'REPORTS ON MINOR OPERATONS IN SOUTH PERSIA UNDER Brigadier-General Sir P. M. Sykes, K.C.I.E, C.M.G., from May to July 1918. GENERAL STAFF INDIA' [‎14v] (33/194)

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* Sketch,
The enemy opened machine gun and magazine rifle fire at a range of
about 1,200 yards from their flank position about “ Double* Headed ” hill
causing a few casualties. The low tumulus was utilized by us as a covering
fire position.
8. I sent back Subadar Major Ali Dost to report the situation to Colonel
Orton, and to ask him to move up the baggage close behind the infantry
advance, for, were this not done, a dangerous gap would widen between me
and the baggage, compelling me to arrest the main attack before water could
be reached. Colonel Orton had, however, already taken action, and I could
see the baggage under escort moving forward.
9. Our infantry were soon seen clambering up the north-west slope of
“ Bed ”* hill, from which the enemy were driven.
On the right of the infantry Dyer’s B. M. B. moved rapidly across the
open to the “ White ” tower, on which a heavy Lewis gun fire was opened.
None of the defenders escaped, most of them being shot through the loop
holes.
On the right of the B. M. B., Gardner’s company of Baluchis was
co-operating, clearing the spurs of Kuh-i-Phani as it advanced, and beating off
attempts of the enemy to outflank our advance.
10. Pender Smith’s guns had left Kuh-i-Phan* and were now entering
the plateau near “ White '’ tower. I directed that officer to come into action
in support of the next “ bound ” of the mounted troops, which were reforming
about “ White ” tower.
11. “Bed”* hill, an important “ point d’appui ”, was now in our hands.
The Q.ashqai main position about “ Double* Headed ” hill had thus been
turned, and their communications were threatened. The enemy now seemed
to lose heart, and parties of them could be seen retiring south-east.
The B. M. B. pushed forward from “White” tower towards Saulat’s
camp, which could be distinctly seen about 7,000 yards away on the bank of
the Qara Agach. In rounding the south-west base of “ Bed ”* hill, the B. M. B.
came under machine gun fire, and were forced to swung south-east along
a nala, covered to some extent by fire from “ Bed ”* hill, until they reached the
eastern end of a spur running into the open Siakh valley. Here I found
Dyer’s B. M B. in action on the left of the Baluchis but unable to advance.
Dyer explained the situation, and asked for artillery support to enable him to
cross an open stretch of valley between his position and Saulat’s camp. His
line of advance was flanked from two low% isolated hills to the south-east, at a
range of 1,200 to 1,500 yards. Dyer reported that some 300 Qashqai mounted
men were in position behind these tumuli. Pender Smith’s guns had meanwhile
unlimbered about 800 yards west of the B. M. B. and w r ere in action ready to
support Holbrooke’s advance I ascertained that the impetus of the
infantry advance was being maintained, thanks to the Lewis gun covering fire.
I accordingly brousht Pender Smith’s guns up on Southern* ridge in support
of the B. M. B advance. The tw T o hillocks referred to above were shelled at
a range of about 2,700 yards. Searching fire behind the crests forced the
enemy to leave this cover, and the plain w r as soon covered with galloping
horsemen moving in too open a formation to offer good targets to our guns.
The enemy fled in the direction of Dar Bah and Kading, shelled by Pender
Smith’s guns up to 4,500 yards.
12. These guns next opened fire at 5,000 yards on Saulat’s camp in the
Qara Agach* valley. Several effective shrapnel were observed over the camp
and valley beyond, w-hich could be seen crowded with baggage animals and
escort.
13. It w r as now T 6 p.m., and we were still 2^ miles from water, I directed
Dyer to push on wuth his B. M. B. to “ Bed ” bluff, a prominent hill on the
east bank of the Qara Agach, and overlooking our probable bivouac site. The
enemy had been observed collecting on this hill for some lime. Pender Smith’s
guns w ere moving forward to shell this bluff wLen an urgent request for
artillery support was received from Gardner on the right His company—all
young soldiers—were exhausted, and were subjected to a heavy flanking fire