UNKNOWN

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 March 1916, Page 3

UNKNOWN

(jtenerad Towntiheud'a men wrote a correspondent of the Times a few wceKs ago. nave liad perhaps tlie toughest of the war. In the most Hying climate in the world, they have tor fourteen months fought their way from the Persian Gulf up the Shatt-el-Ara,b and' the Tigns, to within a tew miles of Baghdad, over 500 miles from their starting point. There, alter winning a battle at the ruins of Otesiphon, they found themselves faced hy irreat Turkish reinforcements,- and were constrained to retreat. Th'is was in - the last days of November. T»& retreat was a difficult one. Exhausted by the battle, with a oasualty list o< neanty 5000 the troops started, track by river and by forced marches across the desert towards Kut-el-Amara, the camp from which they had started on the win atteTnpt to reach Baghdad. How closely they were pressed m their retreat i® evident from letters from those who took part in the retreat. On (December let, an officer's letter ea^' B\Ve8\Ve found tlio Turks in camps, sitting all" around us. We had. to tight a rearguard action ail day, and marcncd twenty-seven miles before we halted. " After lying down for two or three hours, wo marched on fifteen miles, to within four miles of Kut. Here we had to stop because the infantry were too tired to move. However, the Force was reported sarely back iu Kut on December oth. Wlhat strength it was is not clear. According to statements in Parliament where the advance towards Baghdad with insufficient forces was much criticised," General Townshend's division had been strengthened .before it (set out oil its fruitless journey to Baghdad. The troops remained ait Jvut to await reinforcements. They Had established a Btrong post here on thenway up the river, after winning a Driliiant battle six miles to the east <>i the toiwn on September 28 and at-. Kut stands in a. deep loop of the river Tigris, which at this point is about 250 yards broad. The country round ie absolutely flat and treeless, though covered by very low scrub. The Turks gave .the troops little rest. They shelled the town continuously, and gradually worked round it on all eidies. On December Bth it was learned from the India office, the enemy Shelled the position all day, and next day made desultory attacks from all Bides. And so Kut was beleagured. , J*'or about a week the Turks made daily attacks, including a particularly heavy one on December 12. Again on December 24th and on Christmas Day there were severe engagements, and every day the British position was subjected t/■ a bombardment. Meanwhile a. relief column was sidvancing up the Tigris. On January 6tli it lef Inam Ali CWierbi, 50 miles from Kut. The next day it was in action with aJbqut three Turkish divisions at Sheikh* Saad, 25 miles east of ivut. On the right bank of the river General Keanbali's column carriedi the enemy's position, but tihe main attack on tii€ left ibank was retarded by the enemy e out flaniking movements. On Jrtliuarv Bbh General Aylmer, owing to tlie fatigue of his troops, (was unable te push on, bu.t. next day the Turks were retreating. His progress was slow, however, and involved a good deaV oi fighting. Ultimately he oaimo to a ■halt about 26 miles from Kut. In the action noW' reported «t Lmm el Henna the relief coiumn was still aibout ju miles east of the main Turkish positior at El Giesa, and quite 20 miles Iron Kut by road. A