'Field notes: Mesopotamia. General Staff, India. February, 1917.' [‎135v] (277/350)

262
Route No. 35.
Route keport BASRAH to AHWAZ, by land
Route.
Authorities .—Gazetteer of Persia, Volume III;
“ Military Report on South West Persia, Volume II:
Reports by 6th Cavalry Brigade, I.E.F., “ D,” Major
Costello, V.C., 22nd Punjabis; Lieut. M. C. P. Wil
loughby, 10th Lancers; Lieut. B. W. G. Walker, 23rd
Cavalry.
Epitome.
96 miles in 7 Stages.
General .—There is no defined road, practically all traffic
going by river. The track traverses level country and is pass
able for cavalry, infantry and light field artillery and for A. T.
carts.
Light Fiat carts can be taken over the whole road in pairs.
They should not be taken singly as the road is soft in parts
(either by reason of mud or of sand) and cars have occasionally
to drag one another out of difficulties. The road is quite im
passable for heavy Peerless and Napier cars.
The impassable places are such that it is impossible to
avoid them by making a detour.
In the flood season or after heavy rain the whole of the
first two stages become impassable for wheeled transport and
very difficult for pack transport.
After Stage two the road for motors branches off and leaves
Salmaneh Island well to the East and goes straight for a point
3 or 4 miles West of Rehvali. From a point 3 miles E. N. E.
of Manduwan there is a stretch of about 7 miles suitable for
heavy lorries, otherwise the ground will only carry light
carts and arrangements for rescuing even these are necessary.
This unsatisfactory ground continues up to a point 6 to
8 miles S. of Sab’eh. Ali Ibn A1 Husain is left about 8 miles
to the E.