"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد IV". [ظ‎‎٦‎٧] (٥٤٠/١٣٩)

104 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
General Marshall could spare. It was realised that their
despatch would depend on the condition of the roads and the
supply situation, but prompt action was desirable if possible
These measures were, however, only to be regarded as a
temporary expedient to meet a critical situation and were not
to be looked upon as extending the mission previously laid
down for General Marshall’s force.
Bicharakoff, however, was already well on his way and would
reach Kermanshah long before a British detachment could join
him. General Marshall, therefore, arranged, with the approval
of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, that the British
detachment should not go further than Harunabad till intima
tion had been received from Bicharakoff that it would be
advisable for it to do so.
This mounted detachment—known as “ Bridges’ Column ”
and consisting of one section “ S ” Battery, R.H.A., 14th
Hussars, a section 15th Machine Gun Squadron and* some
administrative details under the command of Lieutenant-
Colonel E. J. Bridges, 14th Hussars—was at once formed at
Sadiya, but owing to heavy rain did not move to Baquba
till the 13th January. At that time the road beyond Pai
Taq to Harunabad was impracticable for the movement of
troops, and, except for brief spells of fine weather, was likely
to remain so throughout the winter. No news had been
received from Bicharakoff and it was decided that the detach
ment should remain at Qasr-i-Shirin till General Marshall was
in definite touch with that officer.
On the 18th January Bridges’ Column reached Qasr-i-Shirin,
where Matthews’ Column* was already located. Colonel
Matthews had returned on the 9th from Pai Taq, where he had
gone with a part of his column to meet and escort back wireless
and survey sections, which had been attached to the Russian
j?2r e Kermanshah, and he had experienced considerable
difficulty owing to the indifferent state of the road and bad
weather. Arrangements were made to carry out immediate
improvement of this road and by the end of the month the
bulk of Matthews’ Column was located at Surkhadiza Khan,
with small detachments at Pai Taq and Sar-i-pul.
i ^ )uns * :erv ^ e arrived at Baghdad from India on the
loth January. By his instructions from the Chief of the
°lJ wo droops 12th Cavalry, 26th Mountain Battery (less one
section), 1 /4th Hampshire Regiment, 186th Machine Gun Company (less
Smnn^ 0 M ) V 0n | C ^ mpany J 12 J 8th Pioneer s. two armoured cars 6th Light
Matthf wq i /aeT M atter y' an< L a( ^ m ^ n i s trative details under Lieutenant-Colonel
Matthews, l/4th Hampshire Regiment.