IN PERSIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16591, 14 January 1916, Page 5

IN PERSIA

GERMAN ARTILLERY. ENORMOUS QUANTITIES BEING SENT. ROME, January 12. . The Tribuna states that enormous quantities of German artillery are travelling from Constantinople towards Mesopotamia. RELIEF FOR GENERAL ' TOWNSHEND. THE FORCES ADVANCING. STUBBORN RESISTANCE ENCOUNTERED. LONDON, January 12. Mr Candlier, representative of the British press with the Expeditionary Force in Mesopotamia, reports: " General Aylmer's advance up the Tigris to join General Townshend (at Kut-el-Amara) met with stubborn resistance, the heaviest fighting being at Sheiesand. When proceeding up the banks of the Tigris our cavalry came in contact with the Turkish advanced troops on the right bank. The Turks, were in considerable strength astride the river Our cavalry got behind the trenches on the enemy's extreme right flank and defeated a whole battalion. " The British casualties among the infantry were heavy. Our force came under heavy rifle and Maxim fire from the Turkish trenches at a distance of 1200 yards. The flatness and the uniform mud colour of the ground, together with the haze, added to the invisibility of the Turks. Their trenches were also remarkably concealed. The Turks' cavalry attempted to envelop our right flank, but our artillery turned them. Their infantry, however, was too strong to be dislodged. We therefore entrenched for the night in positions from 200 to 700 yards from the enemy. " Nothing could exceed the gallantry of our attack. Officers of wide experience say they were never under hotter rifle fire at the same range during the campaign in, France. Many of our casualties are slight wounds, mostly due to rifle fire." The latest reports show our force to be still advancing.