IN MESOPOTAMIA

Southland Times, Issue 17660, 18 February 1916, Page 5

IN MESOPOTAMIA

WEATHER HARDSHIPS TURKS DIE OP COLD AND EXHAUSTION 636 ARABS KILLED (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, February 16. Mr Edmund Candler, the war correspondent with tiie Mesopotamia expedition, writing from Basra on February 11, states that the camp is a quagmire owing to heavy rains. Arabs report that numbers of the enemy have died from the cold and exhaustion experienced in the January operations, while large numbers have deserted. The enemy is experiencing great transport difficulties, which are accentuated by the interruption of river communication at Kut, Coi. Brooking’s column on February 7 and 9 punished the Arabs near Narisiyah, killping 636. FANCIFUL TURKISH REPORT AMSTERDAM, February 16. The Turkish communique slates. On the Irak front successful attacks were directed against the Britisli near Balhia. The enemy fled, abandoning all material and 500 dead. A small enemy detachment which surrendered was almost annihilated. In our atack on Kurna Uie enemy suffered heavy losses. Hostile auxiliary forces attempted to relieve the Britisli, were forced to retreat. THE CORRECT VERSION LONDON, February 16. The Press Bureau states that the correct account, of the incident covered by Uie Turkish communique appeared iu the War Office communipue of February I 1, as follows: — “The War Office states that a detachment while malting a reconnaissance along the branches of the Tigris encountered no Turks, but Arabs, who hitherto had been friendly attacked while the detachment was returning. The British had 373 casualties, and the enemy had over 300 killed. "A punitive column, since sent, surprised the Arabs and destroyed four vil-lag-es.’’