PALESTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1917, Page 5

PALESTINE.

JAFFA CAPTURED. SANGUINARY FIGHTING. AIRCRAFT WREAKS GREAT HAVOC. London Nov. 18. Talestino headquarters Teports that the cavalry entered Ramleh and Lydda on Thursday evening. Both places have innumerable historic associations. At Ramleh are many relics of the Crur sadcrs, and espeically a fine church long since converted into a mosque, but in excellent preservation. Both places are veritable oases of cultivation. The latest reports state that the cavalry is approaching Jaffa, which, it is understood, has already been evacuated. The Turks retreating destroyed or abandoned large quantities of ammunition and other material. At Attine, the station where the line to Gaza. branches off, Immense supplies were found, including 10$ million rounds of cartridges. There was rather a bloody business at this iplace. A thousand Turkish stragglers were busy looting when an armored motor car got among them and mowed them down, excepting 300 survivors, who were captured. Bombing aircraft wrought great havoc behind the Turkish lines. In one place they caught a convoy and destroyed nearly 50 wagons. The place was like a shambles, and too unpleasant to describe. The roads leading northward are lined with carcases of horses, bullocks and buffaloes, mostly Turkish, but our cattle also suffered from the great heat and dearth of water. It was a pathetic sight to see large bunches of horses waiting their turn at the village welis as vj'ater was slowly drawn in a bucket. Thc-.y frequently went 30 of. 40 hou?s withonf a drink. We have happily r'cae|ed a region where water is somewhat plentiful. A captured officer told the British: "Go ,on to Jerusalem, They are all waiting for you with open arms, as they are tired of Enver Pasha and the Germans." Cairo, Nov. 18. Jaffa has been occupied. A WEEK'S WONDERFUL SUCCESS. CROWNED BY CAPTURE OF JAFFA. IMPORTANT PORT FOR SUPPLY. FALKENITAYN'S PLANS JEOPARDISED. Received Nov. 10, 7.45 p.m. London Nov. 18. The Australians' and New Zealandera' occupation of Jaffa crowns a week of wonderful success in Palestine, and provides the army with an important port supply, relieving the single railway line c lnnerting Palestine and Egypt. It is believed in military circles that General Allenbv's sweeping drive has thrown the Turks into complete confusion, and that the decisiveness of his repeated strokes has seriously ombarawed, and possibly defeated, General I'alkenhayn'B plans. Tt ii understood that f<e latter, from Aleppo, is sending reserve to retrieve the situation. It remains to be seen whether he will await General Allenbv at the northern exit of the Sharon plain or push on towards Jerusalem. ENEMY STILL RETREATING. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and\Reuter. Received Nov. 19, 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 18. Palestine, official: The Australian and New Zealand mounted men on Saturday occupied Jaffa without opposition. The enemy appears continuing his retirement northwards.