'Critical Study of the Campaign in Mesopotamia up to April 1917: Part I - Report' [‎166v] (337/424)

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Trie next night the 4th—5th February the Turks evacuated the Hai
position and took up a new line from the Liquorice Factory An East India Company trading post. to the Shum-
ran Bend at Yusifiya.
The casualties we incurred in these operations were about 3,700.
Throughout, the weather had been fine except for some rain on the night
of January 31st.
Phase VII.
Clearing the Dahra Bend—February 6th to February 16th.
On the expulsion of the Turks from the Hai Triangle, General Maude
at once began operations to reduce the enemy's new position in the Dahra
Bend ; this done, the right bank of the Tigris would be virtually clear
of the enemy.
The new position occupied by the enemy ran from the Liquorice
Factory An East India Company trading post. to the Yusifiya bend of the Tigris and thence along the Nahr-al-
Massag.
According to our contemporary intelligence estimates the enemy
forces at this time were distributed as follows :—
Dahra Bend 6,500 rifles and 14 guns.
About Kut and Shumran .... 1,800 rifles and 46 guns.
Simmran (exclusive) to Bughailah . • • 900 rifles and 6 guns.
Kut to Sannaiyat 1,000 rifles and 6 guns.
Sannaiyat 3,000 rifles and 19 guns.
T otal . 13,200 rifles and 91 guns.
February 6th to February 8th was spent in p/eparations for the attack
tm the new position. The 14th Division held from the junction of the
Hai and the Tigris for a mile to the west; the 13th Division thence to
within about a mile of the bend of the Tigris at Yusifiya with a defensive
flank to the south and west.
On the morning of the 9th the attack was launched in fine weather
by the 38th Brigade against the centre of the enemy's position about the
L in Liquorice (|" map). The enemy front system was captured on a
front of 1800 yards and several counter-attacks repulsed. The Cavalry
Division operated towards Shumran but effected little. Next day, the
10th, the Liquorice Factory An East India Company trading post. was taken by the 14th Division.
During the ensuing four days, the enemy were completely hemmed
into the Dahra bend and pressed back to their last line, some two miles
in length across the curve of the river.
On February 15th the 111 Corps delivered a final assault on this posi
tion which was completely successful. Except i'or a strip of land on the
river bank, held gallantly by a small body of the enemy, the whole bend
fell into our hands and nearly 2,000 prisoners were captured. During