The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1919-07-18
TURKSAND HUNS REFUSE
TOFICHTFOR DAMASCUS
Australian Tells Of Victory Gained
Over Superior Force.
ENEMY MORALE SHATTERED
Interesting Account Of Capture Of An
Client City by Australian Forces
Gould Have Sustained
Siege for Months.

Sydney. N. 8. W.-An interesting II
belated account Of the capture OF Da-
mascus by Australian forces last fall
lis given by returned Australian SOL
dicr in the Sydney Morning Herald.
The narrative starts with the Aus
tralians' advance from Liberals and
ahe subsequent encIrcling operations
which resulted In the fall Of Damas-
Gus itself.
Leaving Liberals behind the Aus
tralinn division pushed on northward
70 Lake Hulch where they tried to
cross the Jordan, but the enemy had
blown up the big stone bridge. and
nests of German machine gunners lined
fhe Jfecipitous river banks. Up and
down the river the patrols reconnoi-
tered, but always they were met with
~ burst of fire from the eastern bank.
but the old Jordan had to be crossed,
tso the Tenth Light Horse, under cover
tof darkness, forced a passage near the
lake, while the Fourteenth Light Horse
did the same further south. In the
morning they converged on the enemy
from either flank. capturing number
jof prisoners, few guns, and many
Smachinc guns. The bulk of the enemy
trcar guard bolted. So once more was
continued the great race toward Da-
pnascus.
Enemy Rear Guard Routed.
"At Kuneitra the rear guard ma
ichinc gunners were again encountered.
land once more at Sasa. At the latter
Spiace there was stiff fighting, and we
mad some casualties, but the last OBJ
'Estacie was removed. and we pushed
ION to the great city.
Away to the eastward we could
nee clouds of dust rising from the
Hedjaz road. II was the remnant Of
the Fourth Turkish army from Aman.
$50. In spite Of their long start, we
mad made dead-heat of 1t. Their
fate was already sealed. We had
fbcen In the saddle all the previous aft
fernoon, oil night, and all the morn
ang, but there was no chance of
malt. General Hodgson--commandi
ithe Australian division-pnshed the
Third Light Horse brigade toward the
tsouth Of the city, while he sent Gen.
Ieral Onslow's Fifth brigade on wide
,encircllng sweep to the west and
rgsorth Of Dumar, with view to block
tpng the escape.
''The battle of Damascus, which fol.
Flowed will be studied In years to come
tas the perfect example of the infiu-
lence Of morale. Napoleon said that
morale to material Is as three to one.
Here. one found II hundred to one. A
View thousand exultant horsemen hem
fned In and captured an army. The
isclty was surrounded. The roads to
horthward were held. Having abun-
dance Of arms and munitions. food and
twater, aud being In such overwhelming
numbers. they could have sustained
lsiege for months, even II they feared
ito risk battle In the open. But their
]morale was shattered.
There was little fight left In them.
"A fringe Of machine guns and few
}pieces Of artillery held of the attack
Iers for an hour or so. Then the horse
mcn broke through. The Third Light
Horse brigade captured some thou
sands of the Fourth Turkish army from
Aman.
! "The Fourth regiment entered the
outskirts Of the city. found the big bar
racks swarming with Turks and Ger
mans. But they wouldn't fight and
the victorians rounded up 10000 of
them and led them away. Another
column, several thousand strong, fee
ing from the Arabs, tried to escape by |
the northern road to Honin. But the ,,
Third Light Horse brigade started In
pursuit, charged the rear guard Of
German machine gunners and captured
the whole column.
Meanwhile the Fifth Light Horse
brigade-which used to be the camel
corps-broke through the Gordon Of
machine guns, hiding In the northern