Against the Turks

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 181, 9 January 1915, Page 5

Against the Turks

THE BATTLE 01' SARY KAMYSH. TURCO-GERMAN FORCES OUTMANOEUVRED ENVELOPING MOVEMENT FAILS. APPALLING TURKISH LOSSES. THE SECRET OF TURKEY'S INTERVENTION. Petrograd January 7. The Turks in the Caucasus fought bravely under German orders, but the Russian leaders out-manoeuvred the Germans, who planned' the battle in accordance with their favourite text-book tactics and fell into a trap resembling that at Bresiny at the end of November. The German idea was to rest one wing on a fortress, using the other flank for envelopment. Erzerum was the fortress, but the dircctio?) of the turning movement was long a secret, as the condition of the atmosphere hampered aeroplane reconnaissance and the mountains impeded scouting. Tfte German generals reduced the transports to a minimum and swiftly advanced in two main bodies, one marching on Sary Kamysh. The ether crossed the frontier at Aitvine near the sea and occupied Ardagan, with the mountains in their rear. The. Russians discovered the move'to Ardagan in time and posted a strong force against the left wing, also between the wing and the centre. The Turks were thus lured into a trap and delivered a frontal attack on Sary Kamysh, apparently unaware that the turning movement had failed, or perhaps they hoped that a bold stroke would retrieve its failure.

The Turks losses were appalling. Dead and wounded lie on the ground for miles and the. narrow valleys and mountain roads are dotted with frozen corpses. The ground is too hard for the burial of the dead and they have been cremated. The Russian pursuit was terribly arduous. It was unreasonable to expect too much of the men. Even seasoned troops were obliged to sleep with cattle for warmth. The prisoners include the Austrian staff. Paris, January C. Sheref Pasha, interviewed, said the Turks did not wish to join Germany, but there was no alternative, because Turkey was at the mercy of Talaat Bey and nine other committeemen of the Unio n of Progress, who for the last year and a half had received several million marks from Germany. Sheref predicts that a revolution is certain when Turkey realises the significance of the Sary Kamysh defeat. ~%~%} Petrograd, January 7. The Archduke Nicholas has received Sir John French's congratulations on the Sary Kamysh victory. The Gazette states that the Russian! have captured Izzet Pasha, a former Turkish Minister of War. London, January 7. A neutral from Constantinople reports that up to November 10,000 Germans arrived to be directly or indirectly in the Porte's service. General Joffre, in congratulating the Grand Duke Nicholas on the great victory in the Caucasus, said: "By constand and uninterrupted efforts in all the theatres of war the. allied armies are J paving the way to final victories."