KUT-EL-AMARA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16685, 4 May 1916, Page 5

KUT-EL-AMARA

MILITARY SITUATION NOT CHANGED. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, May 2. The news of the surrender of Kut-el-Amara was received with the deepest regret, but the absence of news of the garrison during the past week had partly prepared the people. The garrison's condition had been critical for weeks past. They had been living on horse flesh and the slenderest rations, enduring the severest privations. The grounding of the relief ship after running the gauntlet of the Turkish guns sealed their fate.

The fall of Kut-el-Amara does not change the military situation in Mesopotamia. An early advance up the Tigris by General Gorringe is expected as soon as the weather permits.

SOUL OF CHEERFULNESS. IMPORTANCE OF THE SURRENDER. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, May 2. The Times, in a leading article, says : " General Townshend proved not only a brave and skilful commander, but the soul of cheerfulness. To the last his messages were full 8f hope and courage. He kept up the spirits of his garrison, presented a manful front to the foe, and held on while the last scrap of food remained. Despite military 'mistakes, the failure to raise the siege was mainly due to the almost insuperable physical difficulties. The fall of Kut-el-Amara is of very limited military importance. The enemy will doubtless exploit it to the utmost, but their efforts are alreadv discounted, as its probable fate had been understood for weeks. A triumphant Turkish march to the sea might disturb India, but clearly the Turks in Mesopotamia are pinned to their position, and cannot move down the river."

THE RELIEVING FORCE.

THE KING'S SYMPATHY. DID ALL THAT WAS POSSIBLE. LONDON, May 2. (Received May 3, at 9.30 p.m.) The King has wired to the Tigris corps sympathising with its inability to relieve General Townshend. "Despite your great gallantry and determination under most trying conditions," he says, "you were defeated by floods and bad weather, not by the enemy, whom you pressed back. I liawe watched your efforts with admiration. You have done all that was humanly possible." EXPRESSION Ol? 1 SYMPATHY. MELBOURNE, May 3. The Governor-general, Sir R. C. MunroFerguson, has cabled to the Viceroy of India expressing his deepest sympathy at the loss of the gallant forces that garrisoned Kut-el-Amara. AUSTRALIA'S DETERMINATION. MELBOURNE, May 3. (Received May 3, at 10.15 p.m.) Sir R. C. Munro-Ferguson has cabled to the Colonial Secretary an expression of sorrow at the loss sustained in the Kut-el-Amara disaster. It will, he says, only strengthen Australia's determination to do her part in hastening the overthrow of our enemies.

EXCHANGE OF SICK AND WOUNDED. LONDON, May 2. (Received May 3, at 9.30 p.m.) Advices from Mesopotamia state that Khali Pasha, the Turkish commander-in-Chief, has written agreeing to exchange General Townshend's sick and wounded for an equivalent number of Mohammedan and Turkish» prisoners. Hospitals and other ships have been sent to begin the evacuation of these men.

PERSIA.

LONDON, May 2. (Received May 3, at 9.30 p.m.) It is reported that a small British force moved out from Bushire on April 29 and attacked the enemy, who were strongly entrenched in the vicinity. The enemy were driven off. Our troops returned unmolested. [The above is not the first brush at Bushire. An incident occurred there as far back as July 12, when a commander appeared in the neighbourhood. Two British officers, Major Oliphant and Captain Ranking, went out to reconnoitre with a mixed patrol,_ and lost their lives in an ambush. Following this outrage, wo occupied Bushire, and on September 8 and 9 had to fight an action to defend the place. The enemy were prevented from crossing the gap which separates the island from the mainland, and were beaten off with heavy losses. The Germans gave groat prominence to this fight in tho Berlin reports, and this suggested that tho whole affair had been sedulously stage-managed by Germany. Bushire is tho chief port of Persia, and is 180 miles from tho mouth of the Euphrates. Tho British occupation term'nated previously on October 29, tho trouble being then over.]