'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎81r] (166/454)

ADVANCE ON QURNA
141
troops got all their baggage and a great part of their stores
ashore j and General Barrett had decided, as stated in his
telegram of the 29th, to turn the remnants of the Turkish
force from Basra out of Qurna and to hold this place and Shaiba*
as the necessary outposts to secure his position at Basra.
On the 30th orders were issued for a force under Lieutenant-
Colonel Frazer, 110th Mahratta Light Infantry, to proceed up
the river on 3rd December. The force consisted of two guns
of the 82nd Battery R.F.A., half the 17th company Sappers
and Miners, one company Norfolks, the 104th Rifles and 110th
Mahratta Light Infantry. The navy would co-operate with
two warships and two armed launches.f The force was to be
transported in four river steamers,: towing lighters with sup
plies • and next day orders were issued for the field artillery
to mount two 18-pounder Q.F. field guns on board each of two
of the river steamers (Mejidieh and Blosse Lynch), which were
to be placed under the orders of the Senior Naval Officer as
soon as they had disembarked the troops they were carrying.
General Barrett’s information led him to believe that the Turks
had about five hundred cavalry and five hundred infantry with
four guns at Qurna and that the Marmanss was near Ezras
Tomb. His instructions to Lieutenant-Colonel Frazer were to
land his force at a point selected by the Senior Naval Officer
on the left bank of the river, a few miles below Qurna, and, in
concert with the navy, to clear the left bank of the enemy up
to and beyond Qurna ; after this he had a free hand to cross
the Tigris and attack Qurna, or to hold on to the left bank
and await reinforcements, as he considered best. .
By 5 a.m. on the 4th December the river steamers had joined
the warships, which had preceded them up the river, and then
disembarked the troops at the spot selected, which was on
the northern bank of the Shwaiyib river at its junction with
the Shatt al Arab. To cover the landing the Es^gle and
Lawrence steamed a short way up the river, anchoring roun
the bend in sight of Qurna point ;§ while the Odm, which—
owing to her damaged rudder-could only manoeuvre with
difficulty, anchored with the armed launches oft t re an ing
place. Two Turkish guns to the south-west of Muzaira a
village and at Qurna opened fire on the Espiegle and Lawrence
to which both they and the Odin replied. The disembarkation * * * §
* On 4th December a half squadron 33rd Cavalry and a half battalion 20th
Punjabis were sent to hold Shaiba “ as an outpost to e wes . Shaitan
t Three launches actually took part, i.e., Miner, Lewis Felly, and Shaitan.
t Malamir, Mejidieh, Blosse Lynch, and Sahmi.
§ See Map 2.