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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎93v] (191/454)

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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164 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
The advanced guard left Muzaira’a at 6 a.m. and about an
hour later came under fire from the enemy’s outposts on the
sand-hills, when the cavalry withdrew to the flanks. The
leading line of infantry (1st Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Light Infantry and 103rd Mahrattas) occupied the sand-hills
with but little opposition and came under fire from six Turkish
guns on the north of Ruta creek and from trenches on its
banks. The Espiegle and Mejidieh came into action against the
Turkish guns and had practically silenced them by 10.45 a.m.
The Miner anchored off Abu Aran village, and throughout
the fight successfully engaged parties of Arabs and cavalry on
the right bank of the Tigris. In the meantime, the Oxfords
and the 103rd had been ordered to advance from the sand-hills.
They were to test the practicability of the marshes, to locate
the enemy’s trenches, and to ascertain their dispositions. As,
however, General Barrett had previously informed the force
that he had no intention of crossing the creek and had made
no arrangements for doing so, these units were instructed not
to get involved too far. They advanced to between eight
hundred and a thousand yards of the creek, sinking over their
knees in the marsh and coming under an enfilade fire from
trenches on the right bank of the Tigris.
At this stage, some confusion was observed among the
enemy and a portion of them appeared to be retiring, while
the fire of their guns had almost ceased. General Barrett
felt much inclined to order a general advance on Ruta village,
to destroy the Turkish camp and possibly to capture his guns.
But the force was not prepared for crossing the creek ; and the
advance through the marsh—where the depth of water and
the two-feet high grass detracted from the effectiveness of
our infantry fire—would probably have entailed considerable
casualties. About 9.30 a.m., therefore. General Barrett
issued orders for the leading troops to stand fast, preparatory
to withdrawing. The second line of troops on the sand-hills
and the ships on the river covered this withdrawal, which
was carried out successfully. The 103rd, however, experiencing
some difficulty in extricating themselves, suffered most of
their casualties at this stage. The Turks, who were themselves
preparing to retire, made no attempt to interfere with the
further British withdrawal; and the British force was all
back in Muzaira’a by 2 p.m., having lost seven killed and
fifty-one wounded.
The enemy’s strength was estimated at five thousand.
They were reported to have been much demoralised by the

About this item

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.

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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.' [‎93v] (191/454), 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_100048172213.0x0000c0> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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