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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [142v] (289/454)
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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260 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
At 2 a.m. on the 2nd, after the moon had risen, the Espiegle,
Clio. Comet* Miner, Shaitan and Sumana again took up the
pursuit. But the navigation difficulties increased and in about
two hours the Espiegle went aground and she and the Clio could
go no farther. By this time, however, they had overhauled
the Marmariss, who was now aground and had been abandoned.
She was on fire from a British shell and showed many shell
hits ; and near her was a lighter from which thirty Turks
were taken prisoner. In the next reach the steamer Mosul,
with another lighter and seven mahailas, surrendered. Alto
gether about one hundred and forty prisoners, two 15-pounder
field guns and large quantities of rifles and ammunition were
captured here.
It was evident that the Turkish retirement had become
a demoralised rout; and consequently, after consultation
with General Townshend, Captain Nunn decided to push on
with the light-draught vessels to keep the Turks on the run
and to try to ascertain the condition of affairs at Amara.
They both transferred to the Comet and proceeded up the
liver, followed by the Sumana, Shaitan, Lewis Felly and three
horse-boats each containing a 4* 7-inch gun. Sir Percy Cox
also accompanied them. About 7 p.m., they anchored for
the night about six miles above Qala Salih.+ The marsh
area had now been left behind. An apparently endless
plain covered with low scrub appeared on either bank, with
occasional Arab villages ; and much relief was experienced
from the drier air.
Early on the 3rd the flotilla again pushed forward. All
the villages on either bank were flying white flags and the
Arab inhabitants everywhere gave signs of their friendliness.
Twelve miles from Amara General Townshend called a halt.
He considered it advisable to await the arrival of his leading
brigade, as he anticipated that the Turks would defend Amara
and he felt that it would be ridiculous to attempt to take the
place with the few small vessels he had with him. Captain
Nunn was anxious that they should go on, but General
Townshend declined at first to do so. An hour later, however,
he told Captain Nunn that he “ would go on and chance it.”t
* The Comet had rejoined the flotilla from the Shwaiyib river on the 31st
May and had followed up the Tigris on the 1st June.
J The Shaikh from here came on board the Comet and, with a view to his
spreading the news, General Townshend ordered him to collect supplies for
15,000 men who would arrive very shortly.
J “ My Campaign in Mesopotamia,” p. 70.
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.' [142v] (289/454), 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_100048172214.0x00005a> [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