"مجلد ٤ رقم ١٥ (تاريخي) من دراسات هيئة الأركان البحرية - العمليات البحرية في بلاد بلاد الرافدين والخليج الفارسي" [‎٦‎٢] (١٥٠/٧٩)

62
the enemy's position could be turned by a route along the bund
(bank) north of Ati's House, though the operation would require
two battalions in order to overcome the opposition of the local
Arabs. During the afternoon the remainder of the force moved
forward and anchored about a mile down-stream from Ati's
House,
At 4.45 a.m. on 5th July the advance commenced. On the
right bank our troops were held up at the Shahtar Creek by
the enemy's fire, and the Sumana and Shushan moved up in
support. They came under heavy gun and rifle fire and the
Sumana was disabled by a shell which hit her main steampipe,
and wounded her captain 1 and two men.
Meanwhile, troops were pushed forward wide on the left
bank to the Euphrates, and a heavy fire from guns and rifles
was opened on the enemy's gun position, and at 1.20 p.m. the
enemy surrendered. Our troops crossed the Euphrates in
bellums and took possession of the battery. On the right bank
our troops, assisted by the Shushan, managed to cross the Shatar
Creek at 2 p.m.; the enemy fell back, found their gun positions
in our hands, and surrendered.
At 4 p.m. the Shushan and Massoudieh moved np on the
channel, sweeping for mines, the position of which was indicated
by a Turkish officer who had been captured in the battery. By
9 p.m. the channel of the Euphrates was swept clear, one mine
having been found, and all ships moved up and anchored in the
Euphrates and entrance of the Gurma-Safha.
The strength of the enemy during the operations was
estimated at 300 Turks, 2,000 Arabs, two guns and two launches
with pom-poms. They were re-inforced during the action by
two guns and 700 regulars from Nasiriya. Their losses must
have been considerable 2 ; and 132 prisoners, two Krupp guns
and large quantities of ammunition and equipment were
captured. Our naval casualties were one officer and two men
wounded. The military casualties were 111 killed and wounded,
this low figure being due to the effective co-operation of the
ships' guns. 3
47. Preparations for a further Advance. —Suk-as-Shayuk
surrendered next day (6th July) to the Shushan and Massoudieh
towing the 4 • 7-inch guns.
The S.N.O. then proceeded up the Euphrates in the Shushan
to reconnoitre, and located the enemy's position near Majinina,
about 4 miles below Nasiriya. They had sunk the steamers
Frat, Risafa, and a Thornycroft launch about 3,000 yards
downstream of their position, 4 but in their haste they had done
it so ineffectually that it was afterwards found that the flotilla
could get past. The flotilla was now brought up and arrived
off Asani at 4 p.m. The enemy were seen working, entrenching
1 Lieutenant W. V. H. Harris. 3 Captain Nunn's Report.
2 General Gorringe's Report. 4 Marked " Obstruction " on Plan 7.