'Mesopotamia. Commission' [‎115v] (233/256)

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No.
Ser re fart/ of Sfafr for hulia to Virovo/i, dnfi'il 6th Amjiisf
fTelegraplnc.)
Vour telegram of 5tli August. ! eonctu' in course ot action proposed 1*\ Nixon and
recommended 1>\’ you unless you think tit to modify it in view of Marling s tel eg i am ot
3rd August and his surmise as to objective of Ispahan gathering. A hat is strength and
distribution of troops on Karun line ? I presume that they are sufficient with local arrange
ments at oil-fields for defence against raiders.
No.
(Jenmil \i,ro>i to Srcretnri/ of State for ImJia, oth S<'i>t ember l!*lo.
(Telegraphic.)
Tigris line. Two troops, 7th Lancers, escorting telegraph party at Michrixah canal, on
right bank of Tigris, seven miles up stream of All Ciharbi, encountered 400 enem\ ca\alr\
on 4th September. After two hours engagement enemy retired, carrying a\\a\ ti\e of their
men. We had one horse wounded.
No. >1^.
Heneral Xi.ron to Secretary of State for lmho, dated 8th September Idlo.
(Telegraphic.)
Tigris line. On 7th September a reconnaissance from Ali Gharbi consisting of two
squadrons of 7th Lancers, one section of Royal Field Artillery, and one battalion of Indian
Infantry supported by two gunboats encountered force of 600 to 700 enemy cavalry eight
miles up stream of Ali Gharbi. Engagement resulted in retreat and four mile pursuit of
enemy by our troops, who inflicted about a dozen casualties upon them. Our casualties one
horse wounded ; one man died of heat stroke. Heat was very severe. ( omplete flight of four
aeroplanes is now at Ali Gharbi. .
- No. trr
General Nixon to Secretary of State fyr India, dated 14/// September 1915.
(Telegraphic.) . )
Headquarters, Sixth Division, reached Slfeikh Saad 14th; no enemy there. Genera!
Officer Commanding Sixth Division made aeroplane reconnaissance of Sinn position without
definite result. Reconnaissance by gunboats Supported by infantry being carried out 15th.
General Headquarters remain at Amara for the present.
General A
No. 178.
to Secretary of State for India, dated 15/// September 191.).
(Telegraphic.)
Tigris line. Headquarters, 6th Division, reached Abu Rummanah 15th, six miles from
Sinn position. Result of to-day’s naval reconnaissance tends to show that Turks hold position
in strength. Ships are being returned to Amara to fetch up 63rd and Howitzer Batteries and
further supplies. This will take about a week. Further aeroplane reconnaissance being made
16th. Two machines have been seriously damaged by bad landing, wind has been unfavour
able. Steps being taken to replace themi from Basra. Am in communication by land line
and wireless with Abu.
No. l/a
General Xi.ron to Secretary of State for India, dated 16/// September 191.).
(Telegraphic.)
Tigris line. Combined aeroplane and naval reconnaissance made of hs-Sinn position
morning of 16th. Townshend reports Caudron machine suddenly descended from height of at
least 4,500 feet in front of enemy’s lines and enemy swarmed out of hidden trenches. Ships
opened fire at range of two miles, enemy went to ground, but one gun opened on our ships.
Cause of descent believed to be engine trouble, not disablement. Captain W. N. Treloar.
Australian Royal Flying Corps, pilot, and Captain B. S. Atkins, 11th Rajputs, observer, both
missing. Enemy reported in strength. Another aerial reconnaissance sent out, and cavalry
and infantry reconnaissance to-morrow. Three aeroplanes out of four now out of action,
others being brought up from Basra, including two sea-planes.
No. Ijfo.
General Xi.ron to Secretary of State for India, dated 27th September 1915.
(Telegraphic.) .
Tigris line. Townshend's reconnaissance in force on both banks of Tigris on 2/th drew
fire from enemy’s guns. These were located by our artillery. Fry’s Brigade advancing on
left bank made good and entrenched position within 3,500 yards of enemy's left centre. At
dusk on 27th, Delamain with his own and Hoghton’s Brigade crossed boat bridge to left bank
and is moving intdfposition on night of 27tli-28th to envelop and attack enemy's extreme left
at dawn of 28th. Heavy guns are being moved on night of 27th-28th into positions covered
bv Frv’s Brigade; they will open at dawn of 28th. Our casualties on 26th and 27th amount
to 26* principally shell fire, and in addition to these 9 sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. of the 110th Mahrattas are
missing. These latter were escort to civilian telegraph party who were captured on 27th by
a raiding party of Turkish and Arab cavalry up stream of Sheikh Saad. The presence of
those raiders on the Tigris has temporarily interrupted land telegraphic communication, w hich