"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. مجلد I" [ظ‎‎١‎٥‎٥] (٤٥٤/٣١٥)

286 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
at first—until they had learned by experience to work in
complete silence and under cover of the banks as far as possible
—under heavy enemy fire.
On the 11th, the Blosse Lynch arrived with the first of the
reinforcements, i.e., the Headquarters 12th Infantry Brigade
67th Punjabis and a section of the l/5th Hampshire Howitzer
Battery.
On the night of the llth/12th, the 67th Punjabis relieved
the 2/7th Gurkhas, drawing, in the operation, a heavy but
ineffective fire from the enemy. The two Hampshire howitzers
were placed in position near the Asani camp ; and the 63rd
Field Battery was brought ashore, as it was considered better
to sacrifice the mobility they gained in barges to the greater
accuracy they could obtain by firing on land.
On the 12th, the Mejidieh arrived with half the 2nd Queen’s
Own Royal West Kent Regiment and half the 90th Punjabis,
both belonging to the 12th Infantry Brigade * This brigade
now took over the advanced positions on the left bank, the
2/7th Gurkhas being retained there as a support, and the
76th Punjabis moving down to safeguard the Asani anchorage.
During the night of the 12th/13th, the enemy made three
separate attacks against the British front line on the left bank,
but they were all beaten off without difficulty by the 67th and
90th Punjabis, who suffered but few casualties.
On the 13th, the Malamir arrived with the remaining half
of the 90th Punjabis and the 44th Merwara Infantry. The
latter battalion took over the duty of protecting the Asani
anchorage and camp, thus enabling the 76th Punjabis to join
the 30th Brigade on the right bank. The previous night, an
officer’s patrol in a helium had ascertained that the “ sandhills ”
(i.e., the collection of low mounds west of the Majinina mouth)
could be reached by helium. General Gorringe at once deter
mined to seize them and Shukhair village by night, as it
appeared likely that the enemy’s position on the right bank
could be enfiladed from the sandhills.
General Gorringe s plan was, briefly, as follows :—On the
right bank to advance the British positions to a line running
from Shukhair to “ Sixteen Palms ” and to establish at the
" Sandhills ” a force which would then attack the enemy’s
communications and rear ; while on the left bank a simul
taneous attack was made on the enemy’s trenches. General
Melliss was given charge of the operations on the right bank,
* 2nd Queen’s Own Royal West Kent, 67th Punjabis, 90th Punjabis, 44th
Merwara Infantry.