Bagdad was taken yesterday morning. The details of the British entry into the city have yet to be reported. A bare announcement of the fact of the operation arrived from Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Maude last night.
Since the complete defeat in the battle of Sannas-Yat-Shumran, February 22-25, when they lost Kut, the Turks have not been able to make a prolonged stand. Already on the last day of February Sir Stanley Maude was able to report that the remnant of the Turkish army was badly shattered and would reach Bagdad only as a disorganised mob.
In the penultimate stage of the advance British troops forced a crossing over the Diala river, behind which the Turks were in position to defend Bagdad against attack from the south-east and east, while soldiers, having bridged the Tigris, threatened the city from the west. Nowhere was the Turkish defence effectual.
British troops on the Ancre on Saturday captured the village of Irles. They advanced also on a neighbouring front three miles wide. They took 290 prisoners, with 15 machine-guns and four trench mortars. Our own losses were light.
The ╥armed neutrality╙ policy which President Wilson is now putting into force seems ready soon to produce ╥incidents╙ creating a state of war with Germany. The State Department at Washington announces that American merchantmen are authorised to fire on any German submarine at sight.
THE LAST STAGE.
BAGDAD ATTACKED FROM TWO SIDES.
The Secretary of the War Office last night made the following announcement, in continuation of the announcement issued on Saturday, that our forces were engaged with the enemy on the line of the Diala:-
On the night of March 8 our troops succeeded, in spite of the bright moonlight, in effecting a surprise crossing of the Diala and in establishing a strong post on the right bank of the river. Meanwhile, on the morning of the 8th, the Tigris having been bridged at some distance down stream from the confluence of the Diala, a strong detachment marched up the right bank and found the enemy holding a position about six miles south-west of Bagdad. The enemy were driven from this position to another two miles up the rear.
During the night of March 9 the passage of the Diala was forged and our troops advanced some four miles towards Bagdad.
During the 9th our forces on the right bank drove the enemy from his second position, bivouacking on the ground gained. This advantage, in spite of blinding duststorms and a violent gale, was pressed on the morning of the 10th, the Turks being forced back to within three miles west and south-west of Bagdad.
Since the above was received, Sir Stanley Maude, telegraphing on the 11th of March (Sunday) announces that the British forces occupied Bagdad early that morning. No further details have yet been received.
