Mesopotamia

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 46, 29 January 1916, Page 5

Mesopotamia

TURKS RETIRING AGAIN. United Pbfss Assooiat.on. London, January 27. General Townshend reports that the Turks evacuated their trenches on the land side of the defences at Kut-el-Amara, and retired about a mile from the British entrenchments. \ A CORRECTION. London, January 27. The Press Bureau reports that the recent fighting was 23 miles below fvutel-Amara, not seven miles. The mistake was due to the India Office misunderstanding a cablegram refer■ing to the Essin position, which was known to be strongly entrenched. THE POSITION SUMMED UP. MOVEMENTS OF THE FORCES. (Received 8.30 a.m.) London, January 28. The Morning Post sums up the situ,tion in Mesopotamia as follows: liter fighting on the Bth the Turks .etreated eight miles to a position nidway between ShekhursaJ and the ,-ight angle of the bend of the Tigris >.ear the Elowasa. The position is (escribed as a Wadi, which is a dry nver bed joining the Tigris on the eft bank. General Aylmer, advancing alona; >oth banks, made a frontal attack m the 12th, combined with an unthinking movement in the north, and die Turks retired in the night five niles to a position astride the rivet it the great right angle bend where>f the northern Hank covered marshy ground. The result of the fighting on Friday was indecisive and General Vylmer was forced to iall back 1 JOd • ards from bis position. There is little prospect of progress until the weather improves and the country drains. General Townsend is evidently too rigidly beleaguered to co-operate with the relieving column. Another British force is advancing from Snattilhai, which joins the Tigris at Ktit-el-Amara. Probably a force occupies the Euphrates valley in order to prevent the Turkish advance from Basra General Aylmer yesterday reported there was no change in the situation