Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-11-02
TURKS OVERCAME BIG
ODDS IN SUEz RAID
IA. 900 Camels Used In Trans
porting Army Across Desert
to Romani.

Romani, E~gypt.-(by mai9-gnique
| features of warfare We're developed. &C
cording to military men, in the recent
battle Of Romani in which the British
| defeated the Turks, the invaders losing
some 5000 in dead, wounded and pris-
oners out of their total of approximate
| ly 1900 men, as has been told in cable
advices. The crossing of the Sinai
desert with big gun and other war
equipment during the heat of sulnmer
was an unprecedented achievement. A
| representative of the Associated Press
who was permitted to travel over tho
entire battle ground after the conflict,
had been told previously, by high mill
taly authorities, that the feat could not
be accomplished and that any force
sitting along the Suez Canal would be
| safe from attack throughout the sum-
ner. One of the few descendants, how
ever, was Lieut.. Gen. Sir Archibald
Murray, commander in chief of the
British forces in Egypt. Immediately
Upon his assumption of command here
last January he began to prepare for
just such an attack, and the victory at
Eomani was due to his foresight.
The Turkish expedition undoubtedly
was engineered by German officers who
laid elaborate plans for the advance
from the direction of FL Arish, a Turk
iSh post on the northern coast, so miles
from the canal. About half this distance
is through a Waterless desert ana at
this time of year the heat is intolerable,
1t Would be impossible for men to
march for in these sands one sinks to
the ankles at every step. and horses are
not fitted for work of this kind. The
only means of transporting troops and
supplies was on camels and this was
the method employed about $4,000 OF
these beasts were used.
Unable to drag the heavy gun car
riages through the loose, deep sands.
the Turks constructed roads by digging
small parallel trenches which would fit
tracks with the scrubby plants which
represented the only vegetable life out
side the GASES. These wiry plants
formed a cushion over which sand was
thrown, making a very practicable road
for the guns. In some places where the
sand was too loose and deep for this
track, planks were laid iengthWlse
under the wheels.
Progress was necessarily slow and
long before the Turks reached the
some miles in front of ROmani. the
British were ready and waiting for
them. The defenders did not attack, for
is was the plan to draw the invaders on
to an assault If possible. General Muir
ray decided that he would wait a GER
tain length of time and her force tho
issue if the Turks had not advanced.
1t seemed almost like a forlorn hope
that the Tucks, with their astute Ger
man leadership, would be led to an at
tack on the Romani position, for the
whole country in this section is covered
with great steep dunes, some Of which
cannot be climbed in places becarse
Of the sliding sands. All these dunes
were well protected by the British.
However, is had been hoped, at mid
night on August 8 the Turks began the
attack which ended in complete dis
aster for them on August 5.
lust what persuaded the Turks to
try to take this apparently i~mpregnabls
position is a matter Of considerable
speculation. Some express the opinion
that they We're misinformed as to the
nature Of the battle-ground. Others
think they misjudged the British
strength and hoped, despite he diff
culties presented, to take the position
and establisha base from which they
could work against the canal. However,
that may be, they We're %cleyerly drawn
into the sand dune trap.
They fought bravely and their artil-
lery shooting was very accurate and
effective in places, but no body OF at
lacking troops could hope to fight their
way through these dunes when opposed
by artillery, machine guns, cavalry and
e~ntrenched infantry.
The Turks suffered from lac of
water since they had to advance from
their base laden as lightly as possible.
Both sides undoubtedly underwent al
most the limit of human endurance
from the great heat. The climax Of the
battle was the charge of the Anzao
light horse, who arrayed themselves on
a ridge some two miles and q half in
length n hurled themselves down up
on the Turks who We're struggling for
!, ward in the sandy trap, and We're de-
!, fenseless against the terrible onslaught.
Paragraph detected by censor.)
|, The general opinion is that the Turks
, must have proved to their w salts
!, faction that while they might bring
, troops across the desert, yet they could
!, hope for no success during the hot sea-
, son unless they had communication
railways established back of them
For this reason, it Is believed, that they
: will not venture to attack again In
) force during the summer.
A Turkish prisoner of war, a, major
who was captured at Romani, gave rthe
correspondent an explanation of the
Turkish expedition. The major de.
clared that it was merely a %reconnoit-
, er1ng force sent out to pave the way
for a real advance which would take
place shortly. The $4,000 men were t.
( size up the British strength and make
preparations along the way for the big.
ger army which was to follow. Blu
r his somewhat startling assertion los
$ some of its force when a fellow officer
D sitting beside him made an ineffectua
a attempt to hide a smile.
Bread Cheap in Australia.
!. From the Pittsburgh Leader.
: The figures on the price of bread i,
: Australia are not needed to establish
II that {J1 f0Nl .s4- $500 - =. -.