PALESTINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1918, Page 7

PALESTINE.

; A SMASHING VICTORY. BRILLIANT ICJOAISTAL ADVANCE. 4 New York, Sept. 20. d Tile British have smashed the Turkish ] line in Palestine and advanced twelve 3 . miles on a iront of sixteen iniles.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. London, Sept. 20. j > Mr Massey, writing from Palestine . Headquarters on Thursday, says:— j Another magnificent triumph has been '• ■ recorded by General Allenby's army. i The general, as at ißeersheba, concealing ■ | his intentions in a masterly way, laun- <j 1 ched a tremendous artillery and infan- j ■ try attack at dawn and swept over the most elaborate system of defences from gj ' 'che const north of Arsuf to the ancient Appolonia. J He crushed all resistance in the coast- [ al sector within two hours, and then a . threw .in his cavalry which, passing 1 . rapidly over the flat ground near the i . coast, is now many miles north. ' London and Indian troops, after pass- i ing over the entrenchments within five 4 iniles of the sea, swung eastwards to 1 envelope the villages which were being <4 [attached by other troops from the • south. This movement, was so success- 4 ful that right across the Plain of 'Sliaron the whole Turkish intricate chain of 4 fortified positions is securely in our ' handif. Three thousand prisoners had passed through the cage 9 by afternoon, but today's captures will possibly prove - greater. When I left the front I saw j ' several groups of uncounted men com- ' ing in. I | However, the victory is much more important than the prisoners indicate, for the Turk has had a smashing Mow, avid is retiring into the hills is fast as his weary legs will permit, and we are pressing him with splendid energy and delivering overpowering blows whenever he attempts to resist. The situation is most promising. It , spems certain that General Allenby will deliver another large portion of Palestine from the dominion of the Turks as well as inflict on the enemy a severe defeat. s The preparations for the battle entail* . ed a good deal of marching. The troops i were always moved at night and remain- - ed liitldru in orange and olive groves ill the day time. Through our mastery in the air we prevented enemy observers seeing any change in our dispositions and the movements of large eolumni;. Tna-ps of all arms were concealed skilfully in > a country where marching men raise huge columns of dust and the enemy I possessed observation posts commanding 3 a wide range. That the Turks remained mystified is the finest tribute that could be given to the staff works. , When the first shafts of light apj peared over thq Judean hills there were ] signs of enemy anviety, hut all was 3 quiet in our lines until 4.30, when, as if 1 eery gun -was fired by the pressure of 9 3 an electric button, vivid flashes on a 15 | Y mile front from the sea to the foothills | s illuminated the British front, e At the same moment the infantry had gone over the top and were making B their wav towards the enemy entrenchment. They were a long way towards thoir objectives before the Turks could put down a barrage and, in almost every ® case, their shells burst a long way in the ' rear of the attackers, who at many points were cutting the wire when ten minutes after the artillery bombarde mont started our barrage lifted to . "ateh the retreating enemy. Three miles in the rear of the enemy's s positions deep shell scars on the road e . and de?d Turks caught in the retreat < [i tell of the harassing effect of our gtuis . near the coast. The London and In- ' ii (iian troops turned the Turkish flank y very quickly, and leaving their prisoners s to he brought in, pressed on to take the y next system. On the Londoners' right t ether Indian troops attacked a deep series of entrenchments well sited on low hills These were carried with great dash, and practically all the Turks act counted for, hundreds being taken prisoner. The 19th Regiment, including itn commander, were taken prisoner. Farther oast Western County battalia ions with Indians did equally meritor- j ions work. They not only got their objectives early with slight loss, but overcame all efforts to delay them. They got into the village of Misken, a mile, and a-half south-west of Ettereh, early ® in the morning. Their rapid advance must have caused the Turks deep conc<™. ,j When they got to Tireh in the aftern noon there were Germans north of the town, but the Londoners were moving towards the enemy rear, and the possibilities are favorable for us, Indian and British troops are operating more to the right. Having got through the front Tine thev turned east, it and, assisted bv the East Anglian >e troops, eaptufed Kallciieh, which was ir stubbornly defended, and has been subs' mitted to a devastating fire. The Hast Anglians had met with strong resistance, but long before noon they had the crests of the foothills, and a remarkable peace seemed tc prevail on stony ground which earlier had been hidden by a mass of shell bursts. i( j French troops did well at Rafut and Wadi Arum in difficult country, taking . g about 200 prisoners, j By half-past seven the infantry had 1( j opened the way for the cavalry to pass 5 through, and we had a wonderful spectncle of long columns of British Yeofnnry marching over a wide expanse of "onntry in the coastal sector to get to the enemy's rear. There has been no finer spectacle "in the Palestine war than ■ this rapid, well-ordered advance. The ] id horsemen had to cross deep wadis and i n move over roads heavy wiOi sand end i t. 'lust, and nil obstacles were lightly i y brushed aside. I believe they have made i id remarkable progress, while important ] >r work has b£en accomplished' on the Plain 1 ;o of Sharon. • ! a. The force on the TTablus lias ' been kept busy. Welsh and Indian i troops made an advance east of the rofed 1 securing important positions. \ ] '> Airwork throughout the d&y ttiate|j ■ inlly aided ih seeiivinp a bisr n From daylight till dark machines ed bv the T?oral Air Force and the AtHH tralian Flying Corps incessantly ed troops and transport columns. aHB machine-gunned men on the match iflH a in camps and transport, also heawH bombed Afulch and the Nshliis. All day our patrols were the enemy's aerodrome at .Tenin. ' e whpnever a German machine , 'ikelv to rise it was bombed. I '8 ton one enemv aeroplane during theBBH ® —Aus.-K.Z, Cable Assoc. • HH|