MESOPOTAMIAN CAMPAIGN

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1917, Page 5

MESOPOTAMIAN CAMPAIGN

DRAMATIC OEV6I.OPMENTB<

rruKS' position critical

LONDON, March IV

Military critics po:ni out Unit the hrst-rafo road between Diu'ln, together with the marshes, should enable the Turks to make an almost impregnable trout between mo Euphrates and the Tigris- j'ho Rtitish victory leaves tlui Turkish Army in Persia in the air, and only a precipitate retreat will save it. Mosul, on the i oner Tigris, whence the Tories are op. rating, is a magazine, comparable vjiih Sivas and Damascus. Mosul must now feed the armies facing the opponents on two sidesi iie junction of Lieut-Genera] Maude with the Russians from Ramadan will bo the next dramatic development-

TURKS' TERRIBLE LOSSES

INDIA'S PART IN THE

VICTORj

ALLIES' FORCES CONCENTRATING.

LONDON, March IV

The main Russian force is IBt> miles from Baghdad, compared with 258 miles before the advance from Mamndun- Another column is at .Sonne, 7V miles north of Kermanshnh. The northernmost column has reached Beroze, U 4 miles from Mosul, on the Baghdad road, by which the Turkish main supplies come from for the north- Meanwhile General Murray is pushing on to the borders of Palestine- The Grand Duke Nicholas is advancing in Armenia-

It is now apparent that Lieut.Genera] Maude smashed the Turkish Army at Kut-cl-Amara more completely than was disclosed at the time- Throughout the laborious operations extending over many days, the British inflicted terrible losses on the Turks, who were often found dead in heaps. Thousands of prisoners were taken when the Army lied from Baghdad, and only a remnant remained.

The fall of Baghdad means move than a rout of the Turkish Army in Oriental eyes, and is, therefore, doubly importantIndia played a great and worthy part in Lieut-General Maude's triumph.- A very large proportion of the troops were Indian pursu-

ing cavalry. 'The taking of Baghdad is especially welcome to the PersiansHalf' a million of the inhabitants of the Baghdad province arc adherents of the Persian form of the Islamic faithIt is questionable how long Turkey will be content to continue a member of an alliance which takes her men to light on the Russian fronts while they tailed to save her rich Kastern provinces.

REJOICINGS IN FRANCE

KAISER'S DREAM SH'AT-

ratKi)

fAUtiTKALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION

• Received this dav at Id-If' a.m EAR'S, March V2.

"Le Matin" slates that the cap-fiii-o of Baghdad is the Anionic's

n-veatest success in the • war period- U reduces to nothing the German plans tor the defence of Mesopotamia"Le Petit I'arisien" says: The capture wrecks the Kaiser's whole Oriental programme"Le Figaro" comments on the immense moral effect that will reecho throughout.

FALL OF BAGHDAD,

NOT MENTIONED BY TIHtKS

Received this dav at 8.45 a.m. LONDON. March 12. To-day's Turkish official ches nut mention Baghdad.

THE BAGHDAD RAILWAY

IMPROVED BY OMR MAX ENGINEERS.

AMSTERDAM", March IE German engineers are busy upon projects for improvements to the Baghdad railway. With a view to obviating the ferry across the Bosphorus they are preparing plans for tunnelling the Bosphorus or as an alternative the construction of a bridge OCX) metres long from Ruiumelihissar to Anatolissa.

REVERSES ADMITTED,

BY ENVER PASHA

(beotkb'h tf.leuram.]

Received this dav at Llo p-m-AMSTKUDAM, March R». in the Turkish Chamber Knvci Pasha admitted that the Turks had retired from Persia and Mesopotamia for military reasons.

F2ME WORK BY BRITISH

SPLENDID PItOGRESS MADE

[AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.]

Kccrived this day at t-15 p.m. fjONDUiN, March I'-J-Mr Bonar Law said that the fall of Baghdad was the sequel to a series of briliiatitperformane.es by the British and Indians, showing push and' determination beyond praise- There was heavy fighting, especially on the right bank, with 1 Turkish losses- The troops, since the fall of Kiit-el-Amara, had. pursued the Turks 110 miles in fifteen days through eonntry destitute, of supplies and in the "face of heavy weather difficulties, thrice crossing the Tigris- The final inarch was eighteen miles in intense heat: and severe dust storms. It was a brilliant achievement, and there is every reason to believe that two-thirds of the enemy's entire . o.rtillery was captured or thrown into the Tigris: also a large num-

hn' of and much booty were iuKrii.

He concluded by paying a Ifihitvo to the iSKill, vigour, leatl-pji-i.iij), valour ami eiiuurauee ox. (he troops, '.rhere was a lnglily-Mio.-es; iwi supply sorvieej aiuiilifl meUicai ;arrangement-i and general sliUi jiians wpj e gootl.