CAPTURE OF TREBIZOND.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13973, 20 April 1916, Page 3

CAPTURE OF TREBIZOND.

Easter gift to russia. • most" obstinate reslstanck shattekkd: '», •, • rETROUKAD,- April ■ ]'J. A communique says: The ttfons o» our Caucasian Army ami the" liladc .Sea Fleet have been crowned by the capture of Trebizond, the most important fortification on the ..Anatolian.,, coast. After a sanguinary battle on the 14th the # troops pressed the Turks without respite, overcoming incredible difficulties arid everywhere shattering a most obstinate resistance. .? , The 00-operation of the fleet permitted us to effect n most daring landing m support of the troops, and the heroic exploits of the Caucasian Army, operating inland, facilitated the success of the troops on the coast. 'Trebizond proves to be the Grand Duke Nicholas's Easter .present to his countrymen. The rapidity of the operations is a tmimph for General Gudemtch, who is leading the army. . Trebizond was less fortified than Eizeronin, 1 but it is on a 'rugged mountain- ridge at a height of itiOO feet, and was protected to the south. The Gcrmen engineers had worked feverishly io complete the defences, until it was only possible to mako a frontal attack along the narrow coast line.

The success was largely due to the Russians advancing along the Choruk Valley and-' preventing the Third Turkish Army joining the defenders at Trebizond, while the /Russians, pushing on Erangan, intercepted the Turkish reinforcements. The long converging roads will 'enable the Russians to turn the w.hole front to Erzingan, where the main Turkish concentration' is located:,;

The. possibility of revictualling the armies by sea instead of the difficult mountain defiles will enormously, lighten the Russian . commissariat, Meanwhile, the roads are being improved and a railway constructed from iSarykamysh to Erzerbum. . ' ;■'.■: