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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [116r] (236/454)
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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BRITISH DECISION TO ATTACK
209
thousand men with six guns, but he believed that there was
still in the vicinity of Old Basra a large enemy force which
had not yet been engaged ; and a large hostile concentration
had just been reported as advancing from beyond South
mound.
At dawn on the 14th April, personal observation disclosed
to General Melliss that, although the immediate vicinity of
Shaiba was clear of the enemy, considerable hostile bodies
remained in the neighbourhood of South mound ; and, although
the exact whereabouts of the enemy’s main force was uncertain,
hostile bodies were still believed to be in the Old Basra area.
It seemed evident, however, that the enemy had been consider
ably shaken by his unsuccessful attacks and by our counter
strokes, and reports had been received of enemy withdrawals
to the north-west from Barjisiya wood. If this was true,
it was obviously desirable to follow the enemy up and if
possible inflict a crushing blow upon him before he could get
away; and it might prejudice General Melliss’ chances of
effecting this if he waited for the arrival of the rest of the
30th Brigade from Basra, as they would probably be delayed
should Old Basra be still in possession of the enemy.
General Melliss decided that he would move out to attack
the enemy with the greater part of his force, leaving only
two battalions (48th Pioneers and 104th Rifles) with three
field and two horse artillery guns to hold the camp. The
infantry took with them two hundred rounds of rifle ammuni
tion on the man and one hundred rounds per rifle on pack
mules. His first objective was to be South mound. After
this, it seems to have been in General Melliss’ mind that he
might have to clear Zubair and Old Basra of any enemy still
remaining there, but this, of course, would depend on how the
situation developed.
At 9.30 a.m. the force moved off, the 16th Infantry Brigade
directing the advance with its centre on a point just to the
west of South mound. The diagram below shows approxi
mately the positions of the units of the advancing troops.
The main reason for this special formation was the possibility
of an attack from the direction of Old Basra or Zubair.
Advanced cavalry patrols covered the front of the infantry,
and half a squadron was detached to watch the extreme
left flank.
The cavalry established contact with the enemy at a point
about a mile to the north-west of South mound, whence
enemy infantry were seen advancing from the direction of
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.' [116r] (236/454), 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_100048172214.0x000025> [accessed 7 May 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