THE RUSSIAN DRIVE IN ASIA MINOR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2772, 16 May 1916, Page 5

THE RUSSIAN DRIVE IN ASIA MINOR

I TWO FIERCE BATTLES : | ... — i TURKS DESPE.H ATELY RESISTING THE ADVANCE j ' , ' By Teli is'ras* l- Press Association—Copyright ;-,' (Rec. May 15, 9.35 p.m.) • ' Petrograd, May 14. ' A Russian official comim(pique states: "A very large Turkish force at Krzingan i 'ought a furious battle and; 'j'rove back our'advanced posts, but sustained-extrerae-y severe losses, which forbaoK,»'them to follow up their success. ."■'•■: "The enemy in-Mesopobit iia has precipitately retreated to tuo vicinity of ilosul (on the Tigris), abandoning'guns and munitions." FIGHTING IN PERSIA J(Rec. May 15, 10.15 p.m.) : '_ .. Petrograd, May 15. ' Dispatches from Herman; iti ah (in Persia) narrate details of a sixteen hours' sanguinary battle at the Kurd dish village' of Sarmil, which is situated on a hill beween two rugged mountain k piges, ten miles from Kerind (west-south-west of [vermahshah, and within 50 m Bles of the border). This is the first engagement in Persia', and was fought exclus cpely against Turkish regular troops. 1 Sarmil blocked the Russia: n advance on Kasrishirin. The fighting commenced it dawn, and the Turks, who were defending the historic, road to Mesopotamia, withstood a devastating fire fn >m the Russian guns. They delivered successive onslaughts of infantry until mi< Jhight, and then fell back on Kasris'hi»n. A British officer who is', iccompanying them, speaks in the highest terms of ;he Russians' valour. GERMAN DEPRESSION ON RUSSIAN FRONT , | ■ '. SIGNS 01?. BROKEN MORALE. ('."Times" ai.aXi Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Ri«.c. May 15, '5.5 p.m.) \ London, May U. : Mr. Hamilton Fyfe, writing fr-am Petrograd, says:—"There are many signs, hat the German troops are depress ;d. Their leaders have broken their promises -o capture Riga and Dvinsk. and thus end the war. An unfinished letter, found jn a sergeant who had been takeni- prisoner, said: 'We talk oio more of taking Dvinsk. We are only holding our It was said in January that many more troops would be sent. We h;»ve not seen them.' "The Russians arc very strong, .mnd their artillery is terrific, 'lliese low-spirit-ed «oldi»rs are not eager to rusk ii'ri'o danger. Recently they attempted frequently to lea«e their trenches, but were always driven back by the Russian shells. Eventually one company refused their officer cursed them vainly and shot three or four with his revolve*: ' The company then obeyed his orders, but a. hurricane of fire from the Russian hi. tteries drove them back. The s.ime night that officer was murdered with a bay* net. Ten men were then balloted for and executed, and the company was seat*: baik." V '■ AGREEMENT . TWO STANDING QUESTIONS SETTLED. , ". Petrograd, May 14. The "\ovoe V reniya" slates that (Hi Anglo-Russian agreement has b?en concluded, covering Persia and thus removing from lntevnalioiwl relationships the poi«on which has cnvenflned European policy during three parts of the nineteenth century. ■ [_ / HEAVY ATTACK \ON THE BRITISH THREE PARTUS REPULSED FURTHER ASSAULTS QW VERDUN FRONT • The High Commissioner reports:- 1 _ ~.-.,„, ° , London, May 10, 12.J0 a.m. A British official report states: "On Saturday night, after a very heavy bombardment by guns-of all ralibres, the onemyt attacked our lines in Plogsteert Wood in three parties. One party, on ouhaaMs our trenches, was immcdia ely ejected. The other parties were met on the parapet and dispersed by the Scottish 10 °"Early on Sunday morning one of our palbrols entered, the enemy's trenches south of the La Bassee Canal." BATTERING AWAY 'Al VERDUN FRENCH OFFICIAL CC ' ■ By Telegraph—Press Aseociati 'an-Copyrißht Paris, May li. A communique states: "Wo repelled a surpri*) attack on a trench southward ° f only event on the Verdun front has beont a violent bombardment in.the Mort Homme region." < Rco . May 15, 9.35 p. an.) ' Paris, May. 11. • ffi„:.,i ronnrf states- "The attacks on the Verdun line continue withtiS^succesi FridSr'was mailed by another sanguinary feat, while on out cohesion °* suc ™?*- 11 . everywhere wer e> thrown back. tafa JSrK VrS have appreciably advanced soutli-o,ust of Haucourt. The German aHUlery were P !inable to overcome the vctour of the French and th, I infantry."

ATTEMPT ON MORT HOMME REPULSED. Tho High Commissioner reports: Londotl| Mily Mj n. 5 a.m. "A German attempt at a conp-de-ma in north-east o£ Dead Han's Hill (Mort Homme) completely Jnilcil." AIE, RAIDS ON ENEMY'S STATIONS AND BIVOUACS. The High Commissioner reports: „ London, May 14, 11.5 a.m. "■V I'rench official report states that a squadron of ten aeroplanes dropped 43 bombs on the military stations at Nantillois and Brieulles, and on the enemy's bivouacs near Montfaucon and Roraagne. One aeroplane dropped eleven on the airship sheds at Metz."