'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎64v] (133/454)

108 HISTORY OF THE WAR: MESOPOTAMIA
between Basra and Fao. About 1 p.m., the Turks opened a
heavy rifle fire from mud walls and trenches on the river-bank
opposite Abadan and the Espiegle replied with gun and rifle
fire. In about half an hour the Turkish defences had been
much knocked about and were on fire in places, and the
Espiegle dropped farther down the river to enfilade the enemy’s
trenches, the fire from which was completely silenced before
2 p.m. The Espiegle, which had two men wounded and whose
upper works had sustained some slight damage, continued to
search the scrub and houses on the river-bank with occasional
shrapnel till it became apparent that the enemy had evacuated
the foreshore. It was subsequently reported that the Turks
lost forty-six men killed in this engagement.
On the 7th, having re-embarked the landing force and leaving
the 117th Company to garrison the Fao telegraph station, the
transports proceeded up-stream, anchoring about sixteen miles
above Fao, within sight of the oil-works at Abadan. Next day,
General Delamain, after reconnoitring with the Senior Naval
Officer in the Odin, decided to land and form a camp at Sanniya,
on the Turkish side of the river about two and a half miles
up-stream of the oil-works, where the river-bank, being firm
and steep with deep water close inshore, was most suitable
for a disembarkation. The troops commenced to land that
afternoon and continued throughout the 9th and 10th. The
operation was carried out with some difficulty, owing to the
wind, strong tide, and the lack of suitable craft.*
brom the 8th to the 10th, continual reconnaissances were
carried out on land and up the river. These were rendered
specially necessary and at the same time difficult by the date
plantations which fringe the river-banks everywhere in this
area to a depth of one or two miles. These plantations are
closely intersected by tidal water cuts, often of some width and
depth, and afford excellent cover for concealment, especially
from river craft. Beyond occasional Arab snipers, however,
no opposition was encountered and no enemy was seen, except
by the Espiegle, which, in a northward reconnaissance to
intercept some Turkish armed launches on the early morning
of the 9th, was fired on from the shore near Mohammerah by
about one hundred Turks and by a Turkish launch. In reply,
the Espiegle silenced the enemy’s fire and sank one launch
* The tugs drew too much water and all the towing had to be done by the
two steamboats from the Ocean and a small one from the Odin. At Bahrein
the Sappers had prepared eight ships’ life-boats to carry seven or eight mules
each, and only four lighters could be obtained from the oil-works. Each
ship’s boat had a naval coxswain detailed for it.