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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎160r] (324/454)

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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SITUATION AT MIDDAY
295
enemy were retreating they still offered considerable opposition,
and for some time the ships continued to be engaged heavily.
The close nature of the country, the great heat,* and the
lack of land transport all combined to hamper an effective
pursuit.
At 10 a.m., two sections of the 63rd Field Battery began
to embark in the Mejidieh and in a gun barge. They were all
on board by noon, when the Norfolks from the general reserve
were also embarked in the Mejidieh, which then received orders
to proceed upstream. General Gorringe intended to concen
trate the 18th Infantry Brigade on the left bank of the river,
preparatory to an attack on the enemy's rearward position
on the Sadanawiya creek. At 1 p.m.,f he himself proceeded
upstream to interview brigade commanders personally and to
complete arrangements for the further advance.
At this hour, the general situation was as follows :—
On the right bank, the leading lines of the 30th Brigade
were about two thousand yards north of the Majinina creek.
To their left, but well out of reach, were some five hundred
of the enemy who had garrisoned the sandhills and were now
retiring on Nasiriya. To their front appeared an enemy
entrenched position, whose river approach was commanded
by two guns at the mouth of the Sadanawiya creek.
On the left bank, the 12th Brigade were some nineteen
hundred yards north of the Maiyadiya creek—slightly in
advance of the 30th Brigade on the opposite bank—and were
engaging the enemy in the Sadanawiya trenches.
The Shushan and Sumana were almost abreast of the 30th
Brigade; and the Mahsoudi, with the 4-7-inch guns, and the
Mejidieh were near Thornycroft Point on their way upstream.
Here the Norfolks received orders to disembark on the right
bank of the river.
For the next two hours or so, the battle became stationary
while the 12th Brigade were carrying out reconnaissances of
the Turkish left, and General Gorringe proceeded upstream
and reviewed the situation after personal discussion with his
subordinate commanders. Between 3 and 4 p.m. he received
information from the 12th Brigade that the enemy along the
Sadanawiya creek showed signs of retiring, evidently owing
to the effect of the fire of the Shushan and the naval 4-7-inch
guns.
* The temperature was well over 110° Fahrenheit in the shade.
f By this time telephonic communication between General Gorringe's
headquarters and the brigades had been completely interrupted.

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
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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎160r] (324/454), 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_100048172214.0x00007d> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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