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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎89r] (182/454)

The record is made up of 1 volume (223 folios). It was created in 1923. 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. .

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ADVANCE CONSIDERED
155
In the meantime, General Barrett had been informed that
there was as yet no intention of ordering his force to advance
on Baghdad. He replied that, if it had been decided definitely
that no further advance was to be made, the occupation of
Qurna was sufficient for the defence of the delta to this point.
If, however, a further advance was a possible contingency,
he advocated an early occupation of Amara in order to retain
the adherence of the Arabs. He believed that if this advance
were to take place soon, the Arabs would desert the Turks ;
but that if it were delayed and the Turks were thus enabled
to re-establish themselves,* our occupation of Amara would
be much more difficult. He proposed to advance on Amara
by stages, consolidating as he went, and giving the local Arabs
time to declare their attitude.
This proposal appeared to the Commander-in-Chief in India
to have much to recommend it. But the 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. telegram
had crossed the one from General Barrett, who was therefore
asked to weigh the two proposals and to telegraph his opinion.
At the same time, Sir Beauchamp Duff pointed out to General
Barrett that no more troops could be sent to Mesopotamia.
General Barrett’s reply of 18th December admitted the ad
vantages of an occupation of Nasiriya. In this connection
he said, the chief factor to be considered was the attitude of
the Muntafik. If care were taken not to alarm them by
premature action, there was some hope of obtaining Muntafik
concurrence in the location of a British post at Nasiriya.
General Barrett inferred, however, that it would require the
occupation by us of Baghdad to ensure them against Turkish
interference! ; and their belief in our power and willingness
to effect this would be the predominant factor in determining
their attitude towards us. For this reason he considered
it more politic to advance first to Amara.
He had soon, however, reason to change his opinion. On
the 23rd, news reached him from the G.O.C. Egypt that the
IVth Turkish Army Corps was reported to be moving from
Syria either on Aqaba (Red Sea) or on Basra. Consisting o
36,000 men and a considerable number of guns, this force was
said to be accompanied by many German officers and to be
specially equipped with boats in sections and motor transport.
This equipment was quite compatible with a movement down
* A few days earlier, a telegram from G.O.C. Egypt stated that Turkish
troops from Damascus were reported as probably moving towarc s ag a.
t The area occupied by the Muntafik extended for some distance to the
north and north-west of Nasiriya.

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Content

The volume is the first 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 divided into two parts. The first part, entitled, 'Part I. Before the Outbreak of Hostilities', consists of the following five chapters:

  • General Description of the Country
  • The Turks in Mesopotamia
  • British Pre-War Policy
  • The Army in India and Pre-War Military Policy
  • Inception of the Operations

The second part, entitled, 'Part II. The Campaign in Lower Mesopotamia', consists of the following seven chapters:

  • The Landing in Mesopotamia of Force "D" and the Operations Leading to the Occupation of Basra
  • The Occupation of Basra and the Capture of Qurna
  • Commencement of the Turkish Counter-Offensive
  • Development and Defeat of the Turkish Counter-Offensive
  • Operations in Arabistan and the Capture of Amara
  • Operations on the Euphrates and the Occupation of Nasiriya
  • The battle of Kut and Occupation of Aziziya

The volume also includes nine maps, entitled:

  • The Middle East
  • Lower Mesopotamia
  • Map 1 - To illustrate operations described in Chapter VI
  • Map 2 - To illustrate fighting near Qurna
  • Map 3 - To illustrate fighting round Shaiba
  • Map 4 - To illustrate operations in Persian Arabistan
  • Map 5 - To illustrate operations in the Akaika Channel 27th June to 5th July 1915
  • Map 6 - To illustrate operations near Nasiriya 6th to 24th July 1915
  • Map 7 - To illustrate the Battle of Kut 28th September 1915
Extent and format
1 volume (223 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a page of errata (folio 5), a list of contents (folios 6-8), a list of maps and illustrations (folio 9), appendices (folios 185v-192), an index (folios 192v-214v), and eight maps in a pocket attached to the inside back cover (folios 217-224).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 225; 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
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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎89r] (182/454), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/1, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100048172213.0x0000b7> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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