The sun., 1918-09-24
CAVALRY CUTS OFF
ESCAPE OF TURKS


unhtIy dug IN on nat plain. Tie
laheers dashed into them nj extended
gaiiop, crashing into the machine gun
ners with their lances, Killing ninety ana
woundlng many more. They took 40
prisoners. The charge was brilliantly
executed. The cavalrymen had to gallon
over exposed ground against heavy rife
fre. but they never fhlteted Those NJ
the enemy who were not quickly killed
threw up their hands.
The column then moved along the
plain TO Afuleh. which was taken in
quick time. The garrison OF 1900 was
captured without fight. along with
great supplies OF war material At the
station there were eight engines and
two complete trains loaded with supplies.
"A part of the column turned after
reaching Afuleh and proceeded up the
Valley Jezreel to Beisan. Along the
route they captured another thousand
prisoners. One regiment took Jesr nine
miles south of the Sea of Galilee. and to
prevent reenfoteements coming up from
that direction one regiment OF cavalry
rode seventy miles In two days.
Australians sabre Turks.
The Australian light horse met stir
opposition at Jenin. In the outskirts OF
that town the Turks were intrenched, but
the horsemen, who had recently been
armed with swords, charged the trenches.
saberine Turks right and left and round
ing UP those who were not killed. The
Germans who were intrenched with the
Turks held out all night. but early the
next morning the place was entirely in
Our hands
All told. the cavalry took 1000 prison.
ers. Their work was full of incident
and all regiments showed great da sh and
bravery. Their endurance was superb.
the fighting frequently being in the most
difiicult country.
There Is still great deal OF cleaning
~ to DO. but the battle II practically
over. Gen. Allenby obtained ~one Of
the most complete victories>ef the war.
a few unimportant sections may have
got away in dribbles, but as n whole the
Turkish armies have ceased to exist as
armies. The men have been killed or
captured and all their supplies are In
british hands. If new army is to he
created for Palestine and Syria the
Turks must provide not only men but
the mechanism OF war as we'll. Nearly
all their guns on this front are gone.
They have lost their transport. with
rolling stock and engineers stores.
Battlefield 100 Miles Square.
have been over large portion Of the
II
miles in extent. and to See the debris is
the only way 10 realize fully how COM
pletely the enemy was routed. II will
be some time before a full statement of
enemy losses Is available. Gen. Alien
bys bold strategy, backed by vigorous
action, obtained a victory for the Allies
which the Turks cannot hope to offset
The few of the enemy who got across
the Jordan were rounded; up by New
zealanders, who also cut or this means
Of exit. The Turks east OF the Jordan
seem to know little about what has been
going on They shelled some Of our po-
sitions east of Jericho.
The Infantry who rolled up the enemy
from the west had little to do to-day
beyond taking isolated parties of Turks.
They Increased their capture OF guns
however. including four naval Ais.
The infantry operating beyond Nablus
are adding TO the discontinue OF the
retreating Turks. the irish having COW
cred twenty-one miles yesterday
The British and Australian alrmen
Kew over the retrestng units of the
enemy to-day. bombing motor transports
that were trying to escape by way OF
the Shibbe-B eisan road. They dropped
four tons of bombs.
Roads Blocked with Debris.
On the Tulkeran- Nablus road the pi-
lots flew low. dropping bombs from aiti-
tudes at which 1t was impossible to
miss their targets The road for miles
was hlled with smashed trucks, wheeled
transports, dead men and horses and
broken transport columns. The airmen
machine gunned troops that were try
ing to get away.
What was accomplished in this neigh
bofhood was repeated at Damierod and
elsewhere. The total OF casualties in
fioted on the enemy by our airmen must
have been enormous. All the prisoners
speak Of the dread they felt when they
heard the airplanes coming
One feature Of this victory has been
the magnificent dash Of the Indian
troops. The veteran soldiers OF India
were expected to do we'll and they lived
UP to their fine reputation. The young
battalions who replaced the white
troops sent to the front In France were
an unknown quantity. but they came
through the ordeal magnlhcently, fight
ing like seasoned veterans. The com.
rnanders were delighted with the be-
havior Of the Indian infantry and horse
men, their only fault being a too great
sagerness to push on. In Thursdays
attack on the coastal defencss the Of
ncers with the greatest difficulty re-
strained the men from rushing forwar I'd
into their own artillery barrage
The Indian infantry made the aston
fshing record OF covering twenty two
miles in twelve hours. including trench
fighting on the way and fighting In the
open This wonderful performance Is
an example OF what the young Indian
nghters are capable of.