IMPORTANT BRITISH ADVANCE IN MESOPOTAMIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16129, 18 January 1916, Page 5

IMPORTANT BRITISH ADVANCE IN MESOPOTAMIA.

RELIEVING FORCE WITHIN 25 MILES OF KUT-EL-AMARA. TURKS RETREAT AFTER AN ALL-DAY BATTLE. •.Pieceivtd January 17, 3 p.re.) London*, January 16. An official message states: —" General Aylmer, on the 13th attacked the Turks at Ovah, 25 miles below Kut-el-Amara, in Mesopotamia. After a heavy battle, which lasted all day, the Turks retreated closely pressed by our troops, to the east and north." The newspapers characterise General Aylmer's advance as an important success. The Turks defeated at Masagrish left behind a large quantity of medals struck to commemorate the victory over the British- The staff distributed these as souvenirs to the troops. A newspaper correspondent states that Turkish prisoners taken at. Sheikhhaad report that four regiments lost 50 per cent, of their strength. General von der Goltz visited Kut-el-Amara on a tour of inspection. The Athens correspondent of the London Daily Mail states that Germany's military action at present is concentrated against the British in Mesopotamia. General Aylmer is likely to be compelled to pierce strong bodies of the enemy. The force under Geneiai Aylmer started 012 January 6 from a point 100 miles south-east of Kut-el-Amara, to relieve General Townehend, who, after almost reaching Bagdad, was compelled to retire before Turkish reinforcements, and was surrounded at Kut-el-Amara. General Aylmer's force has, therefore, done three-quarters of the distance. It was last reported at Sheikhhaad, 50 miles from Kut el-Amara, where it defeated the Turks, who fell back on Ovah.. »