IN MESOPOTAMIA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14235, 1 March 1917, Page 3

IN MESOPOTAMIA.

THK SUCCESSES FOLLOWED IP .

AID OF THK AIRMKX

(Reuter's Telegram.) LONDON, February 28. Lord Curzon added that our aeroplanes bombed a steamer towing the Turks' pontoon bridge upstream, and the tow slipped and the pontoons floated away. He said it was evident that the scene of •operation had shifted considerably upstream beyond Kilt, and that the success announced yesterday had been followed up. He believed that several thousand prisoners had been taken. It was. clear that the slur on our arnw, if the phrase was applicable, caused by the events ol" last year, was now entirely wiped out. (Australian and N.Z. Cabin Association (Received MarcE 1, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, February 28. A Mesopotamia ollicial mesnge states : The close pursuit of the enemy is steadily maintained. On Monday advanced troops engaged the enemy m the afternoon from three sides, at a point on the left bank of the Tigris, over thirty miles west-north-west of Kut. The enemy abandoned quantities of arms and equipment, and threw three howitzers into the river. We recaptured the gunboat Firefly, lost m the retreat from Ctesiphon. We also captured a Turkish ship and destroyed another.

The High Commissioner reports : — LONDON, February 28, 2.30 p.m. Mesopotamia official : Close pursuit of the enemy was steadily maintained on Monday, we engaging the enemy m the afternoon to the left of the Tigris, 30 miles* west-northwestwards of Kut. The enemy, m fleeing, abandoned quantities of material. And threw guns m the river, including four 5.9 howitzers. The Hrit ish gunboat Firefly, lost m the retreat from Ctesiphon. wa.st recaptured. Our Turkish ship was captured, and anothei sunk.