'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎113r] (230/454)

FAILURE OF TURKISH ATTACK
203
his squadron and clear them away. Permission was granted,
and the manoeuvre was carried out effectively * Supported
bv the fire of “ S ” Battery, Major Wheeler took his squadron
out at a gallop and drove off the snipers, now and then getting
home with the lance, and withdrew to the camp again, having
had onlv one man and three horses wounded, an attempted
counter-attack by hostile cavalry having been checked by
“ S ” battery and the British machine guns. By 3 p.m., the
enemy's attack had again withered away. Though pressed
with some vigour towards South salient by the Turkish
infantry, the Arabs on their right—advancing from Old Basra-
had shown little inclination to come to close quarters and had
been easily kept in check by the fire of “ S " Battery As
the attack developed, General Fry had reinforced his southern
front with half of the 2nd Norfolk Regiment from the reserve,
but the result had never really been in doubt.
From 3 p.m. a desultory and ineffective fire was maintained
by the enemy for about^ three hours, interrupted only by a
distinct rearward movement of many Arabs from North mound
about 5 p.m. At duskt a vigorous attack was again delivered
from the south, supported by heavy rifle and machine-gun
fire against South salient and the line on either side of it
The British searchlight in the salient was placed hors de combat
by rifle fire within fifteen minutes of its lighting up, and one
of the British machine guns there was put out of action or
two hours. But the attack failed and gradually died away to
desultory 7 firing. This continued for many hours, occasionally
breaking out into heavy bursts of fire made to cover bold
attempts to cut the wire entanglement. But they were all
unsuccessful. After a final effort about 3.30 a.m. the Turks
finallv relinquished the attack and all became quiet. e
brunt of the fighting had fallen on the 48th Pioneers and the
17th Company of Sappers and Miners, who had wiriistood
the onslaught with conspicuous steadiness, assisted by the
particularly good work of the Norfolks’ machine gun section
The total British casualties during the 12th and the night of
the 12th-13th only amounted to five killed and sixty-six
wounded—a slight price to pay for the results obtained.
As already mentioned, General Nixon had intended to
proceed himself to Shaiba, with General Melhss an some
reinforcements, on the morning of the 1-th. On amv a
* The exact hour of this operation is uncertain. The official records give
several different hours between 2.30 and 4 p.m.
I Sunset was approximately 6.30 p.m.