'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎188r] (380/470)

„ J he 7 ? b ° Ve are ab under tlie command of Lieut. F. W. Hall, Shabanah Officer
for the Division, and were entirely reorganished, re-armed, and issued out with
°! ie o tanC J ai i d fo l ra \ of .Nothing during 1918. The armament of the Shabanah consists
of • 303 short rifles, and their uniform is somewhat similar to that worn by
Indian Si ladar Cavalry, except for the headdress, which remains the kaffiyah
and agal. 17
Munbafiq Horse (strength, 400).—This corps first came into being early
m 191b, and its original strength was 30. In 1917 it was amalgamated with the
then existing Muntafiq Scouts (a Military body), and the strength rose to 75 men.
In the latter pait of 1917 it became necessary to raise the corps to 200 men, and
finally, with our penetration of the Gharraf region, it was decided to raise the number
to a corps of a full 400 men. This corps is now entirely responsible for the mainten
ance of^ law and order in the Nasiriyah district and throughout the Gharraf
(Muntafiq) area. L very effort is made to run the corps as a regiment, and the
name Muntafiq Horse was introduced to encourage the spirit of esprit de corps
among the men, who one and all are members of the Sa‘dun and Muntafiq tribes.
The Duties of the corps are as follows :—(1) The guarding of the main line of
communication by river and land in the Nasiriyah, Shatrah, and Qaflat Sikar
districts, and making such safe for merchants and travellers. For this purpose
a chain of fortified posts is maintained along the River Euphrates, the Gharraf
River, and between Shatrah and Nasiriyah. The chain of posts on the Euphrates
joins up with a similar chain in Suq district and Samawah (on the east and west).
(2) The providing of a local garrison at Shatrah and Qal‘at Sikar in place of a
Military one.
(3) The finding of escorts for survey, telegraphs, railway, irrigation, revenue,
agricultural parties who happen to require protection when out in the district.
(4) The policing of the Gharraf and Nasiriyah districts and the general mainten
ance of law and order in them.
(5) The collection of revenue, and destruction of towers, &c., of recalcitrant
Shaikhs, should such action be necessary.
Organisation .—The corps is organised as follows :—
Headquarters : Lieut. Hall, O.C.
Staff : One B.O.R. Quartermaster.
Four B.O.R.s Acting Squadron Sergt.-Major’s instructors.
One Bash Chaush (Arab regimental sergt.-major).
One Arab writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. .
“ A” Squadron.—Leader : Hizam al Masharah (Sa‘dun). (100 N.C.O. and
men).
“ B ” ,, ,, Saqban al ‘Ali, s/o the Shaikh of Khafajah tribe.
“ C ” „ ,, Yasir al Nahi, Shaikh of the ‘Attak tribe
(Humaid).
“ D ” „ ,, Faisal al Mashari (Sa‘dun).
Each squadron has also an Arab officer second in command. The names of
these are :—
Mulazim Yunis (an Albanian of good family).
„ Jabir (a Shaikh of the Suraifiyin (Humaid).
Jabr (brother of the Shaikh of the Azairij tribe).
„ (vacant).
Each squadron (bulq) of 100 men is subdivided into 10 sections of 10 men
(mankkar); each under a sergt. (chaush). One corporal exists per section, but
he is unpaid and only wears the stripe.
Pay, The pay of the officers and men is as follows :—
Squadron leader - - -
Squadron officers -
Bash chaush regimental - - - -
Chaush
Sowar In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman. , proficient -
Sowar In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman. , recruit
Rs.
250/-
p. m.
150/-
9?
100/-
99
80/-
99
70/-
99
60/-
99