"دراسة نقدية عن الحملة في ميسوبوتاميا حتى أبريل ١٩١٧: الجزء I - تقرير" [ظ‎‎٨‎١] (٤٢٤/١٦٧)

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The general reserve did not take any part in tlie fighting on tha
13th January. Early in the morning the 9th Infantry Brigade had
advanced to the vicinity of Naasa, and here it remained until ? at 1600
the observer on a tower of scaffolding that had been erected at Shaikh.
Saad, reported to General Aylmer that the Gadfly and the other gun.
boats were again moving up-stream. Orders were now sent to the*
Brigade to advance to the support of General Kemball. This was-
done, but Chittab's fort was not reached until 1830 when the troops
in the darkness found some difficulty in passing through the transport
that was collected there, and also in getting clear of the Corps Artillery.
Eventually the Brigade took up a line of outposts in the vicinity of tlm
fort, and covering the troops round it.
As soon as General Aylmer had ascertained what was the situation
of his force at nightfall, directions were sent out for the renewal of
the attack on the 14th January. Younghusband was warned in regard
to the possibility of a counter attack by the 4,000 Turks that had been
seen in the Hanna-Sannaiyat defile, he was informed of the failure
of the 28th Brigade and was asked to report in cipher the exact posi
tions of his troops. Notification was sent to the gun boats and to the
right bank column, which had returned at dusk to Shaikh Saad, that
the action would be continued on the next day ; and two companies,
of the 128th and one company of the 107th which had come up from
the battle field of the 6th—9th January, were ordered to escort two
loads of hand-grenades to Chittab's fort, arriving there not later than
0700 on the 14th.
At 2200 Kemball reported fully on the situation of his Brigade,
and he subsequently received orders that a further assault was not to be
attempted until powerful support on the part ot the Artillery could be
assured for the infantry. At 2315 in notifying the positions of the
units of the 7th Division, Younghusband stated that two four-gun
enemy batteries had been seen on the bank of the Tigris, but that through
out the afternoon the Turks had been retiring westwards.
The night of the 13-14th January, which was cold and windy, passed
without any attack being made on the 7th Division. The Turks, how
ever, maintained an unremitting fire which occasionally increased into
great violence, one burst of musketry at about 0400 after which it.
appears that the enemy finally withdrew, being unusually prolonged..
The British nevertheless replenished ammunition, collected wounded,
and as far as was practicable issued water to the men. Early on the
14th the infantry patrols of the division found that the enemy's line;
was empty and learnt from a few prisoners that the Turks had fallen
back. Later on a squadron of the 7th Lancers reported that what
appeared to be a rear guard was entrenching in the Hanna defile, whila