ON THE TIGRIS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15356, 13 August 1915, Page 5

ON THE TIGRIS.

CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA THE OCCUPATION OF AMARA. Tho British campaign in Mesopota mia, which has been overshadowed bj events elsewhere, is one of considerable importance. It is being carriet on under peculiarly difficult conditions and so far lias been very successful. Tho land inside the fork, formed bj the junction of the Tigris and the Euphrates at Kurna, is perpetual marsh for a hundred miles or so north of that place. Outside tho fork, too on each side there is marsh, deep and muddy, covered with dense reeds through which the narrowest boat is forced with difficulty. This year the permanent marsh can only bo detected by tho forest of reed which covers it (says a writer in the "Times ol India"). There is water over everything, desert as well as marsh and villages as well as desert, and everywhere the eye is met by deserted houses and half inundated reed huts from which the inhabitants havo been driven by the all-pervading water. Occasionally one comes across a small piece of land, somewhat higher, than the surrounding country, rising above the flood, rarely more than u few hundred yards long in any direction. These marshes shelter tribes of Arabs who since the beginning of tho ope rations havo • waged indiscriminate and constant warfare against British and Turks n'ike. Savage and merciless to a degree, stark naked usually, and armed with rifles, they have harried the flanks of tho weaker foo in their search for plunder. They claim tho defeated as their-prey and murder the unarmed and wounded without compunction. NAVY AND ARMY CO-OPERATE. The British operations, the object of which was to push back the Turkish forces as far as Am am and to clear the Basrah Vialyet of the enemy in this direction, began 011 May- 31st. The units of the Royal Navy, supported by Field Artillery mounted on barges and boats as well as by artillery in Kurna, moved up. tho Tigris, and engaged the enemy. Shortly after midnight a regiment had moved against tho enemy's position ou the left bank of tho Tigris, and after a sharp fight occupied it at dawn just after tne artillery had opened fire. Their work was not so difficult as that of tho units which moved against the moro strongly held positions on the right bank of the Tigris. Hero the water was too deep in many places for tho men to wade." It had been necesr eary to devise 6ome.sort of conveyance for the infanti-y which operated on this flank, and to this end a largo number of flat-bottomed country boats wero pressed into service. They were protected by shields of armo,ured plating fitted athwart tho boats, and were propelled with poles or in deep water with oars, but generally by men wading up to their necks and pushing them. Similar boats, slightly larger, wero fitted up to carry the guns of the ir»ountniu artillery, _who on this occasion operated well up with the advancing lines of infantry. At 5 a.m. the combined guns of ships and land batteries opened fire on the advanced positions of the enemy. The fire was intense. It was wholly directed on the positions on the right bank of the river, as that on tho left bank had already fallen, and it was soon seen that tho heavy guns wcro literally demolishing the defences of the enemy. Meanwhile the infantry and mountain guns .on tho left flank pushed on steadily, engaging at the same, time an attack from their left by" marsh Arabs, who,_ however, desisted when it was seen which way the fortunes of war were turning, and at noon all th* defences of the enfrmy south of Bahran had f.-il'en. The day had been extremely hot : 113 degrees in the shade, and an atmosphere saturated with moisture had sorely tried the men as well as tho oxertion of working heavv boats through deep mud and water and reeds. ADVANCE UP THE RIVER. n £ xt , l P? rn j n C it was reported that the Turkish foreo had evacuated their defences at Bahran during the night and were retreating uo the ligns towards Amara. At once tho combined British force commenced to advance in pursuit. It was necessary to employ caution at this stage as it was well _ known that the river was heavily mined at this point, and indeed tor some miles upwards. Mine sweepers preceded the warships and destroyed the mines as they were picked up. The whole farco then, moved on after the flying Turks, the warships leading, . and _ therefore operations BI PW consisted in coming up with ships of the enemy and sinking or capturing them according to whether they resisted or not. Iho night of tho _ Ist June was moonw at'o s °r> e s h'P s pressed on until 11.M.5. Espiegle, who was leading, came up with the Turkish gunboat iUSrmaris, and after a short action 1 r i on ro w^c . n B h° grounded on the bank of tho river. Here it was found that the river had become so bhallow that the warships could go no further, but H.M.S. Comet, with "three armoured_tugs and a total complement of about 50 men, passed on and, travelling during the whole of the 2nd, and capturing many valuable prizes en route, reached Amara on tho morning of the 3rd June.

OCCUPATION OP AMAH A. Here were found two regiments of lurks who had worked their way around from Shaiba. and had only arrived a few days before, as well as the advanced guard of a Turkish force which was retiring before the British from the East. Demoralised by the unloosed for arrival of the British, these all surrendered after a few shots. The main body of Turks behind this advance guard, hearing that Amara had been occupied, changed their course into the marshes and fled north, leaving equipment and supplies in their path. The British main body rcached Amara on the 4th June. The most striking part of these operations was the large number of prizes, prisoners, and guns which were captured with practicailv no losses to the British Force. These included one Turkish gunboat and three other steamers, twelve steel flats, most valuable for river operations, a largo number of dhows full of rifles and ammunition and stores, fifteen guns and nearlv two thousand prisoners, including *130 officers. The remainder of the Turkish force was broken up into small bodies and driven into the marshes, where it was thought they would receive small mercy from the marsh Arabs.