PALESTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1917, Page 5

PALESTINE.

TURKS DRIVEN BACK. BRITISH APPROACHING JERUSALEM, Received Nov. 15, 7.45 p.m. London, Nov. 14. A high military authority reports that General Allenby has driven back the Turks seven miles to the Brook of Kedron, covering Jaffa and the railway junction towards Jerusalem.

ENEMY ROUGHLY HANDLED. HALF EFFECTIVES LOST. 7000 PRISONERS TAKEN. Received Nov. 10, 12.15 a.m. London, Nov. 15. One of our cavalry divisions captured 1100 prisoners, two guns, and fourteen machine-guns, bringing the total prisoners to about 7000. The enemyV force has been very roughly handled and has lost about half of its effectives, and its reinforcements can only come from Aleppo, from the force that von Falkenhayn is preparing against Bagdad.

CONTINUOUS PRESSURE. ENEMY ALLOWED NO REST. MUCH AMMUNITION CAPTURED. Received Nov. 15, 11.45 p.m. London, Nov. 15. Mr. Massey, telegraphing from Gaza on the 12th, states that General Allonby's pressure was exerted without a moment's pause. It caused the Turks to lose part of the Wadi-Suk»ries lino, along which they were digging eagerly for "two days. 'They had" Ui,ooo men entrenched at Sukeries, behind the wadi's banks. These wadis are substantial obstacles, the banks being sheer, and it is necessary to build rafts before the tor-rent-lorn watercourses can bo made passable for guns. The troops are in wonderful condition, despite their 50 miles' march. The cavalry are now before Wadi «Surrur (Samson's birthplace). We are coming across great quantities of Turkish ammunition. One division captured 70 waggons which the Turks had made no effort to destroy.

SEVERE FIGHTING. TURKS DRIVEN BACK. STRONG POSITIONS CAPTURED. A. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Renter. Received Nov. 16, 1.30 aim. London, Nov. 15. General Allenby reports that the Turks attempting to take up a new position twelve miles northward of.Ascalon, but were driven, after severe fighting, u miles to the Wadi Surar, 8 miles southward of Jaffa. Our troops are showing magnificent dash. They captured strongly entrenched posts at Mesmyes, Kutrail and Mugar. We hold the line from Eltineh, through Katrah Yehna, to the sea..