تقرير عن العمليات في المنطقة المحيطة بالشعيبة من الثاني عشر إلى الرابع عشر من أبريل ١٩١٥. شيملا: هيئة الأركان العامة في الهند، ١٩١٥. [‎١] (٧٠/٧)

No. 168 -4 -0.
General Head Quarters.
INDIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE " D,"
Basrah) 6th May /p/J.
From
G eneral S ir JOHN ECCLES NIXON, K.C.B.,
Commanding Force "
To
T he CHIEF of the GENERAL STAFF, SIMLA.
Sir,
I have the honour to forward for the information of the Government of
India, the accompanying despatches from Major-General C. I. Fry, regarding
the fighting at Shaiba on the 12th April, and from Major-General C. J. Melliss,
V.C., C.B., regarding the action at Shaiba on the 13th, followed by the defeat of
the Turkish forces on the 14th at the battle of Barjisiyah.
2. The Shaiba garrison on the 11th April I9 I 5> consisted of the troops
named in the margin, the
whole under the command
of Major-General Fry.
The defensive perimeter,
in which this force was
camped, extended over 3J
miles.
During the flood season
from February to June,
water, varying in depth
from one to four feet, lies
between Basrah and the
further shore, and two
methods of approach are
in use across this lagoon,
one by wading across 6
miles and landing
6th Division. 16th Brigade.
Brigadier-General W. S. Delamain, C.B., D.S.O.—
and Doiset R giment. /
104th Wellesley's Rifles,
uyth Mahre-ttas.
18th Brigade.
Major-General C. I. Fry.—
2nd Norfolk Regiment,
j loth Mahralta Light Infant;/.
i2cth Rajputana Infantry.
48th Pioneers.
63rd Battery, Royal Field Artillery (less I gnn) j Br - gadej Roya i
\ Field Artillery.
76th Battery, Royal Field Artillery. J
23rd Mountain Battery.
17th Company, Sappers and Mirers.
22nd Company, Sappers and Miners.
No. 34 Livisional Signal Company.
Cavalry Brigade.
Brigadier-Ganer tl H. Kennedy.—
" S Bsttery, Royal Horse Artillery.
7th Lancers.
16th Cavalry.
33rd Carairy. miles and landing near
Old Basrah, whence troops and convoys have to march another 4 miles to reach
Shaiba; the other by using the native boat, known as bellum," which i^
punted by two men and carries 8 to 10 armed men or their equivalent in stores or
ammunition. This latter line of approach passes through nearly 8 miles of water,
and is traversed transversely by a creek too deep to wade.
3. I took over command of this Force on the 9th April at Basrah from
Lieutenant-General Sir A. A. Barrett, K.C.B., K C.V.O., who was granted
leave on the 10th by His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief owing to ill
health.
The same morning, about daybreak, a party of the horsemen reconnoitred
close to Shaiba, but retired before our cavalry.
S85oGSB