'Naval Staff monographs (historical) vol 4 no 15 - Naval operations in Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf' [‎78] (97/150)

78
But at 5.30 p.m., when some 3,000 yards west of his objective
and about to attack Eastwards, General Delamain found that
strong hostile reinforcements were advancing from the south.
He immediately changed his objective, formed front to the
south, and his weary troops, infused with fresh life, delivered a
ashing bayonet attack, routing the enemy in one magnificent
rush, inflicting heavy loss on them and capturing four guns,
liie enemy, after a stubborn fight, were saved by the darkness,"
and the exhausted and thirsty troops bivouacked for the night,
ihe marsh water was brackish and undrinkable, and it was not
until next morning that the column moved to the river and the
horses got their first water for forty hours.
The naval flotilla was acquainted of General Delamain's
success by seaplane at C p.m., and the G.O.C. requested the
•Ti to P rocee . c \ u P to ^e obstruction to examine, and if
possible, destroy it in order to enable the pursuit to be pressed
home by water as well as land. After dark, therefore, at
b.JO p.m. the three gunboats, followed by launch R.N. 1 moved
up, showing no lights. When near the obstruction a very
heavy rme and machine gun fire was opened on them from
trenches on both banks of the river. An attempt to sink the
centie mahelaby ramming was unsuccessful; accordinglv the
Comet was placed alongside it and Lieut.-Commdr. Cookson
jumped into it and attempted with an axe to cut the wire
hawsers connecting it with the other two craft (iron lighters)
which formed the obstruction. He was immediately hit bv
bu ets m several places, and died within ten minutes on board
the Comet. The ships were being swept by a terrific fire 1 at
ranges from 75 to 100 yards; and to avoid loosing them
Lieutenant Harris of the Comet signalled to them to withdraw •
and they anchored in Nakhaila Reach for the night.
On the following morning (29th September) the gunboats
again proceeded up the river. The Shaitan* which was leading
was fired on once ineffectually by an old muzzle loader dug into
the bank abreast of the obstruction and manned by two Turks 3
.t defences were silent: the enemy had fled during the
night; and aeroplane reconnaissance established that thev were
m full retreat towards Baghdad.
. 60 - The Pursuit. The gunboats got through the obstruction
arrived off Ivut about 10 a.m., and went on in chase of the
enemy s steamers which were fleeing up the river. But navi
gation was most difficult m the low river, and it was not until
the morning of the 30th September that two enemy craft, the
theR^Twesf K?' S t ^ T* 0n b0ard Comet ' includingTof
at this tfL (sl'o b S ™" Were 8er ™ g 011 b0ara ' ^ W0UIldea
3 L;J eut - M ar k Singleton, Shaitan, now became S N" O
ihey were subsequently wounded and captured.