"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد IV". [و‎‎٩‎٣] (٥٤٠/١٩٠)

BRITISH CONCENTRATION
147
was to be carried with each column ; and, as they would be
operating for considerable distances from railhead over a wide
and difficult area, elaborate arrangements for their supply were
made, necessitating the use of some 1,200 mechanical transport
vans for Columns A, B and C and of a further 100 vans for
Column D. Six aeroplanes each were allotted to Columns A
and B, three each to Columns C and D, and a further two
. flights for such general assistance as might be necessary.
The British preliminary movements were somewhat delayed
by heavy rain, but by the 24th April the columns had con
centrated as follows :—Column C at Mirj ana on the Diyala,
Columns A and B near Delli Abbas and between that place
and the Jabal Hamrin, and Column D at Satha on the Adhaim.
Great care had been taken to maintain secrecy and the Turks
appeared to be in ignorance of the impending attack.
The strength of the Turkish 2nd Division units, whose
general dispositions have already been given, in the Tuz
Khurmatli-Abu Gharaib-Qara Tepe-Kifri area was estimated
at 100 sabres, 2,900 rifles and 23 guns, their nearest reinforce
ment—a battalion of about 350 rifles—being at Tauq, twenty
miles north-west of Tuz Khurmatli.
The movements of the various British columns from the
24th to the 27th April were to be as follows. Column A,
COLUMN B. (under General Cayley, 13th Division).
£. 1 .
12th Cavalry (less three squadrons) ; B/55th and one section 60th Battery
R.F.A. : one section 26th Mountain Battery ; No. 92 Anti-aircraft
section ; one section 71st Company, R.E. ; 38th Infantry Brigade (less
6th South Lancashire and one section machine gun company) ; 9th
Royal Warwickshire, from 39th Brigade ; half company 8th Welch
Pioneers; 13th Divisional Cyclist Company ; one section 273rd
Machine Gun Company ; and administrative units.
B.2.
Advanced Headquarters 13th Division; one squadron 12th Cavalry;
55th Brigade, R.F.A. (less one battery and one section) ; 384th Siege
Battery, horse-drawn ; 26th Mountain Battery (less two sections) •
40th Infantry Brigade ; 7th Gloucestershire from 39th Brigade ;
273rd Machine Gun Company (less one section) ; one section each
71st and 88th Companies, R.E. ; half company 8th Welch Pioneers ;
and administrative units.
COLUMN C. (under General Maclachlan, 37th Infantry Brigade).
Headquarters 37th Infantry Brigade, with the 2nd Norfolk, 82nd Punjabis
and half No. 187 Machine Gun Company ; one squadron 14th Hussars •
headquarters 13th Brigade, R.F.A., with 44th and C/69th Batteries •
2/104th Heavy Battery, R.G.A. ; one section No. 15 Light Armoured
Motor Battery; 15th Company, Sappers and Miners ; and adminis
trative units.
COLUMN D. (under General Norton, 7th Cavalry Brigade)..
14th Lancers ; “ V ” Battery, R.H.A. ; one section No. 14 Light Armoured
Motor Battery ; and administrative units.