MESOPOTAMIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 December 1916, Page 5

MESOPOTAMIA.

/ ' A BRITISH ADVANCE. / tdrks put to flight. GROtiNU GAINED CONSOLIDATED. '&UT AT MERCY OP BRITISH. Received Dec. 24, 3.5 p.m. London, Do; 23. A report telegraphed from the panks of the Shat-el-hai on December 17 it»tesi—-We advanced on the night of December 13 across perfectly flat country, containing no landmarks, the movement being carried out without a hitch. Our infantry and cavalry reache] the objective in exact time. The imantrv crossed at three foTds" near Atab, at dawn, and the cavalry lower down the stream* Within an hour our pioneers ware buildinp camps. The enemy outposts were dispersed, and two pontoon bridges erected over the Hai. T-li j river )?~bOrdered by low scrub, fords being numerous, but treacherous. Some transport 'carts were caught !h the •]wickSands., The Turks held the position uAtil our cavalry were, within -200 yards, And were then driven out. The main body of cavalry rushed the S'mnran bridge, nine jrilea from Kut, while the infantry advanced and consolidated the sound gained. Our losses for the day inconsiderable. ; Aeroplanes, "bv moonlight,' flew over Kut and bombed a bridge, which was beijg towed in sections, besides scattering the pontoons. The Turks arc now unable to transport troops except by ferrying, | Daring the 15th we advanced vithin three-quarters of a mile of the Tigris, South-east of Kut, and on the Kith wc dispersed a considerable force of Turkish irregulars advancing along the western bank of the Hai. Our troops are in high spirits < wing to the move after a long halt. Wi- can see the people of Kut upon the roofs of the houses, and could Teduce the tiacs to a heap of mud-bricks jf wc Wed. ITie weather throughout was fnost favorable.