"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد IV". [ظ‎‎١‎٦‎٢] (٥٤٠/٣٢٩)

268 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
and it was to be prepared to assault the right bank position on
the morning of the 25th.
Preparations for throwing a bridge across the Tigris at Jift
were to be completed by 6 p.m. on the 22 nd.
During the next few days, while the forward concentration
of troops was proceeding, further reconnaissances were carried
out and, as a result of these* and of conferences with his subor
dinate commanders, General Cobbe made some modifications
in his original orders, including the organisation of the different
groups.
The 18th Division Group included the 7th Cavalry Brigade,
two squadrons 32nd Lancers, D/336th Battery, R.F.A.,
337th Brigade, R.F.A., 74th Brigade, R.G.A., (2/86th Heavy
and 159th Siege Batteries), 2nd Indian Mountain Artillery
Brigade (25th and one section 34th Batteries), 53rd, 54th and
55th Infantry Brigades, 2nd, 6 th and 8 th Companies Sappers
and Miners, one section 8 th Light Armoured Motor Battery and
the 249th Machine Gun Company, giving a total strength of
about 1,400 sabres, 7,700 rifles and 48 guns.f
The 17th Division Group included the 32nd Lancers (less
two squadrons), 220th, 221st and 336th (less D Battery)
Brigades, R.F.A., 101st Brigade, R.G.A. (157th Heavy and
246th, 257th and 395th Siege Batteries), 34th Mountain
Battery (less one section), 34th, 51st and 52nd Infantry
Brigades, Malerkotla and Tehri-Gahrwal companies of Sappers
and Miners, l/32nd Sikh Pioneers, one section 8 th Light
Armoured Motor Battery and the 276th Machine Gun
Company, giving a total strength of about 200 sabres,
7,700 rifles and 82 guns.
The Corps Reserve had at first included the 11th Cavalry
Brigade, 14th Light Armoured Motor Battery, 56th Infantry
Brigade and 448th and 450th Field Companies, R.E. On the
20th October, however, General Cobbe heard from General
Marshall that, while he approved generally of the proposed plan,
he did not agree to the 56th Infantry Brigade being withdrawn
from railway construction to take part in the operations. The
11th Cavalry Brigade and armoured cars had also only been
included in the Reserve to preserve secrecy in regard to General
Cobbe’s intentions, and on the 21st and 22nd he issued separate
* It was ascertained that the Little Zab was fordable in places, that the
country between the Jabal Hamrin and the Little Zab was practicable for
cavalry, and that water was obtainable en route.
f .The R.H.A. batteries of the 7th and 11th Cavalry Brigades were equipped
with 18-pounder guns and teams of eight horses.