تقرير عن العمليات في المنطقة المحيطة بالشعيبة من الثاني عشر إلى الرابع عشر من أبريل ١٩١٥. شيملا: هيئة الأركان العامة في الهند، ١٩١٥. [‎٧] (٧٠/١٥)

7
Report on the Operations at Shaiba on 11th and 12th April
1915.
No. 1815 (Confidential), dated Dirhamij^ah, 2istjApril 1915.
From— Major-general C. I. Fry, Commanding at Shaiba,
To Major-General, General Staff, Indian Expeditionary Force " D."
I have the honour to submit this report which deals with the first
portion of the operations at Shaiba and covers the period during which I
was in command of the garrison.
^ nc ^ cat j 0n of the advance of the Turkish forces from
iNakhailah was a message received from my normal protective Cavalry recon- nth Ami ioi«;
naissance at 7 a.m ., to the effect that Barjisiyah Wood and Shwebda were
occupied by hostile cavalry and that further troops were advancing on the latter 7 A,M '
place from the north-west.
The Protective Cavalry were reinforced by the 33rd Cavalry and at
9 A M. in ormation was received that a large body of the enemy's cavalry
ad been located in Barjisiyah Wood, another body behind it, a large body oa.m.
or Arabs to the north-west of Shwebda and a large column of regular
in f 4i 000 men was advancing on Shwebda from the direction
o Nakhailah. No guns could be distinguished and there were no signs of
enemy in other directions.
Except for the approach of the columns on Shwebda, the situation
remained unchanged till about 3-30 p .m ., when our advanced patrols were 3-30 p.m.
driven back by hostile cavalry.
At 4 P.Ms, the 6th Cavalry Brigade under Brigadier-General H. Kennedy 4P . M .
moved out, supported by a small mixed column always held in readiness for
the occasion. The enemy, however, retired in to Bariisiyah Wood and by
7 P .M. all was quiet. 7 p. M .
3. My intelligence this evening pointed to an attack during the later
portion of the night by a force of some.
12,000 Regulars (mostly Kurds).
12 Field Guns.
10,000 Tribesmen.
The plan of attack was said to be—
(a) An attack by the Turkish Regulars direct on the Fort.
(b) Saiyid Yezdi and his following were to attack, from Ana's Tomb,
the north of our position.
(c) Ajaimi's Tribesmen on the south of Shaiba from Zubair.
(d) Yusuf, with the u beni malick'*, from Old Basrah.
All tents were struck and troops occupied their alarm posts.
The distribution of the Garrison, which varied only slightly during the
ensuing day, is given the sketch Map of Shaiba Defences.*
4. The expected attack was actually made at 5 a.m ., on 12th April
^nd turned out to be very much on the above plan. Heavy fire was
opened on the Fort Section of the defences from the west and south-west iath Apfii 1515.
just as it was becoming light, our two piquets in this direction making the enemy 5A,M •
disclose themselves and retiring without loss.
The enemy's advanced line reached to about 900 yards of the position
and were then checked.
At: 5*45 A M ' enemy's gun fire was opened on the Fort from 2 guns to
the westward and these were engaged by our Field Artillery. s -^ a . ii .
A determined advance of the Turkish Infantry was made at 6-10 a. m.
supported by heavy rifle fire mainly against South Salient, but their attacking <
line was extended round the west of the Fort up to Kiln Post. 6-ioa . m .
# Vide Map Nc. 1 in po:ket.