'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎158v] (321/454)

292 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
close to, and south of, the Atabiya creek ; while the 120th
Infantry were at the same time to be in position near the Umm
as Sabiyan creek.
Two hundred rounds per rifle and four sandbags per man were
to be carried by the troops, who were also to be provided with
yellow flags to indicate their position to the artillery.
General Gorringe’s headquarters were to be established in a
tower on the left bank near the obstruction in the river.
The morning of the 24th dawned with a comparatively
cool breeze, which was a perfect godsend for the troops. At
5 a.m. the British artillery opened the engagement, the four
15-pounders firing on the sandhills, the heavy 5-inch guns and
the howitzers searching the enemy's trenches near Thornycroft
Point and the 4 • 7-inch guns bombarding the eastern flank of
the Majinina trenches.
At 5.30 a.m., the 12th Brigade advanced to the attack on
the left bank, supported by the fire of the 30th Mountain and
63rd Field Batteries and by the rifle and machine gun fire of
the 24th Punjabis from Sixteen Palms ; while the 5-inch
heavies and the howitzers switched on to the Majinina position.
The West Kents, advancing on a two hundred yards frontage
with their left on the Euphrates, led the attack, supported by
the rifle fire of half the 90th Punjabis on their right and by the
massed fire of the six brigade machine guns still further on their
right. The other half of the 90th Punjabis followed the West
Kents in close support and the brigade commander (Lieutenant-
Colonel Dunlop) held the 67th Punjabis in local reserve.
The attack was carried out with great dash and gallantry
over two hundred yards of open and cleared ground, and in
spite of the enemy’s stout resistance the British infantry had
carried the trenches near Thornycroft Point by 6.40 a.m.,
shooting many of the enemy at close quarters and bayoneting
others in their trenches. In this affair the West Kents displayed
marked gallantry, for which they received high praise in General
Gorringe’s report.
Having secured their footing, the 12th Brigade, supported
by the close fire of the 30th Mountain Battery, proceeded to
clear the remainder of the enemy trenches south of the
Maiyadiya creek. In this they met with stout opposition, and
at 8.40 a.m.—when Colonel Dunlop put his last man into the
fight—stubborn resistance was still being encountered. The
110th Mahrattas from the general reserve were, therefore, sent
up to reinforce the 12th Brigade, but before they had reached
the fighting line (about 10 a.m.), renewed efforts by the 12th