"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد II." [و‎‎١‎٣‎٩] (٦٦٠/٢٨٦)

247
DEVELOPMENT OF FLANK ATTACK
resumed in a south-westerly direction, i.e., towards the eastern
exit of the Hanna defile ; and the 21st Brigade soon began to
meet opposition from small parties of the enemy.
At 11 a.m. two Turkish guns opened fire on the brigade,
and its advanced guard—a company of the l/9th Gurkhas—
came under heavy rifle and machine gun fire from their left
front. The 20th Field Battery came into action and a second
Gurkha company was sent up to reinforce the advanced
guard, which was thus able to continue a gradual advance. A
body of the enemy was then seen about two thousand yards
away moving up the right bank of the Wadi and the remaining
half battalion of the l/9th Gurkhas was moved to the left of
the advanced guard with their left reinforced to give flank pro
tection. The enemy’s fire had drawn the advanced guard to
the left of their original line of direction and the greater part
of the Gurkhas were now facing almost due south.
In pursuance of their task—which was to hold the enemy’s
left while the 19th Brigade on the immediate right of the 21st
Brigade, and the 35th and Cavalry Brigades still farther to
the right, manoeuvred against the enemy’s rear—the 21 st
Brigade gradually deployed to the right of their advanced
guard. The 41st Dogras came up on the right of the 9th
Gurkhas but, as their left company had conformed to the
change of direction of the Gurkhas while the remainder of the
battalion at first maintained its south-westerly direction, there
were gaps in their line, which were filled by the 9th Bhopal
Infantry. These two battalions got within distances varying
from three hundred and fifty to five hundred yards from the
hostile line, which, at first consisting of Turkish skirmishers,
was gradually reinforced ; and the Turks were evidently
entrenching themselves. The Black Watch, prolonging to the
right the line of the 41st, came under heavy infantry fire at
about six hundred yards’ range and dug themselves in ; the
20th Field Battery moved up in closer support and opened
fire at 2,900 yards range ; and the last battalion of the brigade,
the 6 th Jats, came up and prolonged the line to the right of the
Black Watch.
At 12 noon, the 21st Brigade, all its infantry in action,
reported to divisional headquarters that the enemy to its front
were dug in along slightly rising ground and appeared to be
holding a very extended position. What had happened, as
subsequently ascertained,* was that the Turks had moved
* This is according to British accounts. The Turkish account, if published,
is not yet available in this country.