FRONTIER BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 March 1939, Page 6

FRONTIER BATTLE

ARAB TERRORISTS ROUTED ROYAL AIR FORCE PLANES IN ACTION. CASUALTIES ON BOTH SIDES. By Telegraph—Press Association -Copyright. (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) JERUSALEM. March 12. A message from Amman on the Trans-Jordan frontier, states that police, the Arab Legion and fifteen Air Force planes routed a large body of uniformed Arab terrorists. The battle began at 11.3 a.m. and ended at 12.3 p.m.

The British commander, LieutenantColonel Chrystall, directed operations from an aeroplane, at which the Terrorists fired, seriously wounding the pilot, Sergeant Coggins, who landed safely. A British officer, forty terrorists and four Arab legionaires are reported to have been killed. ATTITUDE OF JEWS NO CHANGE ON PALESTINE ISSUES. VIOLENCE IN JERUSALEM. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 12. The contents of a letter from the Jewish delegation to the Palestine conference in reply to the British suggestions, which have now been received by Mr MacDonald, Colonial Secretary, have not been published, but it is understood that they give no indication of any modification of the Jewish objections to these suggestions. Mr MacDonald tonight met informally some of the Jewish delegates and discussed the situation. The Arab delegates will visit Portsmouth tomorrow as the guests of the Admiralty. Meanwhile, individual acts of violence which still occur in Jerusalem have necessitated enhanced precautions for maintaining the sanctity aiid decorum of the Holy places.. Recently a preacher of the El Agsa Mosque was murdered in the city of Jerusalem and British troops outside Haram Esh Sharif were fired upon by terrorists within the sacred enclosure.

Though no British troops of any description have been stationed in Haram Esh Sharif, it has, found necessary to obtain permission from religious authorities of Haram to locate a small police post in a room rented for the purpose, but all proprieties suitable for the sanctity of the locality are strictly observed and the police are entirely withdrawn at the time for Friday prayers. No British soldiers have at any time occupied any mosque in Jerusalem, whether inside or outside Haram Esh Sharif. •