El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-03
DESPERATE FIGHT
WAGED IN DESERT
Turks and Arabs Attack
Small Garrison Near Suez,
Are Repulsed.

I London, Eng. June 3.-The defence
/ by the British at the Egyptian desert
[ post at El-Dueidar during the Turkish
/ raid OF April % deserves 70 be charon-
I icled as among the memorable Incl
/ dents OF the war, according to Reuters
| special correspondent at the general
/ headquarters OF the Egyptian expedi-
/ tionary force On that Sunday $50 Brit
ish soldiers held a position far too eI-
| tended for such small garrison.
/ against a force OF Turks and Arabs six
I times their own number. says the cor
I respondent
The location OF defence f. a small
| oasis in a depression in the sandy
waste, about 10 miles east Of the Suck
canal The British had erected two re-
I doubts and several small Isolated posts
in the vicinity Of grove OF date palms
I These defences were not completed at
the time OF the raid
In a mist so thick that the defenders
were barely able 10 discern the barbed
wire 80 feet in advance Of their re-
doubts, the attack began at s o'clock
in the morning. Rifle fire beat back the
first assault very quickly, according to
the correspondent the Turks retiring
to reform
Unable to Send Reinforeemenfs.
Capt Roberts Of the Royal Scots FL
siliers was IN command In the absence
Of communication trenches, he was uli-
able. after the mist lifted at 9 o'clock
TO send reinforcements. ammunition and
MESA es TO the isolated posts. as the
attackers rifle and machine gun fire
swept the intervening spaces One post
was held BY eight men. three OF whom
were wounded early in the engagement
To the extreme right. some OF the Brit
fish lay out In the open and fought off
enemy Attempts TO reach the rear Of the
T2a+1-rsr-- - 4ba attack fha anav,v
brought up a mountain gun and with IL
freely sheLed the oasis. but. according
to the correspondent. the aim was
wretched and little damage was done
From a ridge to the left q machine gun
raked the eastern range OF the oasis
The attacking force numbered 10
Turkish camel corps and about 80
Arabs together with two mountain
after holding their positions through
out the day, resisted the final and most
desperate attack which began at .
o'clock at night this assault consisting
beaten off. most Of the enemy dead
were found within 50 yards OF the Brit
ISL trench, one Turk being found within
20 yards The defenders had suffered
great many casualties
Headquarters sends AID.
Meanwhile news OF the attack had
reached brigade headquarters. seven
miles away. and two companies OF in
which they reached about o'clock after
a trying march through deep sand The
officer commanding these fresh troops
had orders 70 take the offensive at the
first opportunity and drive off the enemy
but found that the latter was too strong
and further infantry reiuforcements
were dispatched from brigade head
quarters, while two squadrons OF Aus
tralian light horse hurried Up from a.
place IS miles away
| Before the arrival Of these last rein
] forcements. however. the Turks and
/ Arabs began 10 fall back. and a British
= counter attack drove off the rear guard.
! II Of the enemy being CAPTURED The
Z Australian light horse assisted in the
fun retreat but were unable TO overtaze
/ the camels on which the enemy was
mounted
The Turks and Arabs lost 20 dead. one
wounded and 81 prisoners. according to
the correspondent. who does not state
the British casualties The latter in
Guided Capt A c A Brace. Of the
army service corps. the only officers Of
the original garrison killed, and Lieut.
Crawford, OF the Royal scots fusiliers.
wounded. Capt Brace met death while
trying to rescue Lieut. Crawford, who
was lying on the sand, exposed to
deadly fire