IN MESOPOTAMIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1916, Page 5

IN MESOPOTAMIA.

Mi GENERAL AYB* ER'S k&: ADVANCE. , _ " i-' - «£_ AN IMPORTANT SUCCESS,IW THE BATTLE OF CTESIPHON. ._ London, Jan. 17» atwspapers characterise Colonel Aylt Bier's advance as an important success. Ali officer, writing on the operations in Mesopotamia during the last few ■';. ■ months, says:—"Though the outside world has heard- little of our doing 3, they have now become a full-fledged part of the main theatre of operations. ' " A^ er tlle eft P t, "» , °t Kut-el-Amara the Turks became nervous about the safety of Bagdad and sent strong rein- - (forcements against the steady British advance from Basra, Our forces for the last three months hare been in continuous touch with* the enemy, and have fought several minor actions, lastly the battle of Ctesiphon, where they drove o«t four divisions of Turks from a Irtwng position, inflicting heavy losses. ; ', This hard-fought action will rank as 6m of the greatest battles of the Indian army. The troops were emaciated by the terrible hot weather and wearied with incessant work, but, fighting boHlv, faced enormous odds. The Turks' main positions, at Ctesiphon were situated on fcoth sides of the river. Their rapid retirement mostly prevented the British getting to close quarters, and the Arabs hung about the flanks and sniped' from * ««fc distance. Whatever our losses were, the Turks' were more They v •', fought stubbornly to the end, knowing 1 wftt an attempt to escape across open ground meant instant death.. The tranches were full of their dead, and pa«s of men showed where a luijky shell Mjt fatten.," ■-,, '', ANOTHER TURKISH DEHEAfc ' London, Oan. 17. It was announced in the House of Commons that the Turks ia Mesopotamia had suffered another defeat at tfce panda of the British anfl that they *iad retreated.

PROGRESS OF THE ADVANCE TAMPERED BY BAD deceived Jan. 18, 5.5 p.m. London, Jan. 17. , Mr. Chamberlain, in ti.e House of Comvmons, stated that aftjr the Turk 3 had Waned to be retiring'on the 11th, they advanced on the 12th 'to the Waddi position. Telegrams frein Colonel Townsbend had been received up to the mom?ag of the 15th, and.' from General Aylmer to tho morning . 0 f the 16th. These telegrams showed that General Kendall's column Was on the right bank oa the 13th, holding up a Turkish dirij.ii, while General Aylmer was pressing liiek two divUioiie on the left bank. There was cont pjuous fighting on the 13th, and when /the enemy retired General Aylmer mo red his headquarters and motor transport to the mouth of the Waddi. The whole ijk the Waddi position was captured on Bte loth, and the enemy's rearguard haft taken up a position at E«sim, sis ir/iles east of Kut. The weather had been seriously hampering GenV/ral Aylmer's pursuit of the enemy, unfortunately, the weather continues to be bad. 11l the wounded Md been /« e nt down the river. I . ■■— < PRISONERS' STORY. .UflD BY GERMAN OFFICERS. I London, Jan. 17. A of the British press J* Ane Tigris headquarters telegraphs iron*. Basra that six hundred prisoners w e-ffe captured at Sheik Saad. They rePW»jnted four regiments, and state that ™>£y lost 50 per cent, of their strength. TJie enemy's force included several thousands of mounted Arab irregulars. ; Two Turkish divisions that were fighting on the Tigris were exterminated, but have been reconstituted during the war. The Turks are equipped with German tools, watei bottles, and rifles, and German officers are leading them. General von der Goltz lias inspected the position *t Kut. . TROOPS THROUGH ANATOLIA. DESTINATION UNCERTAIN. Received Jan. 13, 10.35 ajn. Rome, Jan. 18. Numbers of troops have traversed Anatolia, apparently bound for Egypt, but in reality it is believed that they are dwtined fpr Mesopotamia,