PALESTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1918, Page 5

PALESTINE.

A SMASHING VICTORY. TURKISH FORCES IN FULL PLIGHT. BRITISH MET CLOSING. ENORMOUS CAPTURES OF HEN. GUNS, AND MATERIALReceived Sjjit. 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. "20, 11 p.m. A Palestine official message states:— During flie night of the 18th we commenced a general attack between the Jordan and the sea. .British-Indian troops east of the Jcru-salem-'Nablus Road advanced successfully, and intercepted the Turkish road communications leading south-east from Nablus. The main attack, wherein the French participated, was launched on the morning of the ISth, after a short bombardment between Rcfat and the coast. The infantry made rapid progress, overrunning the entire defensive system on this frontage by 8 in the morning, and penetrating to a maximum depth of five miles before swinging eastwards. LARGE BODIES OUT OFF. Latest reports indicate that the Tulkeram railway junction was occupied in the afternooon, whilst a brigade of Australian Light Horse reached the main Tulkeram-Missudich railway' and road, in the vicinity of Anebta, cutting off large bodies of the retreating enemy, with guns and transports. In the meantime a strong British, Indian, and Australian cavalry force was moving northwards on the coastal plain, and seized, at midday, the road junction at Hudeira, 19 miles from the point of departure. ARABS ASSIST BRITISH. Eastward of the Jordan, strong detachments of Hedjaz Arabs severed the rail communication leading northward, southward, and westward from Derra. Naval units co-operated in, our advance, clearing the coastal roads with gunfire. Operations continue, Ovev.3ooo prisoners were counted by 8 o'clock at night, and many are not yet counted. Large quantities of material were taken.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. and ReuterINFANTRY BREAK RIGHT THROUGH. General Allenby's attask began on tie morning of the TLa infantry broke right through and reached Tulkeram, 12 miles from the original front position, by 3iu the afternoon. The cavalry, after pawing through, were advancing eastward in the direction of Nabluy, while another portion of the cavalry advanced northwest towards Elafula and Beisan, in order to completely intercept tho Turks' retreat northward. General Allenby's right wing, on the 18th, attacked west of the Jordan, advanced four miles, and occupied Blmugheir, which is an important junction of several roads east to west of the Jordan, with the object of cutting off escape eastward. There are 8000 Turks on the west side and <3OOO on the east. General Allenby is now m the rear of the main Turkish force west of the Jordan, and the enemy will have great difficulty to extricate himself. Moreover, the King of Hedjaz reports that lie severely defeated the Turks at Tofile, south-east of the Dead Sea. IMPORTANCE OF VICTORY CANNOT BE EXAGGERATED. The Palestine Headquarters' correspondent says:—The immense importance of General Allenby's victory cannot be exaggerated, tinder the pressure exerted everywhere by our troops, who arc l full of enthusiasm and undeterred by long marches and fighting, the Turkish army is in full retreat. Wo have driven the enemy from a wide tract of country in two days. Our cavalry are in the plain of Esdraestone, astride of the Haifa-Beisan railway, a few miles south of Nazareth. The infantry are north of the Wadi-Eshshair mountain pass to Nablus. Other infantry, facing east, are harassing the enemy's retirement towards the Nablus roads through country which favors the soldiers, who throw their kits away in the endeavor to get free. HAULS OF PRIJSONBRS. This afternoon 8000 prisoners passed through the cages, but a large number of captures have still to come in- We have taken fully 100 guns of all calibres, and it is impossible to estimate the vast quantities of machine-guns, motors, ammunition, stores, and rolling stock, which the Turks will find it difficult to replace. On the low ground in the nasses, a great quantity of transport is immovable, because the men have taken the horses to try to escape from the advancing troops, or have been smashed bv aircraft action. The railway communications have been damaged everywhere, and the Arab' regulars and Bedouin levies have done invaluable service, cutting the Hedjaz railway north and south of Deraa and the line running westward thereof. OIJR NET DRAWING TIGHTER. Although some of the enemy are putting up vigorous rearguard fights in the hills, they cannot stop our progress. We aro on three sides of them, and our net is drawing tighter every hour. The battle is far from (finished yet, and 1 it is too soon to predict the results of the enemy's defeat, which is already severe. SWIFT MARCHING. The Londoners and Indians made a swift march from -Wadi Falik across marshy ground to Tulkeram, where, with the aid of the mounted brigade, they rounded up much transport on the move from Tulkeram. The infantry moved to the north of the railway, which the Australians destroyed yesterday, denying this pass to Samaraii to the i Turks, Other infantry, which carried i the coastal defences in one marvellous . rush, faced east. Their progress in' the rough hill country is rapid. Some are approaching Samarai and Mesudich, though they were at first stubbornly resisted by the Turkish rearguards, who are now retreating heavily towards Affleli and Beisan, where our cavalry is waiting for them. Tho attack near the Nablus Road, which began the operations, was brilliantly conducted by the Welsh. Indian, and Capo battalions, all of which'shared in $$ ;