‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 17. PART I. (From 1st to 15th December 1915.)’ [‎52r] (108/488)

Note by the D. M. 0.
The risk attendant on the holding of Kut-al-Amarah outweighs the
advantages in sight.
It is not clear how any enemy Commander would utilize the knatt-aKilai
until he had disposed of our force in being at or above Amarah; and therefore
every available man should go to that concentration. If General Townshend s
^ w force is invested m Kut we may be dealt
m ^now“o S h“‘ he 6 ' ,SSeBt ‘° n - with in detail. It follows that even now
p. Lake. he should be instructed to evacuate that
place if it be still a possible operation.
Similarly, a strong British force on the Tigris above . Amarah renders the
position of any Turkish troops detached to threaten Nasiriyah precarious, and
we should evacuate Nasiriyah in order to strengthen the Amarah force.. A
victory on the Tigris will keep the lower Euphrates from carrying any serious
threat to us. G M> Kirkpatrick-7-12-1915.
Chief of the General Staff. ____
I agree.
P. Lake,— 7-12-1915,
Chief of the General Staf.
*
*
{Dy. No. 29798)
Telegram P., No. 27-14-M.S., dated 6 th December 1915.
(Received 10-30 a.m., 7th December 1915.)
From—Sir John Nixon,
To—Sir B. Durr.
Personal.
Owing to the fact that my time will be fully occupied in distributing and
organizing the new divisions, and in sending them up as quickly as I can to
relieve Townshend, I ask that General Aylmer be appointed Army Corps
Commander to conduct operations up the Tigris and that a staff may be
supplied for him, while General Gorringe looks after the Euphrates line.
Major General Kemball informs me that he feels that. my confidence in
him is lost; taking other points into consideration in conjunction with this,
I am of opinion that it would be better in the interests of the service if a more
active command were given him; he is more suited for such a command than
for this as he is very energetic and as brave as a lion. I would, suggest a
division, but as he is junior to both Melliss and Younghusband, it makes it
impossible at the present time.
Aylmer could be succeeded by Younghusband in command of the. Meerut
Division and Kemball could succeed to the command of the 28th Brigade m
place of Younghusband.
I suggest that the changes be made on the arrival here of a new Chief of
the General Staff.
Telegram No. 766-79-Q., dated 5th December 1915. APPENDIX 186
(Despatched 11-50 a.m., received 1 a.m., 7th December 1915.) (Dy* No. 29751)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force “D,” Ournah, through Basrah,
To—The Chief of the General Staff.
Your S,-29114 of 3rd December. Please wire depth of barges also their
carrying capacity in tons at draft of 6 feet 6 inches and at 3 feet 6 inches.
Working copy to Q. M. G.
Copy to M. S. C., G. S. (M. 0.1, M. O. 2).