MESOPOTAMIA CAMPAIGN.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 18 December 1916, Page 5

MESOPOTAMIA CAMPAIGN.

i AN ADVANCE MADE. ! 1 LONDON, Dec 15. I The Hi<rh Commissioner cables: In I ' Mesopotamia our forces on the Tigris assumed the offensive o u December 13 and 14. The Turkish positions about | on the left bank were subjected to heavy bombardment. On the night of the 13th and 14th the B'ritish secured the left bank of the River Hai, between Atab and Basaugiyeh, and crossed to the right bank, securing ground to a depth of one to one and ahalf miles, the cavalry subsequently clearing the Turks from the trenches on the right bank near Mala Hajit'ahan. The positions occupied are being consolidated, our casualties were slight. I LONDON, Dec 16. In Mesopotamia o n Thursday, the initial advantage secured by our operations on Wednesday was steadily im- ' proved. We are advancing northwards on both sides of the Hai river. [A British outpost is established threequarters of a mile from the Tigris I southwards of Kut.