"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. مجلد I" [ظ‎‎١‎٧‎٦] (٤٥٤/٣٥٧)

326 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
flat nature of the country, the dust and the mirage, visual
signalling was almost impossible; and the flimsy light cable
quickly got broken and useless.
The 104th Rifles having captured the outlying work at
9.10 a.m., General Hoghton pushed on his southward advance
steadily, detaching first the 103rd Mahrattas to attack
Northern Redoubt, then the 119th Infantry to attack
Centre Redoubt, and finally the Oxfords to support the
attack of the 119th. These three battalions, on reaching their
objectives, passed under the command of General Delamain,
leaving General Hoghton with the 76th Field Battery, the
20th Punjabis, the 22nd Punjabis, and the 104th Rifles to
pursue his southward movement in rear of the Turkish
position.
General Delamain's attack on Northern Redoubt started
at 8.45 a.m. and met with stout resistance, but the advance
was steadily pressed over the open and coverless plain ; being
well supported by the two batteries. The infantry and sappers
displayed great dash and determination though suffering con
siderable casualties—in the 117th Mahrattas amounting to 50
per cent, of the numbers engaged—and the whole of the
Dorsets had gradually to be absorbed in the firing line.
Pushing on, however, with great gallantry, the three units
carried the Northern Redoubt at the point of the bayonet
just after 10 a.m. In this achievement they were materially
assisted by the action of the 103rd from General Hoghton’s
force, who—well supported by the 76th Field and Maxim
Batteries—had taken the trenches to the north and north
west of the redoubt about 10 a.m. At this hour the 119th
were nearing the trenches behind Centre Redoubt. One
hundred and thirty-five Turkish soldiers surrendered to the
British in Northern Redoubt, while many others retreated
down the communication trenches.
After the capture of the Northern Redoubt, the 103rd
joined hands with the Dorsets, Sappers and 117th, who at once
pushed down and occupied the Centre Redoubt, which the
enemy evacuated without much further resistance. By this
time the 119th, supported by the Oxfords, had captured two
lines of trenches west of the Centre Redoubt, but were
checked by heavy fire from gunpits about a thousand yards
away to the south of this redoubt.
Meanwhile, General Delamain had advanced his head
quarters to the Northern Redoubt as soon as it was
captured, and as, by that time, a strong wind had got up,