'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎175v] (355/454)

324 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
infantry. This necessitated a short halt for reconnaissance
before they could again proceed, at 7.30 a.m. The leading line
of infantry were now well round the north corner of the Ataba
marsh. Beyond a few shots fired at them from a long distance
southward they had met no opposition, and they thought they
could now discern the Turkish “ Northern Redoubt.”* At
7.40 a.m. General Hoghton received orders from General
Delamain, based on the reports of reconnaissances, that he
was not to halt on any account, that the enemy’s position
was very lightly held, and that he was at once to attack
the enemy’s main force, which was reported to be in a hollow
behind their “ Southern Redoubt.”
In wheeling round the Ataba marsh, the infantry had main
tained their deployment formation, and they still retained
this, except that the 104th Rifles and brigaded machine gunsf
were now echeloned in rear of the right of the 20th Punjabis.
The 22nd Punjabis with their left on the western edge of the
Ataba marsh directed the movement, which was almost due
south and intended to attack the enemy in the hollow, passing
through the low ground immediately behind the trenches in
rear of the Turkish “ Centre Redoubt.”
No sooner, however, had the advance started than reports
from the cavalry and the 20th Punjabis showed that an enemy
force of about a battalion was in occupation of a hitherto
unlocated entrenchment to the westward. As it was necessary
to capture this work to permit of the advance of his column,
General Hoghton ordered the 104th Rifles, supported by the
fire of the brigaded machine guns and two guns of the 76th
Field Battery, to attack it. Well supported by these guns and
with the cavalry watching their right, the 104th carried the
work with great dash at the point of the bayonet at 9.10 a.m.,
and, suffering but few casualties themselves, they took prisoner
one Turkish officer and 111 men. Shortly afterwards a body
of about five hundred Turkish troops, advancing to the support
of this outlying work, were caught in the open by the fire of
the British machine guns and were driven back with heavy loss.
It will be convenient now to return to General Delamain.
His original intention had been that General Hoghton’s force
should attack the Northern Redoubt at daybreak, whilst the
* The Turkish entrenchments between the Ataba and Suwada marshes
consisted of three main redoubts, connected with one another and with the
rear by a considerable system of trenches.* These three redoubts will be
referred to as the “ Northern,” “ Centre,” and “ Southern ” redoubts.
(See Map 7.)
j The Maxim Battery followed in rear of the two lines of infantry.