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'Naval Staff monographs (historical) vol 4 no 15 - Naval operations in Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf' [83] (102/150)
The record is made up of 73 folios. It was created in 1921. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
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83
63. Report of the Committee: Decision to make the
Advance. On the 8tli October the Secretary of State for India
had telegraphed to General Nixon :— 1
" Very urgent. With wliat addition to your present force are you
confident that you can both occupy and hold Baghdad ? "
and at the same time he assured the Viceroy privately that he
would make every effort to supply the necessary force. 2 General
Nixon replied that he was confident he could occupy Baghdad
without any addition to his present force, but if the Turks
made a serious effort to retake it he would require reinforce
ments of one Division and one white Cavalry Regiment.
On 16th October the Committee reported on their terms of
reference. They considered an early advance on, and occupation
of, Baghdad most desirable ; but unless reinforcements could
be sent, sufficient to enable Force " D " to maintain its position
there, the attempt should not be made. Their estimate of the
reinforcements necessary coincided with Sir John's own view.
At this time we were badly in need of a striking success in
the East. The turning movement at Suvla had failed, and our
prospects in Gallipoli were most uncertain. Bulgaria had
followed up her mobilization by a rapid advance in Serbia, and
it seemed that the German attempt to break through to Con
stantinople would succeed.
On 23rd October the Viceroy was informed that General
Nixon might march on Baghdad if he was satisfied that his
available forces were sufficient for the operation; and that
reinforcements would be sent him as soon as possible. 3
The enterprise was authorised, and General Townshend was
ordered to begin his advance without delay.
CHAPTER XI.
The Battle of Ctesiphon and Retreat to Kut.
64 Concentration at Aziziya: Shortage of River Transport.—
During the six weeks after the arrival of our advanced troops at
Aziziya on 5th October reinforcements, supplies, and transport
animals were brought up preparatory to the advance 4 . The
1 No. 3077. Repeated to India.
2 8th October 1915. "Private and Yery Urgent."
3 Secretary to State for India to Yiceroy, No. 3099,
4 General Nixon's report No. 168-11-0,17th January, 1916, para. 3. But
cf. O.G.S., India, to G.O.O. " D," P.S.-23401, 5th October 1915. " . . .
There seems to be no advantage in concentrating at present so far forward
as Aziziya as the only gain in this is if a move towards Baghdad takes place.
C.-in-C. considers that no advance in strength should be carried out beyond
Kut-al-'Amara until it is certain (and this appears to us very doubtful), that
reinforcements from France may be expected.
About this item
- Content
This monograph concerns operations in Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. from the outbreak of war with Germany to the fall of Kut on 29th April 1916. It is organised into the following chapters: the theatre of operations; the attitutude of Turkey; the inception of the expedition; landing of the expedition; occupation of Basra; operations against Qurna, 4-9th December 1914; consolidation of the Basra position; occupation of Amara, 3rd June 1915; operations on the Euphrates: capture of Nasiriya, 5th July 1915; naval forces and general situation, summer 1915: operations at Bushire and Dilwar: decision to advance to Kut; capture of Kut and decision to advance to Baghdad; Battle of Ctesiphon, 22nd November 1915 and retreat to Kut; operations for the relief of Kut: Townshend surrenders, 19th April 1916.
The appendices are: telegrams, 1914; orders and instructions; naval forces. Also ten maps including: the Shatt al-Arab; the Euphrates between Basra and Nasiriya; operations for the releief of Kut.
- Extent and format
- 73 folios
- Physical characteristics
Foliation. There is a foliation sequence, which is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. It begins on the front cover, on number 1, and ends on the inside of the back cover, on number 73.
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/73
- Title
- 'Naval Staff monographs (historical) vol 4 no 15 - Naval operations in Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1:36, 36b, 37:38, 38b, 39:41, 43:52, 52b, 53:60, 60a, 61:76, 76b, 77:98, 98b, 99:118, 120, 122, 124, ii-r:iii-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence