MESOPOTAMIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1916, Page 5

MESOPOTAMIA.

I A DEPRESSING RECORD. STRUGGLES OF INADEQUATE FORCES London, Oct. i2. General Lake, in a dispatch, fays: Opaiation from January 1!) to April 13 were a depressing record of the most gallant efforts of an inadequate force to cone with almost insurmountable difficulties. The supply of river steamers never equalled requirements and consequently it was never possible to concentrate on the Tigris front the whole force available or sufficient transport to enable, them io operate freely at any distance from the river. General Aylmer's unsuccessful attempt to force the Hannah defile was carried out with splendid courage and dogged determination. The troop* bivouacked in driving rain. They thrice advanced over flat country, deep with mud and absolutely devoid of cover, against well-ennstructed trenches manned jt a brave and stubborn enemy. When General fiorringe succeeded to the command in llarch, the Tigris \va3 in h'-iv\ flood, which caused extensive inundations. The remainder of the month was a strenuous struggle to prevent the whole of the country from being flooded and every available man wa? Engaged in digging embankments. Large Turkish reinforcements on April 20 enabled them to make strong counterattacks, which drove back our troops, many of whom were unable to reply to the tnemy's fire owing to their rifles bein«r choken with mud. The Kut garrison had now only six days' supplies and General Gorringe's troops were nearly worn out. The same troops had advanced time and again to the a..-ault cm eighteen consecutive days upon an inadequate scale of rations, which the shortage of river transport necessitated. The failure of General Avlmer to reach Kut finally obliged General Townshend to surrender. Reuter Service. Bcceived Oct. 13, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 12 In the House of Commons, Mr. H. W. Former (Financial Secretary to the War Office), announced that the Turks had tiken srisoners 537 British officers and 11,631 :r.e:i, and that the British had taken jrlsoacr 43!) officer.', and 1)751 Ti:rki, Negotiations for the of ivjiita were proceeding. ■ ' ' ——