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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎173v] (351/454)

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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320 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
well supported by the British naval and military guns, was
opposed by the Turkish guns—including for a time those in
the Turkish armed steamer Pioneer —and led to a smart engage
ment. This terminated early in the afternoon, when the 18th
Brigade had established themselves in trenches some two
thousand yards from the Turkish position and had enabled
the commander of the 63rd Field Battery to reconnoitre and
establish a position to be entrenched for his battery some
three thousand yards from the Turkish lines. Thanks to the
cover obtained from some dry irrigation canals, the British
casualties in this operation only amounted to one man killed
and twenty-four wounded.
During the morning of the 27th General Delamain’s force
made a demonstration against the enemy’s position on the right
bank. This was carried out by the Oxfords, the 119th, one troop
7th Lancers and two field guns. They met with no opposition,
and could discern few signs of the enemy in their right bank
trenches. During the afternoon they returned to camp, and
in the evening the 16th and part of the 30th Brigades made a
further demonstration up the right bank, digging trenches to
deceive the enemy. They failed to draw the enemy’s fire,
however, and after dusk the 16th Brigade withdrew to camp!
leaving the 30th Brigade to hold these trenches and the bridge
head near Nukhailat. It has been said that these movements
deceived Nur-ud-Din and caused him to reinforce his right
from his reserve and to keep his reserve on the right bank of
the river.
On the 26th General Delamain's right flank guard (one
troop 7th Lancers, two field guns and 104th Rifles), under com
mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Clery, 104th Rifles, had established
itself at the south-eastern corner of the Suwada marsh, forming
what was known as ‘ Clery’s Post.” They met with no opposi
tion, and the only enemy seen were a few mounted men to the
north-west of the Suwada marsh.
The British 4-inch and 5-inch heavy guns were landed on
the left bank on the evening of the 27th, and during the ensuing
night were instafled in positions about 5,000 and 6,700 yards,
respectively, from the Turkish centre. It had been hoped to
establish these guns farther forward, but there was no possible
landing place for them on the left bank between 6,700 and
2,500 yards from the enemy's trenches ; and although the
bullock teams of the 4-inch guns had been brought up the
river, enabling them to advance about a mile, none were avail
able for the 5-inch guns, which were thus immobile on land.

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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.' [‎173v] (351/454), 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_100048172214.0x000098> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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