Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-12-20

JERUSALEM WON At.
POINT OF BAY0NET.
British Refused to Reply to Ar.
tillery Fire for Fear Of
Damaging City.

London. Dec. 1S.-In attacks preced-
Ing the surrender Of Jerusalem the
Turks employed storming troops in
successive assaults on Nebi Samuel.
northwest of the Holy City, then held
by London troops. according to a
Reuter- dispatch from British head
quarters in Palestine. The dispatch,
which was sent by airplane, gives de-
tails Of the capture and entry into
Jerusalem.
The final Turkish attack was pre-
coded by a such a heavy Smelling that
It appeared the enemy was confident
the British would be blown off the
summit, but all their attacks were re-
pulsed sanguinarily. The Turks had
strong line west, south and north
east Of Jerusalem. They were we'll
provided with machine guns and their
artillery dominated the crests over
which the British would have to ad-
vance Some Turkish guns were placed
just outside the city walls. making II
impossible to reply to their fire with
out endangering the town.
"A torrential rain made the roads
impassable.' the correspondent con-
tinues while chilly east wind
pierced the sodden soldiers to the bone.
The problems of supply and transport
almost drove us to despair. The camels
werc unable to keep a foothold on the
slippery paths. Nevertheless. the food
and ammunition supply was MAIN
tanned fully.
ION the night Of December Z, when
our attack began. the men moved up
under cover Of darkness, the attack
pivoting on Nebi Samuel. from which
the Londoners advanced eastward to-
ward Jerusalem while other troops as
cended the Hebron road. threatening
the town from the south.
FACED GUNFIRE AT BETHLEHEM.
"They found Hebron evacuated. but en-
countered resistance around Bethlehem,
where the Turks also had posted guns SO
that counter battery work would endanger
the sacred village. Hence our troops had
the disagreeable experience of being she'll
ed without the ability to reply. But they
pressed forward and by noon of the Sth
were two miles north Of Bethlehem.
THE Londoners had a hard task on the
steep slopes Of the Judean' hills, where 1t
was impossible to bring field guns to their
support. but some mountain batteries and
howitzers rendered magnificanet service
and by seven o'clock in the morning the
Londoners had come to grips, stormed
and captured all the enemy works west Of
the town. The Turks still held the last
limo on the ridge overlooking Jerusalem,
having posted numerous machine guns in
the houses Of the Jewish and German COL
| onists In the furthest outskirts Of the
town. The position was changed late on
the afternoon Of the 9Th. The magnificent
feat was crowned with complete success
and the Turks were driven out at the
point Of the bayonet. the survivors bolt
ing to either side Of the town. Their losses
were enormous.
Throughout the whole fighting around
Jerusalem the Turks showed a more
desperate spirit and a greater tenacity
than in almost any previous fighting They
stood their ground to the last.
During the night the Turks withdrew
to the north and east of the city and at
eight o'clock on the morning Of the 9th
the mayor and chief Of police came out
with flag of truce and surrendered the
town.
p Acceptance of the surrender was made
formally at noon. without actually enter
ing the city. only pickets being posted
to prevent surprises. Meantime our troops
swept through the suburbs northward,
being subjected to machine gun fire from
the Mount Of Olives and Mount Scopus.
The ridge Of Mount Scopus, north of the
city. was stormed with the bayonet and
the Turks were cleared from the Mount
of Olives
big demonstrations Of Joy broke out
when the general advanced to take the
surrender of the city. Flowers were
showered on the troops and the populace
capped their hands to testify to the Joy
Of deliverance from the hands Of the
oppressora.
! Further north the Turks were estab-
lished in a long series OF trenches around
the village of Beitikes. These trenches
were carried with a rush. and the British
line advanced beyond the village. Welsh
troops. advancing from the south, pushed
across the road east of Jerusalem lead
ing to Jericho. and thrust back Turkish
reinforcements advancing along this road
to succor Jerusalem. In the course of all
these operations they captured nearly
1.0OO prisoners. In addition to 700 wounded
Turks In hospitals in Jerusalem"