Mesopotamia

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 22, 1 May 1916, Page 5

Mesopotamia

TOWNSHEND CAPITULATES , GARRISON STARVED OUT. KUT-EL-AMARA POSITION UNTENABLE. SURRENDER OF G 970 MEN.I ■ [United Press Association.} .>* ,•. London April Official: After a resistance ofy|£|3 days, conducted with a gallantry and fortitude that will be for ever memorable, the exhaustion of supplies compelled General Townshend to surrender, after destroying all guns and munitions. The force consists of 2970 British and 6000 Indians.

ATTEMPT TO SUPPLY STORES DEFEATED. SHIP WRECKED FOUR MILES FROM KUT. London, April 29. The War Office announces that an attempt was made on the night of the 24th to send a , ship with supplies to Kut, but although it was 'carried out with the utmost gallantry it unfortunately failed. Our aeroplanes discovered the ship aground near Magasis, tour miles eastward of Kut. THE ENEMY’S REPORT. UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER. Amsterdam, April 30. A Turkish communique says: General Townshend’s garrison of 13,000 men surrendered unconditionally. PRESS COMMENT. THEIR TASK DISCHARGED. (Received, 8.30 a.in.) . ■ • -.—; Loudon, ■ A prillßo. Newspapers deplore the loss of the hraje gkiTisdn nt’KW but' jiolrH out that .the Mefendlcrs ’ ■'discharged '' their task hy )ip|ding ? rt 'colisideiaWe Wrkislr force,' tfrusassisting ’this British' lit the' Suez Canal and. the Russians in ArI . 1 ■ ■( r ■ ; ulema.

encouraging words by the PRIME MINISTER CO ON WITH THE BURDEN OF I EMPIRE ! Per Press Association. Wellington, May 1. . The following brief statement on the reverse in Mesopotamia was made by the Prime Minister: There is no disguising the fact that- the, nows fioiu Mesopotamia is bad, but we have to. rgmomber that wo cannot expect to get through a great war such as this without reverses* There- can. bo no doubt that General Townshend and his troops have; s&f ff ’ under the circumstance's,'" surrendering only yhen there was milling else left for them to do. The full story of their 1 endurance has yet'to be told, and we shall find when it comes to hand there has been nothing done which will in any way tend to the discredit of the Army or the Empire. A? British citizens, we must on no account allow ourselves to be discouraged by what has taken place; on the contrary, we should be stimulated to fresh efforts. A reverse such as this should only strengthen our determination to win at any cost, and I am confident it will have that effect. We have taken up the burden ot Empire, and we must carry it willingly and cheerfully. No doubt, the enemy will bo elated over what they will boast of as an important victory, but our answer must be to fill up the gaps by sending troops and still inure troops from every part of the Empire to where they are- most urgently required,”