The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-08-10
TURKS BEATENAND
DRIVEN BACK INTO
DESERT NEAR SUEz
Attack on Canal Beaten OFF
After ASSaiIantS Had Been
Led Into Trap BY Brit
iSh Cavalry.
GERMANS AMONG CAPTIVES
Only Available Water Supply
Captured By Defenders
Fourth of EpedisiOa
Is Wiped Ont.
GERMANS AMONG cAPTIvEs

London. Aug S.-The recent attempt
Of the Turks to reach the Suez canal
has proven a greater failure than the
earlier reports indicated Lieut.. Gen.
Sir Archibald James Murray, eennman-
der OF the British troops I'm EgYpt, re-
ports today that the British has taken
5000 prisoners in the battle with the
Turks at Romani, his forces inflicted
very heavy losses on them and had
continued the pursuit Of the retreating
troops for Is miles, clearing Ne Turks
from the Katia Oasis.
Military writer's are unable % fathom'
the reason why the Turks ventured
upon their attack. The only ooncIusion
reached Is that the Turkish military
authorities were misled as 10 the BRIT
tsh preparations for the defense OF the
canal and hoped to make an impress
sion on the rebeIlious Arabs who are
extending their hold on hnapoxtant
places in Arabia
The Turkish advance as far as Ro-
mani was made in the face OF the
greatest difficulties, their ax-hach
guns being dragged across the desert
by oxen after relays Of planks had been
placed to prevent the wheels stalking
into the sand.
LED INTO TRAP.
London, Aug. IA description OF
now the Turks were drawn into a trap
ut Romani by British cavalry is given
IN a Cairo dispatch to the Rxohange
Telegraph company. The dispatch says
the cavalry was sent out 10 entice the
enemy who had shown a disposition to
assume the offensive. The British
horsemen fought an admirable rear
guard action, says the iispatch. draw
Ing on the Turks until their flanks were
turned by the mounted divisioa. A
whole brigade was compelled 10 sur
render. Among the prisoners were 70
Germans, including 36 officers A com
plete battery OF German guns was also
taken.
The number Of unwoundea Turks
captured by the British at The battle
of Romani was 3,145, according 10 an
official statement issued by the war
office today. The statement says that
the Turks were pursued for IL miles.
The pursuit continued bey0nd Katfa,
which Is 20 miles east OF the Sues
canal
1.-THE net results of the battle Of TO-
mani are the destruction Of more thaE
one-fourth Of the Turkish electives
and the pushing Of the remainder out
into the blazing desert heyend this
katia oasis" said Maj. Gen. r. B. Mau-
rice. director Of military operations OF
the imperial general staff, to the Assoc
OF the latest operations In the aeaI
east.
Odds with Turks Before.
You will recall" he continued, thai
in the previous attacks on the canal
we were busily engaged elsewhere
Consequently, we were acting ON thu
defensive in Egypt in positions pre-
canal Since then we have advanced
our position into the desert as fast as
physical conditions warranted
The Katia oasis possesses a SUR
prising quantity of water, but 1t Is
brackish and has a disastrous effect
on Europeans The Turks, however
suffer no evil effect from this. This
fact gave the enemy considerable ad-
vantage. However. by advancing slowA
ly we established ourselves firmly In
entrenched positions behind RomanI
and awaited the Turkish advance from
Eliarfsh. an advance Of which We had
constant news from our airships.
The Turks not only made a frontal
attack on our entrenched positions. but
attempted to get around our left flank
Our artillery. infantry and cavalry CO.
operated not only in repelling but In
attacking the enemy with such salts
factory results that he Is liable TO have
an uncomfortable time recrossing the
desert at this season of the year. Our
duNdHC0 Ildb WlLhM u
distance of the edge Of The Katia
oasis.
There Is no question the Germans
encouraged the latest Turkish attempt
on the canal in an effort to prevent US
from sending any Of our forces to the
western front. but the disastrous re-
suit shows we have provided ade-
quately for the safety of the Suez
canal. In accomplishing this we suf-
fered comparatively few aasualties.
mainly of which consisted e slight
wounds"
BRING IN PRISONERS.
Cairo, Egypt, Aug 7.-(via LondoA)--
Sixteen hundred Turkish prisoners
hare TT[nU arn mart ~ thn