TIH ADVANCE IN MESOPOTAMIA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3043, 2 April 1917, Page 5

TIH ADVANCE IN MESOPOTAMIA

FURTHER SUCCESSES BY THE BRITISH - SEVERAL LOCALITIES OCCUPIED The High Commissioner reports:— ' , London, March 31, 4.40 p.m. An official dispatch from Mesopotamia.! dated March' 23, states: . "We occupied IShahroban, after lively fighting. On March 25. there was sever© fighting at Diala River, about the Jobel-Hamriii Mountains, and in. the direction of Eizil-Robat, when the enemy were heavily punished. Sindia, 35 miles north of Bagdad, is now occupied by us. Here the remnants of the reinforced defeated enemy from Kut-el-Amara oonfront us. Muja, 36 miles westwards of Bagdad, was occupied on March Ift, tho Turks retreating in tho direofcion. of Hit. In the direoticn of the Paitak Pass a considerable number of Turks were encountered We inflioted heavy losses." ' ; ' FURTHER DETAILS. \ / , (Rec. April 1, 1.1 p.m.) London, .March 31! An official_disty,toh from Mesopotamia states: "Our troops, since March 19, have been operating northward of Bagdad, and are aotivelyengaged in pushing the enemy'back and consolidating our positions. Our troops, and also the Russians, are converging On Khanikin, encountering considerable' difficulties owing to the necessary bridging of a number of canals and rivers, and-the Russians through the snow, the devastation wrought by the retreating Turks and the formidable Paitak Pass position. Our" troops encountered considerable forceß in this direction and despite strenuous resistance inflicted severe^losses trad oaptured prisoners, foodstuffs, and. supplies."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. —Router.' i i ■ '> THE ROUT OF THE TURKS AT GAZA ' ■ . "NEW.CRUSADE" IN PALESTINE. ■ London, March 80.. The newspapers are giving prominence to the rout of 20,000 Turks in Palestine, and describes the new "Crusade" as likely to result in -driving the Turks out of Palestine during the summer. General Murray is building aTailway as he advances alone the coast, and the fleet is proteoting'thfe flank of the army. Already the Turkish position'on the Beersheba railway Is,untenable, The newspapers suggest that Britain is likely to hold this fifty-miles-wide highway into Egypt after the war, and to allow the Jews to return to Palestine.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo ifcssn, > HIS MAJESTY-S CONGRATULATIONS, i . , : (Rec. April 1, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 31. The Press Bureau 'states' His Majesty the King,, in a message to Sir Archibald Murray (the British Commander in Egypt), says: "The good news of your latest success has been received by us at Home with the greatest satisfaction., We are proud of the achievements of your force, and the assistance given to our Allies. Please convey all ranks our hearty congratulations and'our oonfidonoe in' your further efforts."—Atos.N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Rcutor., ■ , ' r ■." ~~~ ■. . . . TURKISH FICTION-WRITING . ./■> BRILLIANT VICTORY. CLAIMED ! r (Rec. April 1, 5.5 p.m.) ' . > ' London, March 31. 'A Turkish official communique, in an imaginative description of the fight-. ing on March 26 and 27 at Gaza, after claiming a brilliant victory, states that the British left number of dead, and retired, pureued—Aus.-N.?. Cable Assn.-Reutor. . , : ;