Mesopotamia

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 4, 7 April 1916, Page 5

Mesopotamia

THE RECENT BRITISH SUCCESS

fUNiTKn Prkss Association.! London, April 6. Experts attach the greatest importance to the British victory at Unielhanah, as the enemy's main advanced position was of great strength, naturally and artificially. It was situated on the north bank, extending from the Tigris to the Suwaicha marshes, thus barring the approach to Kut-el-Amara, twenty miles away.

BRITISH MAKE PROGRESS. CAPTURE OF FELAHIE. (Received 9.10 a.m.) London, April G. Official.—The British captured Felahie in Mesopotamia. "A RAY OF HOPE." FORMIDABLE ENEMY POSITIONS TO BE OVERCOME. (Received 0 a.m.) London, April 6. The newspapers give prominence to the news concerning Kut-el-Amara J and the report of General Lake's sue- j cess. Coinciding with the publication j of General Nixon's report, the ab- j sence of recent news from General Townshend caused increasing public anxiety. General Lake's success gives both the long-suffering force sßb Kut and the long-suffering public at home, a ray of hope, though the main Turkish position remains to be attacked. General Lake states: Apparently, the inundations from the Armenian highlands have not made the operations impossible, as many military experts feared. Umm el Hanah, on the left bank of the Tigris, constitutes the first line of the enemy's formidable position, and there is no room for ! manoeuvring, as there is a front of I only a mile and a-half. We tried to force this bottle-neck on January 21, but General Aylmer was unable to hold j the ground won. j The Morning Post attacks the Go- ! vernment, alleging that acting on Gen- I eral Nixon's advice, it overruled the j India Office, and directed General ' Townshend to dash for Bagdad, [ though General Townshend protested against the inadequacy of the force. I Churchill's restless brain was respon i sible, and the probable motive was to j divert the Turks from Gallipoli, and thus retrieve the ghastly blunder of . the Dardanelles. I