"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد II." [و‎‎٧] (٦٦٠/٢٠)

CONTENTS
Kutuniya—Dawn 30th November, General Townshend des
patches General Melliss’s brigade downstream to re-open line
of communication—On 30th November General Townshend
retires to Umm at Tubul—^Turkish advance on 30th November
—Night 30th November/1st December : Turks catch up British
at Umm at Tubul—Action of Umm at Tubul, 1st December :
Turks shaken off—General Townshend’s further retirement—
Kut reached on 3rd December ..
Chapter XVII.
THE DECISION TO HOLD KUT AND BRITISH POLICY CON
SEQUENT ON THE FAILURE TO REACH BAGHDAD.
Reinforcements for Mesopotamia—General Nixon’s report of
26th November—Consideration of situation in India and in
England—Meeting of War Committee of Cabinet on 1st
December—Correspondence showing how decision to hold
Kut was arrived at—Discussion of situation between General
Nixon, India and England—On 14th December General Nixon
asks for reinforcement by a further two divisions—Decisions
of War Committee of Cabinet on 29th December 1915
Chapter XVIIL
THE SIEGE OF KUT : FIRST PHASE (DECEMBER 1915).
The position at Kut—Reasons for General Townshend’s
decision to hold Kut—General Townshend’s dispositions and
arrangements for defence of Kut—Cavalry brigade withdraw
from Kut on 6th December—British strength remaining in
Kut—Turks gain contact with Kut on 6th December—British
situation and dispositions on 7th December—Turkish invest
ment—Boat bridge over Tigris destroyed night 9th/10th
December—Fighting 9th-12th December—Comparative quiet
for next ten days—Situation at Kut “ fort ”—Experiences of
gunboat Sumana —Turkish attack on the fort on 24th
December: severe fighting: fine British defence: Turks
repulsed with heavy loss—Situation at Kut on 31st December
Chapter XIX.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE RELIEF OPERATIONS.
General Nixon’s arrangements at end of November—General
Younghusband reaches Basra on 2nd December with leading
reinforcements—General Nixon’s instructions to General
Younghusband—Difficult problems confronting General Nixon :
shortage of river transport and inadequacy of port facilities
at Basra—Efforts to concentrate reinforcements up the Tigris
—General Aylmer appointed to command of relief force :
arrives Amara, 12th December—British distribution on 12th
December—General Townshend presses for early relief—
General Aylmer’s appreciation of 15th December : of opinion
that advance from Ali Gharbi for relief of Kut should begin
on 3rd January: General Nixon agrees—Correspondence
V
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92-125
126-156
157-183