'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎142r] (288/454)

PURSUIT
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16th Brigade and were to proceed up-stream, together with the
63rd Field Battery, the Norfolks, the “ river section ” of the
heavy artillery and the hospital steamer.
Soon after 3 p.m., the Espiegle, with General Townshend
and the Senior Naval Officer on board, followed by the Clio
and Odin, passed the obstruction—to remove which a
naval party had already been set to work—and started in
pursuit up the river. But only a rough chart was available
and navigation was extremely difficult, owing to the bends
and twists of the river channel, whose banks were not easily
discernible in the floods. The Turkish gunboat Marmariss
and other river craft were soon sighted ; and before 6 p.m.
the Shaitan, which was leading, was able to open fire with her
12-pounder, doing considerable damage. In less than an
hour, the Espiegle, Clio and Odin opened fire in turn—as they
came within range—with their 4-inch guns on the river steamer
Mosul and then on the Marmariss. This fire evidently had
some effect, for the Turkish steamers, in their efforts to escape,
began casting off the lighters and mahailas they were towing ;
and at 7.30 p.m. many of these, full of troops and warlike stores,
were found at Ezra’s Tomb. Here the Odin was left behind
to capture them and to prevent their being looted by Arabs ;
and in the Odin General Townshend left his senior general staff
officer to unite his troops there and to send them forward by
echelon of brigades as soon as possible.
The chase continued in the gathering darkness* and a short
way farther on the Shaitan took possession of a mahaila full
of Turkish troops. But soon the enemy could no longer be
distinguished to fire at, and as the navigation was becoming
increasingly intricate and difficulty Captain Nunn, the Senior
Naval Officer, decided to anchor and await the rising of the
moon. The ships anchored just after 8 p.m., close to some
more Turkish lighters full of troops and stores; and our
searchlights disclosed the steamer Bulbul, submerged in the
river just ahead, having been sunk by a shell from the Shaitan.
During the day’s pursuit up the river, some two hundred
Turkish soldiers, three field guns and a large quantity of stores,
explosives and mines had been captured without loss to our
selves. Moreover, there had been no casualties from the heat,
either on that or the previous day, though the usual high
temperature had prevailed.
* Sunset was about 6.55 p.m.
f The stretch of river between Ezra’s Tomb and Qala Salih, comprising
the “ Narrows,” is one of the most difficult parts of the Tigris to navigate.