'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' [‎34v] (77/194)

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Report of Officer Commanding, 3=124th Baluchistan Infantry on operations on
7th=8th July 1918.
(Sketches I and V).
The force left Shiraz about 6 p.m., on 7th July 1918, the battalion being
with the main body. Just as it was getting dark and when near the Bagh-f-
Janat I received orders to reinforce the advance guard -with two companies,
as they were being opposed. A few bullets passed over us as we marched
along, but no one was hit. On joining Colonel Vanrenen some two miles
beyond Bagh-i-Janat, he told me the enemy had all gone and that -we were
near the camping ground. Shortly afterwards Colonel Orton came up and
the camp was laid out.
The battalion occupied the west side and half of the north and south
sides of the perimeter.
About 2-30 a.m., the north side of the camp was fired into by some 20
or 30 of the enemy, the range being some 300 yards. Bogs had been barking
a lot, which evidently had made some of the men suspicious, and the ground
being very hard it prevented many from sleeping, There was therefore no
surprise at ail, and almost simultaneous with the first shot fired by the enemy
a Lewis gun of B Company started firing. After a minute or two’s firing the
enemy fled. There were no casualties in the battalion, but I believe there were
a few in the camp.
At 4-40 a.m., 8 th July 1918, I received orders to attack a ridge of hills
some two milts distant. The battalion as described above was facing three
different directions. A company was facing north. B and C Companies
-west and B Company south, and the men were still lying down lining the
perimeter. I had just explained my plan to the Company Commanders
when a fairly heavy and accurate rifle fire was opened on the camp. Company
Commanders bad some difficulty under the circumstances in explaining the
idea to the men, and still more in getting the men away from these positions
into the attack formation.
I consider the way Company Commanders disentangled their men from
the camp and dashed off to the attack without even “forming up” and with
out any delay at all was a good piece of w T ork. C Company (Captain
Gardner) and B Company (Captain Wetherall) w r ere in the front line. A
Company (Captain Gregory) and B. Company (Major Stewart, M.C). in
reserve. C on the the right, B. on the left.
The objective I gave was a sugar loaf hill, on the southern corner of which
the left of C Company was directed.
The men moved with fine elan and dash, and in 25 minutes from the start
they had gained all objectives. The enemy’s loss is unknown, mine was one
killed and 12 wounded ; three of the latter very seriously. Several rifles w r ere
hit in the men’s hands, and other men w r ere hit by stones or had bullets
through their clothing, etc.
The enemy’s fire was quite heavy and I attribute our small losses to the
rapid advance of C and B Companies. The former is quite a new company
of Baluchis from the Bera Ghazi Bistrict, the oldest soldiers having only 8
months’ service. Its conduct was quite admirable.
Having taken the ridge and the enemy having been driven aw T ay, they
occupied another series of hills 1,1)00 yards off. A frontal attack on these
would have meant more losses. I sent a message to Officer Command
ing Column suggesting a turning movement via high hill on our left. Shortly
afterwards our allies appeared in that part of the field and at 7 a.m., the enemy
retired everywhere.
About 7-30 I received orders to advance again. No enemy w r ere
seen anywhere, and after some 3 or 4 miles the battalion halted at a spring of
water, the wffiole force retiring to Shiraz in the evening.
175 c G '
B. F. B. HOLBBOOKE, Lieutenant-Colonel,
Commanding, 3-12ith Baluchistan Infantry.
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