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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [99v] (203/454)
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. .
Transcription
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176 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
to keep up a proper supply at Shaiba at the very time that
its importance was becoming more pronounced ; for Ajaimi’s
force was slowly materialising at Qurainat, eighteen miles
north-west of Shaiba. On the 9th February our cavalry were
engaged with Ajaimi’s men near Nukhaila ; and by the 17th
he was reported to have fifteen hundred Turkish troops with
six guns, in addition to about three thousand Arab tribesmen.
Two days later this force was reported within fifteen miles
of Shaiba, and General Delamain was despatched with the
Basra movable column (five squadrons of cavalry,* four
field and four mountain guns, three and a quarter battalions
of infantry and half a battalion of pioneers) to attack them.
General Delamain had intended to march from Basra to
Shwaibda the first day, but the floods prevented this. The
first five miles after leaving Basra was through thick mud
over the men’s ankles or water up to their knees, and although
the last three or four miles to Shaiba was over sand or gravel,
the force had to face a strong gale of wind ; this carried much
sand and grit with it, and by the end of the march the men
were considerably distressed. The field artillery teams had
all been increased to eight horses, but even then the draught
work was exceedingly heavy. To add further to their diffi
culties the flood rose higher in the afternoon and the water
then spread the whole way to Shaiba. Here the force
bivouacked in great discomfort owing to the heavy rain, and
marched the next morning to Shwaibda.
The going in the desert country to the west of Shaiba was
not affected by the rain, but its sand proved heavy going for
the guns, wheeled vehicles and transport animals. No fodder
or fuel was procurable locally, and all that the force required
had to be carried on pack mules. In consequence, the number
of these was abnormal and their protection was difficult to
arrange for.
At Shwaibda, General Delamain received information
from Force headquarters that the hostile force near Nukhaila
had been reinforced. They were now said to comprise
2,500 regular troops with twelve field and two mountain
guns, including quick-firers, in addition to a force of some
thousands of Arabs; and General Barrett could send no
reinforcements to General Delamain. The enemy were said
to be holding an entrenched position to the south-east of
Nukhaila, extending from the river to the At Tuba mounds, and
* The 16th Cavalry (three squadrons strong) had disembarked at Basra
irom India on the 14th.
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.
- 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 I.' [99v] (203/454), 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_100048172214.0x000004> [accessed 18 April 2024]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/1
- Title
- 'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:3r, 4r:216v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence