

tia. How vital the "water supply problem is to all operations in Palestine may 1 be judged from the fact thai) ii the offensive last March the time during Which' the-operation! (Sould .be carried out wad Jimited.bythe supply of that' nece*? eary, the infantry being dependent on Vhat' they'could carry .with them. By overcoming this weak link in the milir ferychain aubceas Was rendered possible; and General Allenby's strategy made it "actual. ' Not only liave Beersheba and Gaza been taken, !but the" .victorious march has been continued towards the "ijea',''the 'enemy's aext ( line of defence 'Saving been ttptured, and the pursuit is still proceeding. It is interesting to recall the incidents of the March camp&ign, when, after a very successful series' of 6perationa east of the Suez Canal, the JifltjiS crossed the Egyptian frontier «hdi' in|o Palestine, the first? jobjecf tive b«ing t!he Waddy Ghuzzeh, five miles' from Gaza, for the purpose of enabling the Railway to be constructed from El Ariih, Severe'fighting appears to have taken place north of the watercourse, the Turks claiming a victory/ Apparently the Turks had fallen back towards Gaza,"and General Dobell eeems to have " aSted'on th'e'aMuihption that'&ey would retire without fighting., To compel them to face the music he decided to capture Gaza by a rush, but a dense fog upset his calculations,'and the attack was not made till later In thg day, by whip)} time the German commander had moved up three columns ti> support his troops afc Gaza. Although the offensive was successfully started, the delay caused by the fog necessitated the adoption of defensive instead of offensive measures, the infantry being withdrawn, after repulsing

aft 'effetoy attackY'to tli£ : Wady' Glmzzeli. So far the casualties inflicted on the Turks were estimated at-eighfc thousand, but the enemy claimed to have counted 'three thousand " British "dead,' although the actual total killed numbered only foui' hundred. ■ General ■ Murray appear# to >have 'been 'quite ''Satisfied with the rt stilt "of thd'stfpeTi'flons. But for the ; misfortune of the tog there is no doubt, tfhat 4he" rash 'w'ould havs been a' coirt/ , Siid -Wevented iriil^' of the- scenevof 'the .•"battle. ■ Time was • on the aide of en'eriiy 'and Gaza're-' rfamei'finkistured; 1 tWoiigh* it is poksfbld t/Hat had'other tactics' been adopted' anjJ the" enemy positions outflariktftl the result would have been far different. In the defenqe of Gam the military skill of Germany is evident', the entrenched lines being extended for miles eastward,'redoubts established and fortified and strong' reinforcements brought up.' It may be stated that the defences of Gaza consisted in the main of entrenchments on two 'coh&iderable hills with a "smaller fiill' between' them, the Turkish flank resting on the sandhills between the cijy and the sea—a distance of about two miles. The present offensive is undoubtedly on a far larger scale than previously, for the Turks, realising the gravity of the threat to Palestine, massed many new division with German' and Aililtrian artillery, and- probably Expected to foe able to defeat the British forces. They have now been' disillusioned and, General Allenby 'has 'become l master of' "thet-situation. • The-riforal effect on the, Turks of the capture of Beeraheba andmust be considerable, and •the re-i lentless pursuit thatisj in progress bids' fair to end' in a, complete dfcfeat' of the. eriemy,' tlie' navy' being"' able to reader; valuable in shelling the lines of retreat, while the treacherous Arabs will "be''6n),y to 6 eager to harass the fugitives,: Developments in this campaign will certainly be awaited with the utmost interest.