"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. مجلد I" [و‎‎١‎٤‎٠] (٤٥٤/٢٨٤)

(
CAPTURE OF NORFOLK AND ONE TOWER HILLS 255
of the remaining seven hundred yards of water, and, leaping
from their boats at a hundred yards distance from it, their
leading company captured Norfolk Hill by a fine assault about
7.30 a.m. Of the enemy garrison—which with the exception
of one Turkish officer were all Arab soldiers—seventy-five
had been killed, twenty-six were wounded and thirty-four
taken prisoner. Although Norfolk Hill was honeycombed
with trenches, these had afforded evidently but indifferent
protection against the British guns. The British casualties
in this part of the operations only amounted to one officer
killed and five men wounded.
About this time a British aeroplane was seen flying over
the Espiegle. Two had arrived at Basra on the 14th May,
but lack of dry ground delayed their use and it was not until
the 27th that the first machine made a flight. By the
strenuous exertions of the Air Force, both machines were
in the air by dawn of the 31st, and rendered most useful
service from then onwards.
Norfolk Hill having been captured, the main effort was
now concentrated on One Tower Hill. The Oxfords re
embarked, transferring their shielded heliums* to the third
line and, supported by the 30th Mountain Battery (who came
into action at about two thousand yards range), and the
howitzers and guns at Qurna, advanced against One Tower
Hill. Preceded by the mine-sweeping armed launchest Shaitan
and Sumana, the Espiegle and Clio now moved up and anchored
off Norfolk Hill to join in the bombardment of One Tower
Hill; and the Odin, Lawrence and Miner also moved up in
support. These warships still continued to be the main
target for the Turkish guns and both the Espiegle and Odin
were hit by shells, without, however, sustaining much damage
or loss. The enemy opened a heavy rifle fire from One Tower
Hill on the advancing Oxfordshire Light Infantry, but it was
not very effective, and by 9 a.m., when the infantry machine
guns came into action, had been almost completely suppressed
by the British gunfire. The 119th Infantry had by this time
been ordered forward to support the Oxfordshire assault.
This was again directed against the enemy’s western flank, and
by 9.30 a.m., with the loss of only two wounded, had met with
complete success. The enemy’s losses on this hill amounted
* These had delayed the advance up to this point and the protection they
afforded was not so essential as to compensate for this delay.
f The launches Bahrein and Lewis Belly were kept in reserve as spare mine
sweepers.