'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎90r] (184/454)

RECONNAISSANCE FROM QURNA
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been reduced soon after its capture to a brigade of infantry,
two squadrons of cavalry, two batteries of artillery, and a
company of sappers ; but to meet the possibility of a Turkish
attack, General Barrett now reinforced it by half a pioneer
and two infantry battalions.
On the 1st January, a small force under General Dobbie
moved up the right bank of the Tigris to attack a Turkish
force reported to be at Muzaibila,* with the Espiegle and
the Blosse Lynch, on board which two field artillery 18-pounders
were mounted, co-operating on their right. After some
slight opposition from Arabs, the advanced guard reached
Muzaibila, whence a Turkish camp at Sakrikiya, three to four
miles to the north, could be seen. From the size of the camp,
the Turkish force was estimated as about 1,200 strong.
On observing the British at Muzaibila, the Turks moved out
and occupied a line of trenches on both banks of the Tigris about
four thousand yards off. Two unfordable creeks intervened ;
and an obstruction in the fairway of the Tigris (caused by two
lighters sunk by the Turks just below Ruta) prevented the
British steamers advancing to within gun range of the Turkish
position. To the west there were extensive marshes, and for
some days the water in these had been rising steadily and had
encroached considerably towards the Tigris. In consequence,
after a personal reconnaissance, General Dobbie decided that so
long as the obstruction in the river stopped the steamers no
attack was practicable ; and as he thought no useful purpose
could be effected by his force remaining in observation of the
Turks he ordered a retirement to Qurna. This the enemy
made no attempt to interfere with.
About this period, some alterations in the composition of the
British forces in Mesopotamia had occurred or had been arranged
for. On the 13th December, Captain Hayes-Sadler, R.N.,
had left for Egypt in H.M.S. Ocean and had handed over the
duties of Senior Naval Officer to Commander W. Nunn, R.N.,
of H.M.S. Espiegle H.M.S. Odin had left for Bombay to have
her rudder repaired ; General Barrett had been obliged to send
back to India all but three hundred of his transport camels
owing to the difficulty of obtaining grazing for them ; a com
pany of Sirmur sappers and miners (Imperial Service troops),
a survey section, and a searchlight section (manned by Calcutta
Volunteer Engineers) had joined the force ; and the 104th
Heavy Battery R.G.A. (four bullock-drawn 4-inch guns) were
under orders to leave India for Basra in the middle of January.
See Map 2.