THE BRITISH FORCES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 104, 27 January 1919, Page 5

THE BRITISH FORCES

DISPOSITION OUTSIDE FRANCE NUMBERS OF MEN BEING DEMOBILISED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. January 26, 5.5 p.m.) London, January 23. The Australian Press Association understands that the following is the disposition of British forces outside of France—Three divisions.are in Italy, but are being reduced by demobilisation. There is also a battalion at Fiurue and another in the Northern •. Tyrol. Three divisions arc in the Balkans, including one in the Dobruja, garrisoning the zone between the Bulgarians and the Rumanians. Another division is in the vicinity of Constantinople, and there is also a battalion at Scutari. Troops have been sent to Caucasia to keep open' the communications with the Indian troops in Transcaspia. There are a large number of German and Austrian prisoners in Tranncaspia who still do not believe that the Central Powers have been defeated, and <vho F&y that the German submarines in the Caspian Sea recently drowned thirty thousand British troops. The .Turks, also remain truculent, and do not appear to realise their defeat. They continue their old oppressions, and are exterminating the Armenians.

Three divisions of British troops sie at Alexandria awaiting shipment home, and another is at Cairo. Three divisions are in Palestine and Syria, and are largely composed of Indians, besides four mounted divisions, of which two Australian divisions are about to be repatriated'. "vVe have five infantry divisions and me cavalry division in Mesopotamia. These are necessary to preserve the civilisation, introduced during, the war, which is remarkable, including as it does the making of a modern Tjort at Basra, the construction of hundreds of miles of railways, arid improvements in irrigation And tlie navigation of the rivere. It is hoped that a considerable portion of the British will be withdrawn from Mesopotamia before the hot, weather if ships are available. There are other small forces in Persia, Siberia, and Northern Russia, and of seventy thousand garrisoning Iwlia it. is hoped to bring forty thousand home before summer.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.