The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-08
TURK LAST HOPE
FOR j Elsa EN- GQsF
CRUISING Repulsc of Assaults on De-
Ccmbcr 81 Has Bern FOLLOWED
BY Decisive British Gains In
Successive Contests

Crmber 81 Has Bern EoliOTNd
by Decisive British Gains In
Successive Contests.
London. Jan 3.--W. r vassev.
who IS the British correspondent with
tho British forces IN Palestine. tele-
80 phs under date "f Monday:
Since Boxing Day General Allen
t"'S, army hiss followed up one bril-
hANtlY fought battle by a series Df
er Gagementg which have brought pun-
der control al the British Palcst ne
army the whole OF the watershed be-
twef~ the Mediterranean and the Jor-
dan as far north ~ Birch. and they
have a splendid limo across the scene
OF many conflicts Of ancient TIRES.
The troops are roW we'll north Of
this line, FOR vest erdoy they occupied
Reitin, the Bethel OF the Scriptures
and bountiful water supply between.
Bireh and IA rnallas has been secured.
This rapid advance In most diff
hcuit country was due to the over
whelmiug defeat Of a Turkish atterr py
to retake Jerusalem on December II.
when after resisting desperate at
tacks for nearly twelve hours, the
British delivered a M eter'y counter
s'roke and rolled up tNc enemy right.
I causing tho Turks, who sustained tre-
merdous losses, to Yield almost i'm
pregnable positions and fall back
along the Nabius road. leaving in the
British possession points of great
strategical irnports nee.
The Turks are nov SO far away
from Jerusalem that when tho Greek
orthodox service of'thanksgiying was
held in the Church OF the Holy Sepui-
, chre yesterday not sound of guns
reached the Holy City. The Turks
seem 10 read Alright the lesson OF their
heavy defeat and appear 20 be retir-
ing northward.
THE enemy had two army corps In
making the attempt TO retake Ierusa
lem. The attack was made by the
Third Turkish corps, including a new
division from the Caucasus from
north along the Nablus road. the
Twentieth Turkish corps making a
/ demonstration from the eaBt and la
ter fighting very hard for some vital
| positions
| The prisoners state that one Turk
ish battalion commander told his men
that there were no English troops in
| front, He enid he had been watching
| for days. and he assured the battalion
that no English were there. They
could go straight into Jerusalem,
where they could ret food II would
| he the last chr.nce OF retakfnR the city.
and II they failed they would have to
go back These Turks received strict
orders not TO mutilate the wounded.
| THE enennys first objective was
TeI-el-F~ui a high conicai shaped hill
| Just east Of the Nablus road and COM
manding height dominating the
| British lines east and west for
considerable distance.
/ tT1etrfru no do Wight h0Hin a
| day the Turks showed no movement.
| but 5ust before midnight a post north
| Of Tel-el-Ful was driven in. At l:2o
! the first attack on Tei-el-Ful was
made. and at the same time an ad-
vance began against Belt Hannina,
about q mile west OK the road,
/ This line was defended by London
| territortals. who added TO their record
during the campaign by meeting at
tack after attack with magnificent
steadiness. standing like rocks against
the m st furious onsiaughts and yield
| ing not an inch of ground.
THE two comnanies defending Belt
Hannina were attacked four times by
storrning troops, each attans,. being
stronger than the last The fourth
was delivered by 500 picked Turss.
| but was entirely beaten back after
prolonged hand hand fighting.
THE Turkish dead showed MANY
! bayonet wounds. while the hillside
was strewn with Turks killed by ma
chine-gun fire.
There were eight attacks on Tel-ei-
| Full These also we're made with grear
weight rnd determination. The strong
est OF them all was delivered with a re-
inforced line. 1t was made at dawn
ana supported by heavy artillery IRE
All were defeated. with great loss to
the enemy.
Between o'clock and noon the
enemy organised for a last effort. and
about 1890 the Turks triod to assault
the whole of the Londoners' line. except
Nest Samwil, a height which is crowned
by a mosque and has been ruined by
the enemy gunhre. This Anal attack
was passed right UP to the British po-
sitions. and Londoners and Turks get
ting 20 deadly grips. The enemy proved
no match for the Tsrritortals, who
after raking the advancing waves with
machine guns. cleared their breast
works at a bound, met the foe with the
bayonst and forced them back. and
then, made the enemy cry Enough"
That was the last attempt made by
the Turks to get to Jerusalem. In the
fighting on subsequent days the British
see how much their morale has been
affected by the terrible losses sustained
In this serisa of attacks, which lasted
for more than twenty-four hours. on
the north and east.
Those who have seen the terrain
marvel at the achievements OF the dis
mounted yeomantry ana Irishmen
while the Irish and ysomsn were ad-
vancing the men In reserve were max
ing roads for the guns which had 10
be hauled by hand, and when the yeo-
men captured Beltania they had a whole