RAPID ADVANCE ON THE TIGRIS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3017, 2 March 1917, Page 5

RAPID ADVANCE ON THE TIGRIS

VIGOROUS PURSUIT MAINTAINED ENEMY ABANDONS HIS GUNS Tho High Commissioner reports: London, February 28, 2.30 p.m. An official dispatch from Mesopotamia states: "A close pursuit was steadily maintained on Monday. Wo engaged the enemy during the afternoon, on the left of tho Tigris, and 30 iniles westr-north-westward of Knt. Tho fleeing enemy_ abandoned quantities of material and threw his guns into the river, these inoluding four 5.0 howitzers. The British gunboat Firefly, which was lost during tho retreat from Otesiphon, was recaptured. One Turkish ship was captured and l another was sunk."A GREAT STROKE OF STRATEGY WONDERFUL EXPLOIT BY OUR BRIDGE ENGINEERS. (Bee. March. 1, 5.25 p.m.) ... , London, February 28. Mr. Candler, describing a "great stroke of strategy" in the crossing of the Tigris at Shumran, says: "While the attention of the Turks was deflectod by the attacks at Sanaaiyat, our pontoons were launched from three points. At dawn'a British regiment effected the northernmost crossing, surprising tho enemy. The first boat was a few yards from the north bank bofor© shots wore heard, and a sharp machine-gun f usillado bogan, but the pickets, after an hour's fighting, surrendered. Two Ghurka regiments that crossed downstream werc strongly opposed by the machine-guns that swept the river The Turks attacked with grenades, and the landing becamo a bombing match. Eventually the Glmrka-s established: a footing on. shoro, and hold on under an intense artillery fire, finally linking up with the British. Although the enemy's artillery swept the river and hanks, our Dridge was completed in oight hours. Tho river is 340 yards wide at that point, and the current flows at fiyo knots au tour. One of iho prisoners admitted that the feat was -believed to be impossible."—The "Times."