PALESTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1917, Page 8

PALESTINE.

CAPTURE OF JERUSALEM. INTERESTING DESCRIPTION. BRITISH HAILED WITH ENTHUSIASM, London, Dec. 14. A despatch from the Egyptian headquarters says: "Surely never lias the population of a conquered city received with deeper or more heartfelt gladness jlho invaders with whom they had no connection or kin. It is a tribute to the qualities of onr race and the reputation of our soldiers that there is hardly a soul in Jerusalem but is elated ovor this fresh great success of British arms. Jews, Arabs, Greeks and Copts were banded together in enthusiasm at our advent. The nightmare of Turkish oppression was dispelled by the thunder of our guns outside the town and with the hasty flight of the last remnants of the Turkish, soldiers.' Jerusalem awoke to a welcome dawn. "When the British general entered the town to take the surrender, his progress was a moving and pathetic spectacle. His car was surrounded by a huge crowd, hysterically laughing, crying, clapping hands, and throwing (lowers at our officers in their relief. Confidence in the British was general and unmistakable These feelings were intensified by the knowledge that despite provocation not a single shrapnel or rifle bullet had been directed upon the town. THE TURKS AGGRESSIVE. "The offensive which resulted in such a glorious success 'began on the night of December 7. For some days previously (he Turks had been distinctly aggressive and made several attacks on our positions, especially at Neby Samwil, which was then' held by the Londoners. Four attacks succeeded each other, the Turks employing special storm troops. "The final attack was preceded by such a heavy shelling that, the enemy was confident that our troops must bo blown off the summit. They advanced to tlie assault with their rifles slung. Our lads allowed them to cherish the delusion until they came quite close. Then they dealt with them with rifles and bayonets, Every attack was repulsed with bloody loss to the enemy. "The Turks held a strong line south and north-east of Jerusalem. By dint of great labor they had dug trenches some way down the 'slope of the last rise before the Holy City. Places protected with wire were abundantly provided with machine-guns. Their artillery dominated the opposite' crests over which our men must advance, and some guns were actually established just, outside the walls of Jerusalem, making it impossible to reply to their fire without endangering the town. CLOSING IN. "Unfortunately the weather again played us false. Torrent of heavy rain succeeded torrent, but despite the discomfort and exposure, the men moved into their positions under cover of the night. '•Our attack pivoted on Neby Samwil, the dismounted Yeomanry attacking north and north-eastward of that posftiou. The Londoners, in line to the' south of Neby Samwil, had advanced due east upon Jerusalem. At the same time the Welsh and Home County troops moved up the Hebron Road, threatening Jerusalem from the south. The latter found Hebron evacuated, but encountered resistance around Bethlehem. Here also the Turks had so posted their guns that counter battery work would endanger the sacred village, so our troops had to undergo the disagreeable experience of being shelled without the ability to reply. Nevertheless, they pressed forward arid drove the Turks out by mid-day on the eighth. "The Welsh and Cheshire troops were two miles north o£ Bethlehem. Tlie Londoners, in order to attack, had to climb down a steep slope and half way up a higher slope on the opposite side before they could come to grips. Theground \yas so steep that it was impossible to hring the field guns forward to support tlie advance. A DIRECT FRONTAL ATTACK. "While one body made a direct frontal attack on the Turkish defence's above the village of Ainkarim about dawn, the Londoners on both flanks were in a position enabling them to rush the Turkish works, which were stormed and captured, and by seven in the morning the | whole of the enemy works west' of Jerusalem were in our hands. The Turks, however, yet held the last line on the top of the ridge, overlooking Jerusalem, having posted numerous machine-guns in the houses in tlie Jewish and German solonics in tlie farthest outskirts of Jerusalem. "Our gallant London lads charged up this ascent" towards the late afternoon of the Bth. It was a magnificent feat, crowned by complete success. The Turks were driven at the point of the bavonet from their line, the survivors bolting on either side of Jerusalem. HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES. "Their losses, both at the works and especially in the final fight on the ridge, were exceedingly heavy. It is also true that throughout all the fighting around Jerusalem they showed most desperate spirit and greater tenacity than in almost any previous fighting. They stood their ground to the last. During the night the enemy withdrew to the north and east of the city. At eight o'clock on the morning of tlie Otli the Mayor and Chief of Police came with a flag of truce, offering to surrender the town. The aeneral commanding the .Londoners was instructed to accept the surrender, and at noon he went forward without actually entering the holy city and formally took over the city." Our forces swept through the suburbs to the north of the city, and as they debouched from a defile they were fired on by ma-chine-guns from the Mount of Olives ridge, north of the city, commonly known a* Mount Scopus. This ridge was stormed by a bayonet charge, many dead Turks before left round the position, while the enemy was also cleaned off the Mount of Olives with the assistance of Welsh troops, who by now had moved up from the south. 'A GALLANT RUSH. "While the Londoners were carrying all before them in their section, the .dismounted Yeomanry were not, less sue-

oe-sfiil against their objectives. Further north the Turks were established in a strong series of trenches round the pillage of Beitikes. These were carried in a rush in a most gallant manner, our line being advanced right bevond the village. Some Turks who continued to hold,out in the village after we passed wore subsequently disposed of. "The dismounted men secured a good position which enabled them to go forward as soon as the. Londoners came through the suburbs of Jerusalem. The latter advanced, being materially helped by the Yeomanry's success. They reached the road leading to N'ablug, thus cutting oil' the retreat northwards. In these parts the enemy suffered very heavy casualties. Our losses were comparatively light."' Continuing, the Egyptian headquarters ,says; "The Welsh, who had advanced from the south pushed across the road cast of Jerusalem leading to Jericho. The Turkish reinforcements who were advancing by this road, having been rushed by the Tredjax railway, to the succour of Jerusalem were held up and forced back.

''ln the courso of +lie operations wo captured nearly 1000 prisoner'-,. three guns, many machine-guns, and also 700 wounded Turks who were lying in hospitals. Among the wounded were three British prisoners captured at Oazn." The correspondent pays tribute to the admirable staff work and the wonderful co-ordination of all movements by the master mind wTiich conceived the plans, capturing the city without injuring a single stone. A good deal is now known of what took place at Jerusalem in the early days of tlie war. The attack on the Suez Canal was made to appear a Turkish triumph. What was not known is;that the Turkish losses/at this period exceeded 45,000 dead from neglect,' lack of food and overwork. The people were so reduced that the inhabitants used to fight for tli? bodies of animals which died in the streets. • " ,