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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME II.' [245r] (498/660)
The record is made up of 1 volume (323 folios). It was created in 1924. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
REGARDING NEGOTIATIONS
451
On the morning of the 25th April, when it was known that
this attempt had failed, General Lake telegraphed to General
Townshend that he had asked for authority to open negotiations
on the lines suggested and expected a reply by that evening.
The first arrangement to be made was to get permission to
send ten days supplies through for the Kut garrison and town.
General Lake then asked if General Townshend had any other
suggestions, and whether he considered he would be justified
in destroying his guns after negotiations had been opened.
There would also be the danger that if he destroyed them his
position might be taken by assault.
At midday on the 25th General Lake telegraphed again to
General Townshend :—
It is for consideration whether if Government
sanctions the opening of negotiations you yourself will
not be in a position to get better terms than any emissary
of ours. You would of course be ordered by Army Com
mander to open negotiations for surrender, the onus not
lying with yourself. You are in the position of having
conducted a gallant and successful defence. You have
already been in communication with Halil, and any terms
they give must be dictated by a mixture of sentiment and
convenience. Neither Army Commander nor you have
any substantial quid pro quo to offer for your release other
than possibly money, which he would authorise you to
offer in such a manner as you might get an opportunity
of doing. The Admiral, who has been in consultation
with Army Commander, considers you with your prestige
are likely to get best terms. We could of course supply
food as you might arrange. Please wire your views."
This crossed a telegram from General Townshend which
said in answer to the former one sent by General Lake that the
ten days’ food should reach Kut by the 29th without fail, that
an armistice should be arranged to discuss negotiations and
that, if Halil agreed and if General Townshend’s views were
required, he should visit General Lake in the Sumana. There
was no time to lose as the garrison was absolutely run down,
the Indians unfit to fight and the British, though retaining
their pluck, dejected and very weak. His men were dying on
an average of fifteen a day from dysentery, which the heat
and smell of Kut were aggravating, and many were dying of
scurvy. General Townshend did not contemplate bringing
away his guns in any case. The 4-inch and 5-inch were
obsolete and useless, and it would be a great labour to dismount
About this item
- Content
The volume is the second volume of an official government publication compiled at the request of the Government of India, and under the direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence, by Brigadier-General Frederick James Moberly. The volume was printed and published at His Majesty's Stationery Office, London.
The contents provide a narrative of the operations of 1914-1918 in Mesopotamia, based mainly on official documents.
The volume is in one part, entitled, 'Part III. The First Campaign for Baghdad', and consists of the following fourteen chapters:
- The Decision to Advance to Baghdad
- Commencement of the Advance Towards Baghdad
- The Battle of Ctesiphon - the First Day's Operations
- Battle of Ctesiphon (Continued) and the British Retirement to Kut
- The Decision to Hold Kut and British Policy Consequent on the Failure to Reach Baghdad
- The Siege of Kut: First Phase (December 1915)
- Commencement of the Relief Operations
- The Action of Shaikh Saad
- The Action of the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. and the First Attack on Hanna
- Operations up to the End of February, 1916
- The Second Attempt to Relieve Kut; the Attack on the Dujaila Redoubt
- The Third Attempt to Relieve Kut; the Successful Advance to and First and Second Attacks on Sannaiyat
- The Last Attempt at Relief; Bait Isa and Sannaiyat
- The Siege of Kut; the Last Stages
The volume also includes nine maps, entitled:
- The Middle East
- Lower Mesopotamia
- Map 8 - The Tigris from Kut al Amara to Baghdad
- Map 9 - The Battle of Ctesiphon
- Map 10 - The affair of Umm at Tubul
- Map 11 - The defence of Kut al Amara
- Map 12 - The fort at Kut; with special reference to the Turkish attack on 24th December 1915
- Map 13 - River Tigris between Ali Gharbi and Shumran
- Map 14 - The action at Shaikh Saad
- Map 15 - The action of the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows.
- Map 16 - The first attack on Hanna; 21st January 1916
- Map 17 - The attack on the Dujaila Redoubt, 8th March 1916
- Map 18 - To illustrate Tigris Corps Operation Order No. 26, dated 6th March 1916
- Map 19 - To illustrate operations between 10th March and end of April 1916
- Map 20 - The action of Bait Isa on 17th and 18th April 1916, and the attack on Sannaiyat 22nd April 1916
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (323 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume contains a list of contents (folios 6-10), a list of maps and illustrations (folio 11), appendices (folios 254-290), an index (folios 291-312), and eleven maps in a pocket attached to the inside back cover (folios 314-324).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 325; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME II.' [245r] (498/660), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/2, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045738550.0x000063> [accessed 30 April 2024]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/2
- Title
- 'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME II.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:3r, 3r, 4r:70v, 72r:79r, 160v, 80r:102v, 104r:160r, 161r, 313v, 161v:281v, 283r:313v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence