'Plan of operations for the support of Muhammareh' [‎4v] (8/20)

r
the country is partly open desert and partly marshy as far as the
Khur Zubair, an arm of the sea which runs up from Warba island,
northwards, and nearly parallel to the Shatt-al-Arab, at a distance
of 25 to 30 miles from it. The country between the river Shatt-al-
Arab and the Khur Zubair is believed to be not very suitable for
the movement of troops, except along one good track, which runs
™ ^ xt * t > . t a ^ on g tlie e(i g e ^ tiie desert,
IWd Note., Route I. page 67. immediately behind the fringe
of date-groves. "West of the Khur Zubair again there is open
desert, the going over which is reported to be firm and good.
The northern part of the Khur is surrounded partly by a marshv
plain, much intersected by creeks, and partly by an alluvial plain
which is liable to inundation.
(d) North of Basrah, up to and beyond Qurnah, nearly the whole country
is marshy, liable to inundation, and quite unsuitable for the move
ment of troops. There are, however, several tracks through these
shallow marshes, by which local Arabs, on foot and lightly equipped,
could find their way down to Basrah unaccompanied by transport.
Lines ol Advance 2. To reach Basrah, the following are possible lines of advance :—
G^i on he BMrah. ian W By r ^ ver to Basrah.—This line of advance is the most convenient, but its
use depends on mastery of the Shatt-al-Arab and its banks.
(n) Prom Fao, along the edge of the desert parallel to the Shatt-al-Arab.—This
Field Notes, Route I, page 67. route, 67 miles in 4 stages, has
drawbacks—
(а) scarcity of water, fuel and fodder;
(б) possible inundation at times;
(c) the presence of date-groves along the flank of a movement by it.
(in) From Vmm Qasr.~~This, the shortest land route, 47 miles in 3 stages.
Field Notes ^ ^aid to ha\ e • ample water
supply, except possibly at Umm
Qasr. But accurate information regarding the water supply is
lacking. If a landing at Umm Qasr is feasible, this should prove the
shortest and best land route to Basrah.
There are no local boats at Umm Qasr.
(tr) From Kuwait. —The desert detour by this route rules it out.
3. Supplies —Reports indicate that for operations in this region all first
Field Notes, pages 24-27. requirements should be sent from India,
except meat, which can be obtained from
Muhammareh.
Telegraphs. 4. Telegraphic communications are :—
(i) British cable from India, via Bushire, landed at Fao.
(ii) Turkish line Fao-Basrah along bank of river Tigris to Baghdad-
/ Musal-Constantinople.
Branch line from Qurnah via Euphrates valley to Baghdad.
{in) Line Baghdad-Kirmanshah-Tehran.
{iv) Persian line, Muhammareh-Ahwaz-Behbehan-Bushire.
There is a telephone line from Abbadan island to Maidan -i-Naftun. with a
branch to Muhammareh.
Climate - 5. Between October and March is the
Field Notes, pages 17-19. most suitable time for military operations.
6. Naval strength.—The only Turkish warship in the Shatt-al-Arab is the
Field Notes, page 45. ''Marmaris ", a gunboat of about 420 tons.
• .. , _ x , ^he was completed in 1907 and is armed
with four 9-prs., two 1-prs., and a torpedo tube above water.