"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. مجلد I" [و‎‎١‎٢‎٧] (٤٥٤/٢٥٨)

ATTACK ON KHAFAJIYA
229
The second column, under General Lean, comprised the
West Kents, the 67th Punjabis, half the 12th Sapper and Miner
Company with canvas boats and bridging material, and a
company of the 48th Pioneers. This column moved along
the left bank of the Karkha.
The remainder of the troops remained at Ilia to protect the
crossing and to assist in bringing up more supplies. A second
flying bridge was erected here by them and more canvas boats
were put together.
Before daylight on the 14th, the infantry and field battery
of General Gorringe’s column under General Melliss occupied
a concealed position in the hills east of Khafajiya, while
General Gorringe with the Cavalry Brigade and the Maxim
Battery reconnoitred as far as Bisaitin. Here no signs of the
enemy were found and it was subsequently ascertained that
they had retired from there towards Amara one or two days
earlier.
General Lean’s column, which had in the meanwhile been
advancing in readiness to co-operate if necessary with the
cavalry retirement, was now ordered to move on Khafajiya,
as the cavalry were experiencing no opposition. At 4 p.m.,
General Gorringe instructed General Melliss to move down
to the Karkha and try to seize some boats for operations
next day against Khafajiya in co-operation with General
Lean. But General Melliss had already commenced an advance
towards Khafajiya in response to a request from General Lean
for artillery support in case of opposition. The advance of
General Melliss’ force was strongly opposed by the Arabs ;
but, well supported by the fire of the 82nd Field Battery,
his two battalions (76th Punjabis and 2/7th Gurkhas)
pushed their way through the intervening marsh to the right
bank of the river opposite the Shaikh’s fort at Khafajiya.
This place, which was held by the Arabs, consisted of a
collection of straggling villages composed of mud houses
and stretched for about four miles along the left bank of
the Karkha. By 5 p.m., the cavalry had returned, and
although many of the men were suffering from the effects of
the intense heat, the horse artillery and maxim batteries came
into action to support General Melliss’ advance.
The progress of General Lean’s column had, however, been
very slow on account of the physical difficulties it had encoun
tered. The great heat had affected the troops considerably,
and the ground to be traversed was intersected by numerous
creeks and marshes. Many men fell out affected by the heat