"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. مجلد I" [ظ‎‎٨‎٤] (٤٥٤/١٧٣)

148 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
and their advance in this direction appears to have somewhat
diverted the Turkish fire from the ships. For, owing to the
fire against them slackening, the ships managed to get a little
further upstream, the Mejidieh and Blosse Lynch* getting to
within two thousand yards of Qurna. The Senior Naval Officer
was also able to send an officer to locate and sound round the
lighter sunk in the channel, and to send forward the Miner,
Shaitan and Lewis Petty to help the left flank of the troops in
the plantations. The launches were fired on heavily from
Qurna, and the Shaitan received a direct hit on the bridge,
killing the commander (Lieutenant-Commander Elkes, R.N.R.),
wounding the petty officer at the wheel, and stunning the
civihan master. The steering gear was smashed, and Petty
Officer Vale saved the launch by steering her out of action by
her twin-screws. The other two launches remained in action
under heavy fire till 3.45, when Captain Hayes-Sadler con
sidered it advisable to recall them. They had done very good
work and were both riddled by bullets.
The fighting continued till dusk, when the troops were with
drawn to the camp by Muzaira’a. This was hidden from
Qurna by the plantation, and though the enemy fired a few
shells at it early in the night no damage was done. The
artillery duel between Qurna and the ships was carried on
till dark, and when the moon rose the enemy fired a few shells.
But the night was generally uneventful. The enemy, whose
numbers on the left bank had amounted to about two thousand,
had lost some two hundred killed, one hundred and thirty
prisoners, several hundred wounded, and three field guns.
The British casualties were ten killed and one hundred and
eighteen wounded, including five British and three Indian
officers: that they were not more was due mainly to the
close support and co-operation of the artillery, naval and
military.
General Fry had carried out his first day’s operations
successfully and was prepared to renew the fight next day to
effect the crossing of the Tigris. That this might be easier
than he had anticipated was indicated by the intelligence
that came in during the night. Fifteen hundred of the enemy
were said to have retreated northwards in steamers, leaving
about eight hundred men and four guns in Qurna.
Early on the 8th, part of the force moved out to reconnoitre
and prepare for the crossing. The 104th reconnoitred for
* These river steamers could pass the obstruction as they drew less water
than the sloops.