"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد IV". [ظ‎‎٥‎٥] (٥٤٠/١١٥)

82
HISTORY OF THE WAR: MESOPOTAMIA
steadiness and determination, these three battalions carried
their objective without pause or check and established them
selves in portions of the incomplete Turkish third line on a
frontage of some eight hundred yards. The trenches had been
held only lightly by Turkish infantry, of whom about 85 were
taken prisoner. But the casualties of our three battalions had
amounted to about 30 per cent, of their strength, due to the
enemy’s artillery fire and to enfilade rifle and machine gun
fire, especially from a high-sited strong point to the left of
our attack.
Heavy casualties had also been incurred in the 28th Punjabis
and 1st Seaforth Highlanders (19th Brigade) which had moved
forward to the right and left respectively of the 8 th Brigade
to afford covering fire ; and it had been found necessary to
send forward the 92nd Punjabis to reinforce the 28th Punjabis
in view of an enemy counter-attack.
At 12.45 p.m. the 1st Manchester were sent up to reinforce
the right of the 8 th Brigade firing line and arrived in time to
assist in repelling a Turkish counter-attack. Owing to the
severance by hostile artillery fire of all cable communications
from the front, and to the failure of our infantry to indicate
their position to our contact aeroplanes,* it was a long time
before General Fane learnt that the 8 th Brigade had captured
the Turkish trenches. Owing to this and to the fact that three
battalions of the 19th Brigade were still heavily engaged on
the right and left rear of the 8 th Brigade, the original intention
of immediately pushing the 19th Brigade northward through
the 8 th Brigade was not carried out.
The 8 th Brigade continued to suffer from heavy enfilade
fire from both flanks ; and another counter-attack was launched
against its right, but was repulsed about 3 p.m. As the strong
point to its left was still giving much trouble by its fire, General
Peebles, commanding the 19th Brigade, received orders to
capture it. Under cover of an artillery barrage, which com
menced at 4.20 p.m. and continued for fifteen minutes, the
attack on it was carried out with great dash and gallantry by
the Seaforth Highlanders and 125th Rifles and met with
complete success, the enemy’s trenches being occupied about
4.45 p.m. and a number of prisoners taken.
It seemed to the commander of the 7th Cavalry Brigade at
this stage that, as the enemy in the trenches to the north-west
menaced the left of the Seaforths and 125th, the time had come
when the cavalry could materially assist them and also exploit
their success ; and he accordingly issued orders for the 13th
* It had been arranged that infantry units should light flares as ground
signals, but they abstained from doing so in the mistaken belief that it would
give their position away to the enemy.