BRITISH IN BAGDAD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14283, 27 April 1917, Page 7

BRITISH IN BAGDAD.

ENTRY OF THE TROOPS

ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME

, The following" account of the entry of the British troops into Bagdad on March 11th was supplied by "Eye-wit-ness" : —

■ "Our vanguard entered Bagdad soon aiter nine o^lock m the morning. The city is approached by an unmetalled r<iad between plain gromes and orange gardens. Crowds of Bagdadis came out to meet us, Persians, Arabs, Jewß, -Armenians, Chaldeans, and Christians of divers sects and races. They lined the streets, balconies, and roofs, cheering and clapping their hands. Groups of school children danced in' front of us shouting and cheering, and the women of the city turned out an their holiday dresses. The people, of the city have been robbed to supply the ' Turkish j Army. For the last two years oppression was becoming unendurable. During last week it degenerated into brigandage. I am told that the mere mention of the British had become penal, ajnd >tihe people were afraid to talk freely about the war. "All hop© of saving the city . was abandoned after we effected the crossing of the Tigris on February 23. Since that- date the Turkish Government has been requisitioning private merchandise wholesale and despatching it by train to' Saniairrah. Three or four thousand liras' worth of goods is believed tb have been officially looted, including five thousand sacks of sugar. The German Consul left two weeks and the Austrian two days ago. The bridge of boats, Turkish Army clothing factory, and Messrs Lynch V offices were Wown up or, otherwise .destroyed last night, and the railway station, civil, hospital, and most British property, except the Presidency, which has been used as a Turkish hospital, were either gutted or damaged. "As soon as the gendarmerie left at two o'clock this morning K[urds and others began . looting. As we entered from the east; this morning they were rifling the . bazaar at Jh© other . end of the city, and among the first citizens We met were merchants who had run out to crave our protection. Regiments were detailed to police the.ba-zaar and houses. Picquets and patrols were allotted, but there was much that it was i too late to save. Many shopg had been

gutUd, and the valuables had all been cleared. The rabble were found busy dismantling interiors, tearing down bits of wood and iron, and carrying off bedsteads. They had even looted the seats from the public gardens. "The entry was very easy, and unofficial, and it was clear that the joy of the people was genuine. No functionaries came out to meet us, as there was still fear of reprisal?. Our own attitude was characteristic. There was no display or attempt at impressment. The troops entered m the order of advance,' ready to deploy against a new position, dusty and unshaven after several days' hard fighting .and bivouacking. It . was not" kho\vn"> until we actually * entered that the. Turks had evacuated the city. The fighting between the 7th and the 10th had been heavy. Extraordinary gallantry was shown m crossing the Diala river."