THE KUT DESPATCH..
*SHEDS NO LUSTRE ON BRITISH
· GENERALSHIP:””
In a leading article The Times of October 19th says:-
STRUMA FIGHTING.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, NOVEMUMÉ 18TH, 1916,
OVER 3,609 BULGARIAN DEAD.-
THE MAN-POWER QUESTION.
NO DOUBT ABOUT THE AVAILABLE MAN-POWER OF THE NATION.
SIR E. CARSON ON IRELAND'S CONTRIBUTION,
DT:
NETTING THE SOUND.
GERMAN IMITATION OF BRITISH
METHODS
THE GUARDS FIGHT ON THE SOMME.
PAYING OFF OLD SCORES.
FIKE BRITISH GUNNERY,
The Germans are picking up nayal pointe from Britain, just në Britain and HUMOURS OF GERMAN SURRENDERS, Hang To-day has seen feroar fighting than
France have picked up military points The publication to day of Sir Percy any since we crossed the Struma an
In the House of Commons last month, from Germany. But the nightly netting (UY "THE TIMES " SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Saturday (says Mr. G. Ward Frios writment to tell the House whether they into serious trouble if the Scandinavian short superficial account of the share of Lake's dispatch regarding the unsucessing to The Times from the British front
Sir H. Dalziel urged the Govern of the Sound, in the hope of catching British submarines, would get Germany ful attempts to relieve the garrison of un October 3rd). Attack and counter
In my dispatch at the time I gave a wern catisfied
dissatisfed with our Kut will serve to remind the public that passes that have been filled by bombard subject was a day added to the duration tion, for since one shore of the Bound captured on a German officer, which
attack have followed one another with that they postponed
present man-power. Every day entrals had a little more power. The the Guards in the fighting of September decision upon the netting must be rather an awkward opera 1th and 16th. Today I have seen a map, We still have a very large army in ment. Early this morning we captured of the war. He complained of the conis Danish and the other Swedish, the Mesopotamia. For the last five months the village of Yenikoui, adding a third tinued employment in Government offices ends of the nets, like the rest of them, these days and makes the subject worth it has been an army behind a veil, and to the two taken on Saturday,
of thousands of young men who ought to would have to be fastened to barges
throws new light on the incidents of we fear it has undergone severe trials.
(Hear, hear.) One Department too often roest, between Elsinore and Helsing the Guards started in the early morn- have joined the Army two years ago. moored out from the shore. At its nat-.
recurring to.
The jumping-off pince" from which Mr. Llewellyn, Williams was entirely miles wide, and its depth varies between the rest of the siguro y could see opposed to the methods by which the four and twenty fathoms These dimen- the crest of the ridge. They could see set aside the decision come to by another. borg, the Sound is no more than three
months had tried to increase the mar Government during the last eight or nine sions are nothing compared with those of nothing beyond and knew Httle of what power of the country for the Army. been netted, but then the Channel's shores had a certain space of open ground be The fact that the House was already to are wholly in the possession of the nations fore arriving at the first main trench the Channel, which is supposed to have was there. It was supposed that they be asked to discuss an amending Bill which are doing the netting. The legality which they had to take. But they had meant that the Military Service Act had of the netting by Germany would raise no sooner topped the crest than the right broken down: All the hopes entertained interesting points in international law, of the line found itself against trenches by its sponsors had been falsified The if that mattered very mach just now with uncut wire of which they had known man-power of the country had been, soBut if the nets are only let down at night nothing. drained before the former Bills were in British submarines would probably be shown on the captured camp. They had It is these trenches which are troduced that it was impossible by such able to get through in the daytime, been marked in in blue pencil by the methods to increase it. The right hon.though it might be awkward if there were hand of the oficer on whom the map was Meanwhile, along the Seres road that gentleman the member for Trinity College enemy aeroplanes above trying to spot found; and with the trenches was also Ireland, stating that there were 800,000 would also make a difference: On the marked the German order of battle that advocated an extension of conscription to them. The configuration of the bottom available men in Ireland,
other hand, there would be no need to trenches were held by seven companies morning. It shows that those two short occasionally, for a number have been send a submarine through, except very
of one of the best of the German
know, and since they are attached to the German Admiralty has good reason to operating there this long while, as the
regimenta,
Russian Baltic Fleet they no doubt draw their supplies from Russian naval bases, and need not return until the war is over.
тоге
021
The climate has caused much sickness, tered the village, but it had been mainly It was dawn when the battalion en the difficulty of forwarding supplies has won for them beforehand by a most effec. heen very hand to overcome, and it took tive artillery fire. The cold and darkness brooding sense of failure after which crashed into Yenikeni from our the force a long the t after Kut fell, before sunrise was lit up by the shells Mr. Asquith drew aside que corner of batteries. The shooting was thoroughly the veil on Wednesday, and revealed im accurate, for the target had been regis proving conditions. Be said that the tored yesterday. Then on a signal from health of the troops was better, and he the infantry advancing from the bank made à reference to rail communica of the Strums the guns lifted their fire, tions" which suggests a new phase of the and joined in maintaining a barrage Mesopotamian campaign. General Maude, behind Yenikeni. So attacking the troops who assumed command of the Expedition came up and occupied Yenikeni, with a few weeks ago, is understood to have practically no casualties, except a few the confidence of the General Staff and due to enemy shrapnel, of the Government, and he has never been under the cloud which-rightly or wrongly-has dimmed the reputation of runs from the big wooden bridge at so many generals on the Tigris. Since Orljak, through Yenikeui, came the the appointment of the Mesopotamian armoured motor-care. Their time had Commission criticism of the cartier come, and was well used. Their machine 600,000 men of military age,
Sir E. Carson said there were phases of the campaign has been very guns rattled away to such effect that properly suspended. In view of the fact they cleared the Bulgarians completely question was how many men of military Mr. Llewellyn Williams said the real that the Couraission is still sitting out of two trenches alongside the road,ago there were in Ireland or in Great is not easy to discuss with complete and the regiment in support was able to Britain available for military service, frankness Sir Percy Lake's dispatch. It push on towards Yenikeui, while the having regard to the necessities of pru must be conceded that it tells more than armoured motor-care, their steel aidesviding munitions and money for ourselves most of the dispatches which have been scarred with shell splinters, came bump. and the Allies. He urged the Govern issued during the war, and yet it leavening contentedly home again on flat tires ment to be very careful how they extended a great deal unsaid. No doubt the Com-torn to shreds by Bulgarian bullets.
the principle of conscription in any way, mission will throw Tight upon its omis
seeing they had been proved to be wrong But the Bulgarian soldiers are tough twice already. BIODS. Sir Percy Lake took over the fighters, and we had hardly begun to command in Mesopotamia from Sir settle ourselves in Yenikeri when, across am seriously concerned about the re Sir E. Carson. I admit that 1 John Nixon on January 10th less than the plain from Toplove to the north-arve of man power in this country, three weeks after the relieving force, went ene a warning of a counter attack but I base it not began to march on Kut. He found the by 3,000 men-- whole regiment of three conscription, or any wish to upset any
any love of main body of the Turks entrenched on battalions. On they pressed until they body or any trade, but on the speech that the left bank of the river in the defile arrived within reach of our guns, of whose read the other day by General Sir Wil at Umm-Al-Hannah. The enemy had work the whole Army is proud. Then the liam Robertson, than whom there is no withdrawn to this position after inflict-
gune planted shrapnel among them. The man in the country more competent to ing very severe losses on our troops, who Bulgarians fell by scores. They turned form an opinion as to the necessities that had been attacking across open country.south and then cast again, but the lie before us in this great war. (Cheers.) The river was in flood, rain was incessant, relentless guns never left them for a figures which have been put before me by I base it also on the calculation and and Sir Percy Lake says there were no mouwat. So they fled back to the nullahsa dan that I believe perfectly competent steamers available for supplies in the plain for rest. After a while they to do so as to the reserve power of our than had been provided six months decided to try again, but no sooner had enemies the Germans in the Geld. Aro We may pass briefly over the story of gun put right in the midst of a group it is? I of course, do not know, nor do they left cover than one shell, which awe to neglect it? Are we to leave it where the failure to eject the Turks from the of 40, wiped the whole lot right out, and I want to know, official details and how Umm-Al-Haqnah defile during the opera the attack failed, like the previous one, exactly the matter stands, but I certainly tions between January 19th and 23rd. before it had got within rifle range of am rendered anxious by the speech of Bir The attack was directed by General Jour Aylmer, and the story, as revealed with garinns tried again from the north and that is open to us here to consider is, have new position. The stubborn Bul- William Robertson. The only question some candour in the dispatch, is a piti east, for they are good stickers," but we enough men, and, if we have not, how able one. The troops were gallant enough, there was no escape from those shef's are we going to get them? There is no but their task was impossible. They had They drew back, and the last sight of use going into the horrors of homes broker to advance across boggy ground entirely them for the morning was destitute of cover, and they were mown line of little black figures regaining for my own part that if this House and long up. Everybody regrets them. We have got to win this war, I am bound to say down without ever reaching the enemy's Teplova. trenches. Supports failed to reach the
on them the country really, mean the policy that devoted Scottish and Indian infantry chance for our men to dig in and run
The noonday hours were a precious is laid down as being the policy of the which made the first assault, and the up wire around Yeniken, though they that we have not reached anything like
country in relation to the war, Expedition was eventually very definite-were much bothered by snipers up the the limit of sacrifice that will have to be believe ly repulsed. It was discovered meanwhile nullahs. that the enemy had constructed four threw out a cavalry screen, which was
Meanwhile, the Bulgarians made to provide the necessary man-power other strong position on the left bank plainly to be seen moving about the speeches to the country ought to be is for the war. (Cheers,) What our between Hannah and Kut. On the right plain, though they were greatly incom this: You people are making and have bank there were fewer defences, but moded by the persistent shells, which are some miles of tranches, strengthened by always ready to drop on any two or of carrying on this just war. We know made the most terrible sacrifices which redoubts, had been made ut Es Sina, three who might draw together for a
human beings can make for the purpose few miles below Kut. General Townshend had reported on January 25th that he
you would multiply your sacrifices to had enough food to hold out for another But the Bulgarians were only waiting tyranny of the Germans to be imposed times over rather than ever allow the eighty-four days, and he actually main- to reinforce the troops which had suffered upon your country or the country of the tained himself in the beleaguered town 80 much in the morning's attempt at Allies." (Cheers.): for some days longer than the period counter-attack. By inconspicuous half- Ireland has made a considerable con- specified. By the beginning of March, dozens they drifted across the plain, and tribution to the Army, but having regard however, it was fairly cicer that the tucked themselves away in the shelter of to the death struggle in which we are Expedition could never hope to storm in the stream beds. Then at 8.30 the enemy engaged, it is not an adequate, or any turn all the positions along the left tried exactly the same plan by which thing like an adequate, one, (Cheers.) I It was therefore we prepared the capture of Zir on must say here that I do not know any decided to make a night march along the Saturday. They turned every gun they thing that could be more harmful than right bank, and attack the Es Sinn de bad got on to Yenikeui. with a free band the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland the other the kind of speech made by his Excellency fences. The essence of the scheme was toto fire as often as they could. Yenikeus night, when, speaking to people who had can be no reasonable doubt that Kut volcanu. Soon it was hidden behind a would have been relieved the same day, kaleidoscope of vari-coloured vapour, and the whole of the Turkish positions At the same time out of avery little de- on the left bank would have been turned Pression in the plain to the west of the General Aylmer was in command, and village sprang hundreds and hundreds of the two attacking columns were command-black figures that pressed on slowly but ed by Generals Kemball and Keary, steadily once more towards Yenikoui. Our guns barked and flung shells to
earlier.
bank of the river.
moment.
that is a justification for any Act of Parliament. My right hon. friend aske taking the thing in hand. We are.. us what we are doing whether we are
Guards went forward, the troops on It has already been told how, as the their right were held up, not through any fault of theirs, but because they had before them positions which it was humanly impossible, at that stage, to take The Guards went on therefore for right flank, which was swept by machine. nearly a inile with a totally exposed gun fire. It was this that caused the great majority of the casualties which numerous and the Government is con
The exemptions are certamly far too they suffered. As for the troops in
Front of them, they mattered little. vinced of that, and we are dealing with
It was with a certain fieres joy that
House. them. If I gave the figures of the exempthey learned that these troops in front tions I think it would rather startle the of them were old enemies. They bad met All I can say is that I have before at the Second Battle of Ypres, great democratic countries, and where the and held these same troops when all the reports from France and from Italy, two and in th salient the Guards had facad exemptions in those countries run. to odds were on the enemy's side. Now at hundreds of thousands they run to mil last they met op equal terms; and the lions here, find money because of it.
Mr. Llewellyn Williams. They cannot than their own..
Guards gut their own back, and more We have to finance them.
The enemy in those firat tronches
position of this country and the others thing they knew was that they were upon anything about the comparative financial that the trenches were there.
fought well, the Guards admit as much. Mr. Lloyd George. Any one who knows Our men, as has been said, had no idea knows that it has absolutely nothing them, and then, on their right of the line, whatever to do with it.
The Brit
This was the
the war. There is no doubt at all that there was not one man loft who was not richest country in the world before the it was hand-to-hand fighting with bayonet war, and it will be a rich country after German companies it is believed that and clubbed rifles. And of those seven
the exemptions are far too numerous, and We hope it will not be necessary to have we are taking action to deal with them, either killed or a prisoner.
we have get in the two Acts. That i had gone through the fret trench con- any legislation. We believe the exemp
THE SWITCH THENCIL tions can be dealt with under the power the right of the Guards lite, they left While these things were happening on our conviction, but if they cannot be I hate no doubt at all that the Govern fronting them, and then had had to House of Commons as to the steps which trench which ran diagonally to their it ought to take. Our que determination front, That trench was cleared as the ment will have to take counsel with the swing on a right incline against another
is that all the resources available in this first had been; but in this manœuvre, in be utilized to the utmost for the pur of landmark, the right and the left: country of wealth and man power should this hopeless ground which has no sort pose of winning this war. There we are hand troops failed to keep in touch and, an entire agreement with my right hon.though they went abreast against the friend. Many of these anticipations have next obstacle before there, the famous not fructified. At the present moment we have the men, but we have to look for Switch Trench, it was with a gap be campaign. It would be folly for us not over the Switch Trench as they had taken ward to the possibilities of a prolonged tween. Both wings stormed into and to do so. If the war, comes to an end at everything else, but the gap between them an carly date the fact that we have pre- caused some trouble, for they were raked pured for a prolonged war will not in from the flanks and rear, until it was terfere in the least. The fact that it discovered and attended to. not in the least interfere with either the parallel to the advance, but almost at comes to an end before that period will Beyond, yet another trench lay, not trade or the commerce or the military right angles to it. This they began to position of the country. It will shorten bomb along from the nearer end, but the war; but if we found that the war that was slow work for their taste. So anticipate, and if we had not made the frontally with the bayonet as they had lasted a longer time than some people they deployed over the open sad took it
disastrous. (Cheers.) We have
be surprise. Had it succeeded, there spouted smoke and flying earth like a given something like from 17 to 4 perceeding/parations, it would be ex- taken all the others.
A FOUNDATION OF PUBLIC FAITH
cause tactically and in theory that is My hon. and learned friend reminds what they are. But by this time the me that I opposed the war. So I did. reader probably no longer pictures an I said so. He said sd. He said that I open plain of level grass with nice, the war. Yes; but I said I was opposed see in opposed the measures for carrying out evenly cut trenches, like those which you camps at home, at properly
Sir Purey Lake saya that General explode right amidst the advancing Lord Kitchener at all I have Lord to the war. I never pretended that I was spaced intervals. The surface of the
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militery age to the Army, he told then for even a prolonged period. That is the objective, with nothing in between, be- cent of the male population within the lay the foundations of plans for war thus as if each was a definite and visible One talks of these successive trenches it was a most splendid contribution, I do not agree with him. I am ashamed of
only way to ensure victory. it. (Cheers.)
Mr. Dillon Lord Kitchener said the same thing. Why not dendance Lord Kitchener Aylmor instructed his subordinates that multitude.
Sir E. Carson-I am not denouncing the capture of the great Dujailah Be But meanwhile Ten'keni was nothing Kitchener's report on recruiting in Ire in favour of the war, that I believed in ground in places such as this is like a doubt, the centre of the Es Sinn position, but cauldron of death. It looked as if so, do not think there need be any right to prosecute : and then did my furrow ridge and shellhide thing con "should be pushed through with the
land, and I know very well what his views its righteousness, that I thought it was rough sea grown solid, all wave and utmost vigour,
His words must have there might be a regular clash with the bitter feeling about this matter at all. best to thwart every effort made by the advancing, no man sees anything con fallen on some deaf ears. The main bayonet out there in the open as in the I is really and solely only a question of Government to carry it through. I took tinuously for more than a few seconds attack was to be made by General Kem- old days. The Bulgarian attack did not how we are going to win, not whether we the risks, and they were pretty bad risks, at a time, except the immediate hole hall from the south, with General Keary give in till it had crossed the Seres road are going to win. We are going to win. I did not have quite a holiday at that or bank before him. Among the chaos. attacking in support from the east and was in the hamlet of Majurko, prac (Cheers.) General Keary was in position at day. tically between us
The country will tolerate time. and one, end of nothing else, and the country will never in the least. But, at any rate, if you battered trench, part shell-hole. Except It was not a pleasant time-not the enemy's lines run wanderingly, part break, General Kemball was an hour Yenikení. However, there our guns forgive us if we who are placed here in are for war it is inuch too serious lato. Even then the defences might have played on them as short range so effee responsible positions in this feuse du got linginess to be carried through a halne troops may be checked at a definite been pierced and Kut saved, for, in Lively that the village was set on fire tell then the whole truth, and I believe hearted way. If you are against it, BAY then go on again, it is all continuous, spite of the latences of General Kem and they turned back
that the more you tell them the whole so, and stick to your ground but I have mixed, individual, steady fighting and line by pre-arrangad programme, and -ball's columb, the Turkish positions were
The whole plain all round the thr truth the more they will be prepared to no belief in this sort of prefsing every I have told before how, at one point in hardly manned at all.
make sacrifices. (Cheers.) Of course, the effort which is made to prosecute the war energetic action," says Sir Percy Lake Bulgarian dead. Their losses during the greater mistake could be made, in my of the Raz; I believe it is righteous: Iers of the Guards held a conference, Prompt and villages we have captured is littered with whole subject is a painful one but no by saying, "Personally I am in favour the advance certain battalion command- would probably have forestalled the taking of Karadjakeni Bala and Kara opinion, than trying to wrap up and get want it to be carried on; but for Heaven's which will be historic, in a shell-hole. enemy's reinforcements Incredible diakeni. Zir alone are now put at 3,000 over the question of numbers by constant sake do not do anything, to win it to try and locate precisely where they Though it may seem and the story of They have certainly had very many to ly talking to the people of the glorious (Laughter and cheers My hon and were p Es Sinn is one of the most inredible add to this total to-day. episodes of the war-three preciousThe result of it all is highly satis at we are sent out have proved item disturb folk; it does disturb business. So gesched the point, some 1,500 yards frems
actions of our soldiers at the front. learned friend is quite right in saying hours were wasted. Our troops were
What we ought to tell them is this The that conscription is not pleasant. It does after five hours of this work, the Guards It was 1 o'clock in the morning when, compelled to lie for nearly three hours factory to us. We have now got a large selves worthy of the greatest traditions does, war. He is quite right when he where they had started 1.500 yarde before an almost empty redoubt, and bridgehead beyond the Struma, Espe of any army that has ever existed, and talks about broken homes and broken straight out into enemy's country, with watch the Turks swarming back into it. cially good has been the work of our we call upon you to make further sacri hearts. That is war. But there are such no covering troops on the flans-where Bir Peroy Lake says time was lost by gunners in bringing this about, i waiting for the guns to register and to
fices to bring the work they have con things as broken treaties and broken they made a sort of line by connecting Carry out reconnaissances.”
menced to an end." (Cheers.) his statement, and await the further
Mr. Lloyd George--There is no doubt homes now, the homes of the future must extraordinary performance, se fine su faith; and, though there are many broken shell-holes, and thore rested. It was an at all about the available man-power of be built upon a. report of the Commission, because it is hour, which was 5.15 p.m., have been this country, now very widely known that these points shaking hands with General Townshend the available reserves of this country, but through Europe and through the world map tidal wave, nothing standing There is no doubt about faith (Choeri) Unice of Public sexhibition of hard fighting quality as Kestablish that per the Gaarde have given. They went do not tell the whole story Some one in Kut-el-Andara. The rest of the month you must get at them. The tribunale at all conte now you may depend upon it before them, leaving trench and shell-hole won to blame, and the public haze a of March was occupied for the most have exempted a good many men in that broken homes instead of being so behind them full of dead; and at the Scots and Irish, Welsh, Coldstreamers, right to expect that the blame for a series part in a struggle with the foods In porarily provisionally. These perindi opines of a few years, will be something
All the Guards share in the glory- of blunders which gravely compromised April attacke which were more successful are coming to an end. In a month's time that will pass from generation read the Clermass before them wer and Grenadiers, Nope wants more of the our prestige in the Middle East shall be were delivered at various pointe, but we shall have a certain number of men erstin for unfuzioni di frankly running tenning, as I have credit than another, Best of all, have thing is thât in his shakalt delivered late, Binh on March 7th the situation was "expire and it is. 100, sary to tell us with the lack of whalité (de) EI properly capportimet That remarkable after the irreparable misfortunes af months, when the provisional periods Mr. Lynch (Clare Khay matendis aging to that you could not see their perhaps the finest spectacle of the whole two months three montem, four dark centuries of the pack (Cheers)
already quoted a Guards officer a today heard Guards occurs kay that in the day the Manchesters and some always hopeless. When every allowance House what these measures have
the that if we continued to wage the other units actually fought their way is made for the extraordinary difficulties dused Allyfrana say it the present is ing, and the reinotanes to face
tails for dus" and I have heard bothing was the advance of certain troops into the redoube at a time when he was which confronted the Expedition, the that they have produced forces without which had been shown hitherto,
on the second day, who were not Guards, been humanly possible for them to go packed with Turkish troops Had these story of the first three months of, that
but œrinin sanch Light Infantry balta- troons been well led, they might at that present year on to Tigris sheds, no
which it would have been
beo had been fresh-Liy imponible for marias inevitably to
lions, The Guarda paw it and cheered (Continued at four of meat Column)
There chased the beggars vead shrieked their, admiration. It was us to have carried on the war. And surely, would be followed by esc lustre upon British generalship.
(Continued ut food of meat Colo
Prabe.
sa Tas ne anything, they vow, that they thommelres ever hope to do.
We record
(Continued as foos of meat Colams.)