BRITISH PUT TURKISH FORCE IN A CORNER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16665, 9 October 1917, Page 5

BRITISH PUT TURKISH FORCE IN A CORNER.

HOW THE EUPHRATES VICTOBY WAS WON. ENEMY SURRENDERS AFTER HEAVY FIGHTING, Australian and N.Z. (Received 11.30 p.m.) LONDON. Oct. 7. Describing General Maude's victory at Ramadi, west of Bagdad, on September 29, Mr. E. Candler, official correspondent in Mesopotamia, writes: The British moved two columns right and left from the Euphrates camp, attacking Mishaid Ridge at dawn. The first R objective was to clear the ridge across the canal. The first of the knolls was quickly occupied and the canal dam afforded a crossing. When the ridge had been bomtmraed we found the Turks had evacuated it. As soon as the infantry carried the ridge our cavalry made a wide detour till astride the Aleppo Road, cornering the Turks, who had no bridge and were cut off from reinforcements and supplies. The Turks made a counter-attack at dawn on Stptember 30 and tried to escape between our cavalry and the river. The action continued for two hours. A small detachment of Turkish cavalry swam across the river. Meanwhile our infantry stormed the ridge exposed to machinegun and rifle fire from the front and right, and enfiladed by artillery from the left. The British and Indians hung on, digging themselves in. Our second infantry column seized Agiziya Bridge, trapping the Turks between two canals. Our cavalry prevented their retreatGuns and pompoms from river barges attacked our infantry until fire from our guns sank them. An intense bombardment of the enemy was maintained until the Turks walked forward with white flags, and the whole force surrendered in a body.