"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد IV". [و‎‎٦‎٩] (٥٤٠/١٤٢)

BRITISH DISPOSITIONS
107
weather and the difficulties of the route, he did not reach
Kermanshah till the 3rd February.
On the 24th January General Marshall telegraphed to the
Chief of the Imperial General Staff that information from the
British liaison officer with Bicharakoff showed that the latter
was gaining no success in rallying loyal Russian soldiers and
that a third of his own detachment was expected to leave him.
1 he political situation in Kermanshah was said to have im
proved, the local Persians having reconciled their differences, in
order, it was said, to avoid giving the British a pretext for
occupying that town ; and there was general rejoicing at the
departure of the Russians.
During January, beyond punitive measures against hostile
tribes, there were no operations of importance in Mesopotamia.
On the 15th January the general British dispositions there
were as follows.
Of the Illrd Corps, the 14th Division was east of the Diyala.
One brigade group was distributed between Qasr-i-Shirin,
Khaniqin and Mirj ana (3| miles north of Qizil Ribat) ; another
brigade group was at the main crossing over the Kurdarra
river ; and the remainder of the division was at Shahraban.
The 13th Division, west of the Diyala, held the line of the
Jabal Hamrin from Abu Zenabil to the Sakaltutan Pass with
a brigade group ; and the remainder of the division was between
Delli Abbas and Sindiya.
The 1st Corps (3rd and 17th Divisions) was in the Samarra
area, less one infantry brigade temporarily attached to the
18th Division.
The 15th Division was on the Euphrates, with one brigade
group at Ramadi, another at Madhij and the third at Falluja.
The 18th Division, which was not yet complete and which
had the 52nd Infantry Brigade (17th Division) temporarily
attached to it, was at Baghdad, furnishing detachments on
the Middle Euphrates.*
The Cavalry Division, less three regiments and two guns,
was on the Tigris at Sadiya. One regiment was attached to
the 1st Corps, and two regiments and two guns to the Illrd
Corps. The 11th Cavalry Brigade, not yet complete, was at
Baghdad, one of its regiments being temporarily attached to
the 18th Division. * 7
* “ Middle Euphrates ” was the term used to designate the line between
Falluja and Nasiriya. The troops employed there in detachments totalled
7 squadrons of cavalry, 4 guns and 3£ infantry battalions, of which one
squadron of cavalry, 2 guns and 1J battalions were furnished from Nasiriya.
Detachments were located at Musaiyib, Hindiya Barrage, Hilla, Kifl, Kufa,
Abu Sukhair, Shinafiya, Darraji and Samawa.