!['HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎154r] (312/454)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100025551844.0x000001/IOR_L_MIL_17_15_66_1_0314.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎154r] (312/454)")
'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [154r] (312/454)
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
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
ADVANCE UP THE EUPHRATES
283
i.e., some six to nine miles below Nasiriya. Here almost the
only prominent feature on the right bank was a collection of
low mounds about a mile west of the mouth of the Majinina
creek. On both banks, traffic along the dry belts was much
impeded by the numerous irrigation channels which ran in
from the river and were of varying width and depth.
Early on the 6th July, Captain Nunn, accompanied by Sir
Percy Cox, proceeded down the Euphrates with the Shushan and
Mahsoudi to Suq ash Shuyukh. White flags were flying over
the town, which was an important centre of Arab trade with
a floating population of about twelve thousand. Landing a
naval guard and hoisting the Union Jack over the Custom
House, the British gave over charge of the town to its Shaikh,
who undertook to protect it; and Captain Nunn with his gun
boats rejoined General Gorringe at about 10 a.m.
The naval flotilla then proceeded to reconnoitre up the
Euphrates, followed by the troops in their river steamers.
By about 4 p.m., when General Gorringe reached the Asani
bend, the naval ships had located enemy positions near the
Majinina creek, and an obstruction in the river some two
thousand yards below this creek. The Turks had sunk two
steamers here,* but as it turned out had not carried out the
work completely as the obstruction did not block the fairway.
Further reconnaissance disclosed numbers of the enemy working
on entrenchments, and a Thornycroft launch was observed near
the enemy’s position at a bend of the river which was christened
“ Thornycroft Point.”t The British boats opened fire on
this launch and the enemy replied with their “pom-pom”
and from a field gun on shore. General Gorringe now decided
to halt in the Asani bend and to carry out further reconnais
sance before continuing the advance. Arab information
indicated that two thousand Turkish troops, with four field
and two mountain guns, two Thornycroft launches and large
numbers of Arabs were in position about Majinina creek and
Thornycroft Point; and it was necessary to proceed with
proper precautions.
A careful reconnaissance of the enemy s position was made
the next day (7th). The enemy was found to have thrown
up strong entrenchments on both banks with their outer
flanks resting on the marshes. On the right bank, the trenches
lay behind the deep and broad Majinina creek, the approach
to which up the right bank was open and devoid of cover.
The enemy had four guns here and their position and those
f See Map 6.
Frat and Risafa.
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [154r] (312/454), 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_100048172214.0x000071> [accessed 10 May 2024]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100048172214.0x000071
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100048172214.0x000071">'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎154r] (312/454)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100048172214.0x000071"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100025551844.0x000001/IOR_L_MIL_17_15_66_1_0314.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100025551844.0x000001/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- 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