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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎159v] (323/454)

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. .

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294 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
three hundred yards from the enemy’s trenches ; and here,
under heavy fire, the line waited for the barge and bridges to
be placed in position. By 8.15 a.m. they were reinforced
on their left by a part of the 76th Punjabis, who had followed
the two leading battalions in close support.
As soon as the barge had grounded, the remnant of
the Hampshire covering party landed on the north bank of the
creek, and the sappers and pioneers started to construct
the two trestle bridges west of the barge. They were under the
close range fire of the enemy, but fortunately obtained good
cover from the steep bank on the enemy’s side of the creek.
After about an hour’s work had been carried out on the
bridges, the 30th Brigade delivered their assault. This was
most gallantly carried out, the Hampshire Regiment and a
Gurkha company leading, followed by the remainder of the
Gurkhas and the 76th Punjabis. The barge and the bridges
proved too difficult to use, but fortunately the barge had
acted as a sort of dam and in consequence had lessened the
depth of water in the creek. Assisted by the sappers and
pioneers, the infantry waded waist-deep across here and made
good their footing on the further bank, to find themselves
confronted by another water channel—about three feet deep—
running along the front of the enemy’s trenches, which were
about sixty to seventy yards off. These trenches, which had
been considerably damaged by the British artillery fire, were
strongly constructed with loopholes and overhead cover, barbed
wire on the flanks and connected with the rear by communica
tion trenches. But the enemy fled from them before the
British onset, abandoning five field guns, many rifles and much
ammunition Before 10 a.m., the whole of the Majinina
position and about a hundred prisoners were in British
hands.
Part of the 2/7th Gurkhas at once took up the pursuit of
the retiring enemy along the river bank ; steps were taken to
consolidate the Majinina position, and, joined by the 120th
Infantry who had been pushed up from the reserve, the
remainder of the 2/7th Gurkhas and the 76th Punjabis also
joined in the pursuit. The l/4th Hampshire were retained in
the position, where they were joined by the 24th Punjabis from
Sixteen Palms.
Meanwhile the Shushan and Muzaffari had been moving
up the river, and under heavy rifle and gun fire, in which
the Muzaffari was holed by a shell, the Maxim battery was
skilfully landed at the Majinina position. Although the

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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
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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎159v] (323/454), 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_100048172214.0x00007c> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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