IN MESOPOTAMIA.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 27 March 1917, Page 5

IN MESOPOTAMIA.

GREAT DEED ON THE TIGRIS. LONDON, March 25. ;i Mr. Candler, telegraphing from Bagda d„ gives a vivid narrative of a midnight battle to secure the crossing of the Diala river aften the Turks had destroyed the bridge. He says: We pushed on the left bank, sending cavalny and two columns of infantry to work round on the right bank and enter Bagdad from the west. The column attack ing the Diala had to force a crossing where the lenient of surprise was eliminated since the old bridgehead site was chosen. Mhen the first pontoon wa slowered over the ramp the whole launching party was shot down in a few seconds by the Turks, who had concentrated machine-guns and rifles in houses opposite the bank. A second pontoon reached the middle of the stream and then the whole crew were killed owing to the terrible fusilade. The third pontoon was almost across crew after crew pushed off to certain when it was bombed and sank. Then death, the pontoons drifting down the Tigris past the British camp with their freight of dead. After the failure of the bridgehead passage, attempts to make a second crossing were cancelled: but the attempt on the second night was made with equal gallantry. This time a bombardment preceeded the attack and the barrage raised such a dust that it formed a curtain behind which ten boats succeeded in crossing. The parties were exterminated when the curtain of dust lifted, but a footing was secured. One pontoon drifted back and a scugeant called for volunteers to gather in the wounded. All twelve volunteers were killed. Sixty Lancashiremen were now' established on the opposite shore and commenced bombardin along the bank, though heavily pressed by the Turks on both' flanks. Fortunately the Laneashircs discovered a half-moon on the landward side, proa break in the river bend, w'hich formed tected by a neighbouring grove of mulbernys and palms. Here sixty Lancashires held out through the night, and - all tlih nexLday and next night, against ? - attacks. The Turks once readhed the top of the para-ilpSi-i- but- though -the duued to forty,- they drove back the attackers. The garrison almost tby the last clip of cartridges and a single bomb wdien the British Crossing w'a scompletedr Finally the cavalry and two infantry, eolomns threatened to cut off the Turks, who hurriedly retreated.