'Field notes: Mesopotamia. General Staff, India. February, 1917.' [‎11v] (29/350)

Townshend was compelled to fall back, and from November
25th to December 3rd be retreated on Kut-al-Amarah, which
was invested by the enemy on December 7th. The operations
in the early part of 1916 were mainly directed to the relief of
Kut-al-Amarah. On January 7th the battle of Shaikh Sa’ad
was fought by the relieving force and the position captured.
This success was followed by the battle of Orah (or Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. ) on
January 13th and 14th and the capture of the enemy’s position
at that place. On January 21st came the battle of Umm-al-
Hannah. The enemy were now in a strong position at Es-
Sinn. An unsucessful attack on the Dujailah redoubt—a
portion of this position—was made on March 8th and 9th. On
April 5th the British carried the Hannah Falahiyah posi
tions (near Umm-al-Hannah) and on April 9th attacked the
Sannaiyat position about 3 miles west of Umm-al-Hannah.
An advance on the right bank of the Tigris resulted in the
capture of the enemy’s position at Bait ’Aiessa and an
enemy counter-attack upon that position was repulsed with
some loss. Floods now impeded the further advance of the
relieving force and on April 29th the garrison of Kut-al-
Amarah, having exhausted all their provisions, capitulated.
On May 20th the Dujailah redoubt and Es-Sinn positions
were occupied by the British.