CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 30, 11 January 1916, Page 5

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

The complete evacuation of Gallipoli did not come as a great surprise after General lan Hamilton’s unabridged and outspoken story of the re-embarkation at Anzac and Suvla, but it undoubtedly increases the poignancy of our sorrow at the relinquishment of an undertaking which has been entwined round our hearts by ties of flesh and blood. In the selfishness of grief at the loss of husband or son, father or brother, or other near relative the question not unnaturally arises in the minds of the great majority of mourners, “Whose is the fault?” That experienced commander, Hamilton, is now running the gauntlet of the critics, for and Suvla failure, and his second in command. General Stopford is also, very probably, getting more than his share of the blame. On the other hand, a recognised authority like Lord Sydenham says it appears that Hamilton did everything possible to secure a general advance, which was plainly immediately required, and he also says that the attempt failed because two divisions spread out on a front of two miles, with a depth of a mile and ahalf, were not sufficiently in hand to undertake 'night attacks. The plain fact of the case is that the position was lost before General Hamilton took a hand in the game. As Lord Sydenham says in conclusion, the expedition will always be associated with a gallantry that has never been surpassed.

Ere the tugs at the heartstrings had ceased to hurt, comes the further news of the complete evacuation of Gallipoli, and now our cup is full to the brim. While Cape Belles was in our possession, tliere was the consolation . (to many it meant much) that, though we were far away, at least the itrapire was watching o’er our brave dead in their rude graves on the bills and in the ravines of the Peninsula. v But War i s essentially the women’s cross to bear, and thoughts of Gallipoli for many years will be as a welling spring for tears and sorrowful remembrance of the brave dead. But to pass on to the material side, for War brooks no weeping. For the second time, the complete immunity of our forces from loss ih re-embarkation operations atones, after all the mistakes are accounted for, for very much that appears wrong to our limited vision. It is our privilege to only guess at the trials and difficulties attending such a big movement, but the success attending it emphasises th© magnificent feat of Suvla and Anzac. It proves . that it was, no fluke of moment, but the result of foresight and well-plan-ned organisation, and it also throws into high relief the very amusing report by the Turks that the enemy had been driven into the sea, “not a single Britisher remaining behind!”

Kavalla, the Macedonian seaport belonging to Greece, where the Allies landed, is now little known to Western Europe, but it has played an important part under another name in the political and religious histrfry of the world. It stands on the site of ancient Neapolis, where Brutus and Cassius moored their fleet before they fought their final battle for Republican Rome at neighbouring Phillippi. It was at Kavalla that St. Paul landed in the following century, "hen summoned by a dream to “come over and help” Macedonia.

Heavy fighting has occurred on both banks of the Tigris, and the result is a victory for the British, the enemj being in full flight, leaving two of their gun s behind. This announcement of the, operations in the Mesopotamian campaign will be read with great satisfaction, as quite recently we were taunted by some Geiman newspaper with failure, in fact, disaster, in this quarter. Mention of the Tigris' recalls some interesting items. Starting at ,th e source, we find that the Tigris originates in two headstreams in Asiatic Turkey; there is the Shat (or west) and the Bitlis, Bohtan-su (or east). The former rises in the north-west of the vilayet of Diarbekir, and flows east and south-east to Til, where it is joined by tbe Bitlis, which comes west from t|ie south of Van. The united stream flows south south-east past Mosul, Samara, and Bagdad to join the Euphrates at Kurna, which is forty miles north-west of Besra (Bussorah). After that the Tigris-Euphrates is known as the Shat-el-Arab, the chief tributaries of which are the Great Zab, the Little Zab, and the Diala. From its junction with the j.Great Zab, down to Zekrit, it flows through desert country. Of the numerous irrigation canals formerly in use, only a few are now serviceable. The lower course of the river is subject to constant change, and many swamps occur near its banks. Steamers can reach Bagdad, and sailing craft can go as far as Samara. Beside the river lie the sites of the ancient cities of Nineveh, Nimrud, Seleneia, and Ctesiphon, the latter being conspicuous in the cables recently as the scene of an important engagement.

Simple explanations of military terms which are found almost daily in the war news will be found enlightening, and it is proposed to publish in this column a short war dictionary each issue. Readers should cut out the lists and paste for future reference; —

Anti-aircraft Guns.—Guns on a special mounting permitting them to be fired at a sharp angle and with great rapidity. The Germans claim that they have guns of this pattern which will throw a shell over 25,000 feet in the air. i.., .

Asphyxiating gas.—Chlorine, a heavy yellow gas, intensely poisonous, discharged from steel cylinders in which it has been compressed.

Automatic rifle.—A rifle which reloads itself automatically by the force of th©. recoil or the gas produced by the discharge. It is fired from the shoulder, whereas the machine gun is used on a light carriage or tripod. The enemy are said to be arming snipers with authomatic rifles.

Battalion.—A unit of infantry, usually 1000 strong, and divided into four companies each of 250 men.

Battery.—Means—l. A number of guns placed in position to attack an enemy. 2. A unit of artillery generally consisting of 0 (or in the French I Army 4) guns. j Battle-plane.—A large aeroplane carrying a gun armament (generally ’ a machine gnu, but occasionally a •small piece of artillery). 1 Bomb.—Generally used for a projectile thrown by band, containing high explosives, also known as grenades. Bombs dropped from aircraftI may be of large size even so much as 5001 b in weight. Bomb-proof.—A shelter similar to or the same as a dug-out, in the earth below the surface; the roof may he strengthened w|ith steel armour or (concrete to resist heavy shells.

Bridge-head.—A fortified work protecting the end of a bridge. All the German bridges over the Rhino are | defended by very strong works of this ' character on the western bank. ( Brigade.—ln the British Army, for I the infantry, has a strength of 4000 ; in the German and moot Continental of 6000.