The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-01-11
NESOpO OIAMIA IS
BATTLE CENTER
Of INTEREST
British Force There kgain Defeat.
ed But Not Crushed
TURKS HAVE IMMENSE ARMY
Have Surrounded British Garrison at
Kut-el.Amara But Relief Column
is Nearing the City.

---.-ss-
London, Jan. ia disaster for the
British in Mesopotamia is indicated
in reports from German aud Turkish
sources 1t is said that part of the
British army at Kuo-elAmara, whero
it has been staying since the collaph
of the attempt to reach Bagdad, is
surrounded by Turks and that the
rest is in retreat.
The British claim contradicts this,
apparently, it being officially stated
that the Turks are retreating
A dispatch from Berlin sent yester-
day by wireless to sayyille says:
THE British army at Kut-etAmara.
in Mesopotamia, has now been sur
rounded completely By the Turks, ac-
cording to Constantinople advices
given out today by the Overseas
News Agency It is said that the
Turks have advanced to the main de
fenses of the British The main Brit
ish army in Mesopotamia, according
to these advices, is in retreat. 10000
men having been left IN Kut-el-Amara
to cover the movement"
A German official wireless dispatch,
dated at Constantinople, received at
London yesterday, makes the claim
that Kutel-Amara has been surround
ed by the Turks and adds: 1t is
hoped that the fort will soon either
be taken or fan for want OF food
stufis and that the British defenders,
who number more than 10000 will be
CAPTURED. The Bsitfsh Thought BY
leaving these forces in Kut-el-Amara
to guarantee the defense OF the town
and also to assure the orderly retreat
of the remainder of the army This
portion of the army is at present n
long way southeast of Knt-el-Amara
and cannot 90 to the help Of the fort
especially as the morale OF this force
is shaken"
The Turks in Mesopotamia were in
full retreat on Sunday with the Brit
ish pursuing them it was announced
in the House OF Commons at London
yesterday by J. Austen Chamberlain,
secretary for India. There had been
heavy fighting on both banks OF the
Tigris on January : Mr. Chamber
lain's announcement states. and thei
British had taken two Turkish guns
and zoo prisoners
Recent dispatches have indicated
that the British expedition in Meso-
potamia, was confronted by Turkish
forces OF superior size ana that it
would have difficulty in maintaining
itssli at KutelAmara. The defenses
of the city, in fact. were attacked by
the Turks scme time ago, resulting i'll
severe fighting. but the British were
able to repulse The assaults.
The retreat from Kutel-Amara--
assuming the correctness OF the IN.
official adyces from Berlin-apparen
ly means the abandonment by the
British of any attempt, for the pres
ent at least, of an offensive campaign
in Mesopotamia. It was in Noyem-
Der OF 1914 that an Anglo-Indian
force, starting from the Persian gulf,
began marching north and west over
the desert following the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers wherever possible
The fighting was slow and exhausting.
but the British pushed northward
steadily until in September Of 1915,
they reached el-Amara, which is
$50 miles northwest of the head OF
the Persian gulf They defeated the
Turks there and advanced to Ctesi.
phon, g miles below Pagdad The
Turks sent up large forces to save
Bagdad and after an initial defeat,
again attacked and won victory
over the invaders. The British fell
back on Kut-el-Amara, but there has
been no previous intimation that they
intended TO abandon this point.
Although the Berlin report OF the
British retreat in Mesopotamia ap-
pears TO be at variance with the Brl-
tish announcement that the Turks
are falling back after heavy fighting.
Mr.. Chamberlain's statement to the
the point at which the engagement re-
ferrcd to occurred. 1t is possible that
this action took place somewhere
south Of Kutel-Amara between the
Turks and the main body of the Brit
ish.