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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME II.' [‎41r] (88/660)
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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME II.' [‎41r] (88/660)

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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME II.'
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Ref: IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/2

The record is made up of 1 volume (323 folios). It was created in 1924. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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LOSS OF BRITISH AEROPLANE
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height (about 6,000 feet) and arrived at about four miles east
of the Ctesiphon position, which had already been reconnoitred.
From here, however, he observed a distinct alteration in the
enemy’s dispositions. The enemy’s position consisted of two
main lines, one to the south of the Arch of Ctesiphon and the
other well to the north of it. From its appearance it appeared
obvious to Major Reilly that considerable reinforcements had
arrived at the northerly camp. He decided, therefore, to
postpone his reconnaissance to Baghdad and to examine the
Ctesiphon area. As soon as his aeroplane arrived over the
northerly camp his engine was put out of action by a Turkish
gun, and he glided out into the desert with a view to walking
back. But he could not avoid the Arabs and was captured.
The Turkish account* of this incident says : “An aeroplane
flying at a height of 1,000 metres in a last attempt to examine
our line of defence and rear was brought down and captured
by means of machine gun fire from the 51st Division. This
little event was taken for a happy omen that the luck of the
enemy was about to change The presence of the 51st
Division, which turned the balance of success against the
assailants in this battle (Ctesiphon) was ascertained in this
fruitless reconnaissance and was shown on the airman’s map.
But the map containing this priceless information fell, not into
the hands of the enemy commander .... but into those of
the Turkish commander Major Reilly’s greatest gift
to us was the sketch showing the course of the Tigris from the
Diyala to Aziziya. This little sketch, probably of small
account to the enemy, was an important map in the eyes of
the Iraq Command. For at headquarters and with the troops
there was not such a thing as a map . . . .’’
It is impossible to say what course events would have taken
if Major Reilly had returned in safety with his important infor
mation. General Townshend was so close to the enemy that
a withdrawal without fighting might not have been possible,
even if it had been deemed politic. That General Nixon or
General Townshend would have persisted in the projected
attack against an entrenched position held by a force now so
obviously superior in numbers seems improbable. The ques
tion is one of purely academic interest, and as such we must
leave it to others to discuss. It is certain, however, that Major
Reilly's capture was the first of a series of untoward events
which led to great disaster.
* '■ The Battle of Suliman Pak,” by Stafi Bimbashi Muhammad Amin,
published by the Turkish General Stafi, and translated for the Historical
Section, Committee of Imperial Defence, by Brigadier-General U. W. Evans,
C.B., C.M.G.

About this item

Content

The volume is the second volume of an official government publication compiled at the request of the Government of India, and under the direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence, by Brigadier-General Frederick James Moberly. The volume was printed and published at His Majesty's Stationery Office, London.

The contents provide a narrative of the operations of 1914-1918 in Mesopotamia, based mainly on official documents.

The volume is in one part, entitled, 'Part III. The First Campaign for Baghdad', and consists of the following fourteen chapters:

  • The Decision to Advance to Baghdad
  • Commencement of the Advance Towards Baghdad
  • The Battle of Ctesiphon - the First Day's Operations
  • Battle of Ctesiphon (Continued) and the British Retirement to Kut
  • The Decision to Hold Kut and British Policy Consequent on the Failure to Reach Baghdad
  • The Siege of Kut: First Phase (December 1915)
  • Commencement of the Relief Operations
  • The Action of Shaikh Saad
  • The Action of the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. and the First Attack on Hanna
  • Operations up to the End of February, 1916
  • The Second Attempt to Relieve Kut; the Attack on the Dujaila Redoubt
  • The Third Attempt to Relieve Kut; the Successful Advance to and First and Second Attacks on Sannaiyat
  • The Last Attempt at Relief; Bait Isa and Sannaiyat
  • The Siege of Kut; the Last Stages

The volume also includes nine maps, entitled:

  • The Middle East
  • Lower Mesopotamia
  • Map 8 - The Tigris from Kut al Amara to Baghdad
  • Map 9 - The Battle of Ctesiphon
  • Map 10 - The affair of Umm at Tubul
  • Map 11 - The defence of Kut al Amara
  • Map 12 - The fort at Kut; with special reference to the Turkish attack on 24th December 1915
  • Map 13 - River Tigris between Ali Gharbi and Shumran
  • Map 14 - The action at Shaikh Saad
  • Map 15 - The action of the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows.
  • Map 16 - The first attack on Hanna; 21st January 1916
  • Map 17 - The attack on the Dujaila Redoubt, 8th March 1916
  • Map 18 - To illustrate Tigris Corps Operation Order No. 26, dated 6th March 1916
  • Map 19 - To illustrate operations between 10th March and end of April 1916
  • Map 20 - The action of Bait Isa on 17th and 18th April 1916, and the attack on Sannaiyat 22nd April 1916
Extent and format
1 volume (323 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a list of contents (folios 6-10), a list of maps and illustrations (folio 11), appendices (folios 254-290), an index (folios 291-312), and eleven maps in a pocket attached to the inside back cover (folios 314-324).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 325; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME II.' [‎41r] (88/660), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/2, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045738548.0x000059> [accessed 10 February 2025]

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Reference
IOR/L/MIL/17/15/66/2
Title
'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME II.'
Pages
front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:3r, 3r, 4r:70v, 72r:79r, 160v, 80r:102v, 104r:160r, 161r, 313v, 161v:281v, 283r:313v, back-i
Author
East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
Usage terms
Open Government Licence