'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎105r] (214/454)

REINFORCEMENTS FROM INDIA
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fighting against the Turks; there had been and were still
considerable desertions among trans-frontier Pathan soldiers ;
and it was difficult to say what the attitude of Mahomedan
troops generally might be in case of a Jahad on the frontier.
This factor rendered it impossible to spare Hindu troops.
Before he had received this telegram Lord Crewe wired on
the 3rd saying definitely that any force for Aden or Mesopo
tamia must be found from India, and he suggested that a
brigade of two Territorial and two Indian battalions should
be sent. On the 4th, the news of the fighting near Shaiba and
Ahwaz on the 3rd was received at 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. . The
situation was considered at a Cabinet Council that afternoon,
and on the same day the Cabinet’s decision was telegraphed
to India. The Government of India was to despatch a brigade
of Territorials to Mesopotamia as soon as possible, the numerical
deficiency thus caused in India being replaced at an early date
from Egypt or East Africa in accordance with the military
situation. Lord Crewe concluded the telegram by saying:
“ I hope the Dardanelles operations will shortly relieve the
political tension and enable us to give greater consideration
to India.”
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. had received on the same day a telegraphic
report dated the 4th on the general situation from Sir Percy
Cox. Intelligence reports, he said, confirmed by the recom
mencement of overtures to him by Shaikhs between Quma
and Amara, indicated that for the present our position in
that direction was secure. An attack on Basra from the
west might be expected at any time, but there was no likelihood
of surprise, as we could watch the hostile movements there
from day to day. Sir Percy Cox, however, expressed consider
able anxiety regarding the situation at Ahwaz. General
Barrett had done what he could, but Sir P. Cox was afraid
that the grave possibilities of the rapidly deteriorating situation
resulting from Turkish intrusion into Arabistan were not yet
fully appreciated. All but one of his tribes (the Muhaisin)
had deserted the Shaikh of Mohammerah, and this tribe threat
ened to abandon Ahwaz unless reinforced. Ramuz* had risen,
and rebels there had overrun the district south-east of Ahwaz.
Although the British detachment near Ahwaz might be strong
enough to defend itself against any present Turkish attack,
it was insufficient to protect Ahwaz from the Arabs to the
east. Sir Percy Cox regretted having to appear as an alarmist,
* Ram Hormuz, fifty-five miles east of Ahwaz ; largely under the Bakhtiari
Khans, it possessed a predominantly Persian population.