'PAPERS RELATING TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN COMMISSION from SIR E. BARROW'S ROOM' [‎395r] (799/1386)

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iliree days including battle, and at tlie end of it their valour ,and discipline is in no way
diminished and without loss of a gun or a single prisoner even. .Never have I seen a retire
ment like that of 1st December even on field manoeuvres better done as regards suppleness
and steadiness, manoeuvres under very heavy shell fire. I mean to defend Knt like I did
Chitral.”
] entirely concur in bis high commendation of the valour and discipline displayed by his
.troops.
General Nixon to Secretary of State for India, dated btl< December 191. r >.
(Telegraphic.)
General Townshend reports 4th December:—
“ I am making Kut hiy( as strong an entrenched c^unp as possible in the given time. 1 bo
enemy’s advanced guard is now some 10 miles off, and the main body o miles beyond that.
As it is reported that Von Goltz is at Baghdad now, commanding the enemy’s army of six
divisions, L shall expect him to turn this place, putting off a force of observation at'Kut.
The relieving force will probably have to fight another battle at Sinn. I have shut myself
up here, reckoning with certainty on being relieved by large forces arriving at Basra. 1 he
state of extreme exhaustion of men demanded instant rest. I was very anxious, and it looked
at one time on 2nd December as if the whole division would lie down and not be able to move.
Our being here will also delay Von Goltz’s advance down the Tigris, and give more time for
you to concentrate relieving force on the Amara, Ali Gharbi line.”
1 have approved his proposal, and shall now make my concentration at Amara. In view
of these altered conditions and the possibility of Townshend being invested in Knt, 1 require
urgently more heavy guns and howitzers, and ask that these may be sent to me immediately.
Kurther, in view of this large Turkish concentration against me, I shall want another
.complete division to secure success in this theatre of war.
General Nixon to Secretary of State for India, dated Idh December 1915.
(Telegraphic.)
5Di December. Tigris line. General Townshend reports, oth December, no inovement on
enemy’s part. All sick, wounded, and prisoners have been evacuated from Kut., Cavalry
Brigade is being sent back to Ali Ghaibi to joinfhands with General Younghusband s
Brigade, three battalions of which, iJ*. 53rd Sikhs, a(nd 56th Bides, together with General
Yoimghusband and Brigade headquarters, are now en route to Alialgharbi. Arrangements
for moving up reinforcements are in hand. General headquarters resell Basra, Gtli Decembei.
General Nixon to Secretary of State Jor India, dated (<th December 1915.
(Telegraphic.)
General Headquarters arrived Basra, evening of 6th December.
General Townshend at Kut.
Xo change reported by
• > t M
V.,,.