GALLANT ATTACK BY THE BRITISH IN MESOPOTAMIA

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2754, 25 April 1916, Page 5

GALLANT ATTACK BY THE BRITISH IN MESOPOTAMIA

FLOODS AND SWAIPS CHECK THE ADVANCE I< ' WHY THE ATTEMPT FAILED ' By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright „ r , , ttrrn , London, April 23. Sir Percy Lake reports: "The at tack on the northern bank of the Sannaiyat position on April 23 failed, though it had been systematically bombarded since April 20.- Owing to floods, it was only pqssibk for a single bri-5 gade to attack on a very contracted front. The leading troops consisted of a composite battalion, which advanced with great gallantry and ponetrated the enemy's first and second lines,_ through bog and submerged trenches. A few got into the third line. The brigade, however, was unable to'maintain itself under tho Turkish counter-attacks. The other brigades were unable -to reach their objectives across flooded and boggy ground, under heavy machine-gun lire. Our troops on the right bank were also unable to make much progress." HOW THE RUSSIANS CAPTURED TREBIZOND Q . . TURKISH TACTICS FOiLED BY THE FLEET. The Paris "Journal's" Petrograd correspondent gives details ctf'thoCapture of Trebizond. There was a fierce engagement on the Kara Dere River on April 17, the Turks being routed. Russian hydroplanes located the enemy's entrenched batteries, and tho fleet's formidable bombardment smashed the batteries and destroyed a liquid fire ap paratus, with which the Turks hoped to arrest the Russian march. There was a severe battle en April 18. The Turks fled, abandoning gmitiand a large quantity of material. The Russians entered the city in triumph,, and telegraphed a glowing message. - Another account states that before the town fell each quarter was contested from house to house and street to street. The Russians were obliged to overcome a desperate resistance. TURKISH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. * W1 ■ V ■ •. * ,:L ', , Amsterdam, April 23. A Turkish communique states: "We routed the enemy forces in the Motiki sector, south of Bulis, the/enemy leaving hundreds of dead. We stopped* an enemy detachment in the Djevizlik sector which was trying to advance from Trebizond. .An engagement is proceediug between our coastguards and a Bus, sian detachment landed at Polathaue." TURKS REPULSED WITH HEAVY LOSSES (Rec. April 24, 7.55 p.m.) , . Petrograd, April 23. A Russian communique states:-"At Ashkale, in the Caucasus, desperate Turkish'attacks were repulsed with heavy losses. .We delivered a counterattack on an important enemy position,." "THE BEST ROAD TO THE RHINE" • FROM ASIA MINOR YIK CONSTANTINOPLE AND ' THE BAL j ICANS. ("Times" and Sydnoy "Sun" Services.) * , (Rcc. April 24, 7.10 p.m.) London, April 23. General Chorfils, m the "Echo do Paris," forecasts that tho Russians will attempt an advance in Asia Minor, to force, tho Bosphorus aud take Constantinople, whilo tho Rumanians, Greeks, and Serbs will converge upon Sofia, the armies of .Salonika, Suez, and the Caucasus junctioning at Thraco to overwhelm Turkey's final wistauw. "The best road to the Rhino is through the Bas&twr.uSj 11 - he s&xsi