'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎177r] (358/454)

CAPTURE OF SOUTHERN REDOUBT
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raising clouds of dust which, combined with the usual mirage,
was making artillery observation very difficult, he ordered
the 82nd Field Battery, followed shortly by the l/5th Hants
Howitzers, up to a fresh position close to Northern Redoubt
to co-operate with the infantry attacks southward.
The Turks put up a stout resistance from the communication
and other trenches to the south-west and south of the Centre
Redoubt and from the Southern Redoubt itself. A company
of the 119th, supported by a company of the Oxfords,
captured the two Turkish guns in the gunpits south of the
Centre Redoubt, and a mixed party of 119th, Oxfords,
and 103rd gained a footing in the trenches south of the Centre
Redoubt, where General Delamain’s portion of the force was
reorganising. Heavy and confused fighting ensued, and the
Turks, fighting well, started to counter-attack, with the result
that the British attack was held up for some time about eight
hundred yards short of the Southern Redoubt, the check
being largely owing to the lack of close artillery support,
which the dust and mirage had rendered so difficult. The deep
communication trenches hampered reorganisation and rein
forcement of the British front line, but it was gradually effected ;
the 82nd and Hampshire Batteries redoubled their efforts, and
the Maxim Battery moved in to afford close support to the
infantry attack, with the result that an assault by the Oxfords,*
119th, and 103rd carried the redoubt about 12.45 p.m., cap
turing three hundred Turkish soldiers.
After the Oxfords, 103rd, and 119th had been detached,
soon after 9 a.m., from General Hoghton s force to join in
General Delamain’s attack on the three redoubts, the 22nd
Punjabis continued their advance towards the low ground
behind the Centre Redoubt. Beginning, however, to suffer
from enfilade fire from the Turkish trenches behind this
redoubt, they swung round a little to their left. This was
before 10 a.m., and just then the 20th Punjabis reported an
enemy force advancing from the south-south-west, and
apparently directed against the right flank of General Hoghton s
force. Ordering the 20th to remain in observation of this force,
General Hoghton collected the 104th, 22nd and brigaded
machine guns, which were all somewhat scattered, and advanced
with them to attack the approaching enemy. This was in
accordance with orders he had received shortly before ^ ro ^ 1
General Delamain to a ttack the enemy wherever encountered,
* In his report General Nixon describes the action of the Oxfords here as
being “ particularly fine.”