The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-26
Bapaume, Strategic Stronghold.
Almost i'm Allies Grasp.
Germans Eyacuate Six Square
Miles i'm N. France.
TAKE 1880 TURK PRISONERS
Trap OttOmans Where Town.
shend Force Surrendered.
Persistent Artillery Pounding
Breaks Morale of Germans.

London. Feb. 26.-The Turks on
the Tigris river front are in full re
treat towards Bag-Hailah. 70 miles to
the west of Kut-el-Amara says an
official statement issued TO-DAY py the
British war office.
The fleeing turks are being en-
gagged by the pursuing British cavalry;
Kut-el-Amara has been captured
from the Turks by the British FORCES,
according to a statement made in the
house of commons today by Andrew
Bonar Law. member of the British
war council.
Mr.. Bonar Law, announced in the
house of commons. that as result
of the operations on the IlSrls river
front all of the Turkish position from
Sannaiyat to Kut-el-Amara have been
secured and the town of kut- mara
automatically passed into the hands
of the British zoo
Prisoners taken numbered 1880.
Four guns, ten machine guns ana
three mine throwers We're taken anu
rn,raI other war materials and sup
plies captured.
The fighting now becomes open
Greatest Gain Since Marnc.
gain of territory since the battle OF
the Marine. with it's terrible sacrlhces
of troops has just been achieved by
the British-and with practically no
losses. Field Marshal Sir Douglas
Haig's mer now have Bapaume al
most within their grasp The troops
of the Crown Prince Rupprecht have
abandoned section of territory OF
probably six square miles extent.
Retirement by the Germans from
Bapaume an important strategic
point, is now confidently predlcted
here For tao years British troops
have pounded increasingly toward TINS
position.
Even winters SHOWS and frosts have
not stilled the methodica1 British
onbardment on German positions.
Bit by bit Haig's men have worn away
the German morale and battered the
enemy trenches.
Retreat a Sensation.
One week ago the British drove
forward sensationally northwest OIL lie
Sars and near Petit Miraumont. At
that time it was pointed out that the
Germans strategic position after TINS
fresh British advance was such that
a retreat was likely 1t was not eX-
pected, however, that the retreat
would be carried out without des-
perate effort by the enemy to straight
en- out the "kink'' in the line put
there by the advance of February II.
But front dispatches today indicat-
ed a withdrawal with hardly blow
struck A few machine gun squads
were left with snipers to harass the
advancing forces. but these were
quickly stilled. The full extent of the
retirement has not yet been revealed
by accommodating parties. Prelimi-
nary information, however, discloses
that British forces are now within
four miles of Bapaume.
Butte de Warlencourt, of bloody
m emory, Serre, Pys. Miraumont and
Petit Miraumont-all are in British
hands. All have witnessed some of
j the most bloody fighting on the west
ern front.
| Turks in Turn Are Surrounded.
! One other advance by British forces
was the cause of rejoicing here to-
day. kut-E1-Amara, memorable as
the spot where General Townshend and
his 5000 British troops early in the
war held out so long, before the Turk
ish forces until they were starved into
surrender. is now almost encircled by
the British Mesopotamian forces.
j The Turkish garrison appears to be
trapped, in much the same fashion
that Townshend was caught.