The Prescott daily news., 1916-01-12
HIGH PRAISE FOR
 INDIAN TROOPS
Destination of 45, ,OO0 Men,
 Transferred, Unknown.
MAY LAND IN MES 0POTAMIA

General Townshends Army In That
 Region In a Critical Situation, and
 British Public Believes the Men Will
 Be Used to Re enforce That Front.
 Message From King.
 There is much speculation in mill tary circles as to the destination of the Indian army corps which was recently transferred from the Flanders front The possibilities of their new field of action touch upon three points-Salon- iki, Egypt and Mesopotamia The lat ter is deemed to be the more probable field for them and it is believed that they may be sent to re-enforce General Townshends army, now apparently in q critical situation on the Tigris.
 Before the departure of these 45,000 men for "a new field of action," after having fought the Germans for more than year on the Anglo French front the Prince of Wales delivered to them message from the king, thanking them for their gallant services. The kings message was:
 More than q year ago 1 summoned you from India to fight for the safety of my empire and the honor of my pledged word on the battlehelds of Bel gium and France The confidence which l then expressed In your sense of duty, your courage and your chiv- airy you since have nobly justified.
 "I now require your services in an- other field of action, but before you leave France l send my dear, gallant son, the Prince of Wales who has shared with my armies the danger and hardships of the campaign, to thank you in niy name for your services and to express to you my satisfaction
 Indian Troops Praised
 British Indian comrades ill arms. yours has been fellowship in tolls. hardships, courage and endurance. of ten against great odds. in deeds nobly done in days ot ever memorable con dict. In the warfare waged under new conditions and in peculiarly trying cir cumstanccs you have worthly upheld the honor of the empire and the great traditions of my army in India,
 "I have followed your fortunes with the deepest interest and watched your gallant actions with pride and satis- faction, and l mourn with you the loss of many gallant officers and men. Let it be your consolation. us their pride, that they freely gave their lives in a just cause for the honor of their sov- ereign and the safety of my empire. They died gallant soldiers, and l shall ever hold their sacrifice in grateful re- membrance
 You leave France with just pride In honorable deeds already achieved and with my assured confidence that your proved valor and experience will con- tribute to further victories fin the new fields of action to which you go
 ''I pray God to bless and guard you and bring you back safely when final victory is won, each to his own home, there to be welcomed with honor among his own people"
 Early in September, 1914, the British
 
 troops were in France. One cabinet official called them the unknown fac tor which altered the situation at the front At that time there were 30,00O Indian soldiers here-two divisions of infantry and brigade of cavalry. La ter more arrived, and in November twelve transports arrived at Marseilles, bringing British-Indian cavalry. who were anxious to join the British infan. try against the Germans.
 X dispatch from Delhi. via London, on Jan. 13, 1915, said that Lord liar dinge, viceroy of Egypt, had stated at the opening of the vice regal council that 100000 Indian troops were at the front, distributed in France Egypt, East Africa snd along the Persian gulf