"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد IV". [و‎‎١‎٦‎٣] (٥٤٠/٣٣٠)

MOBILE TROOPS MISSIONS
269
secret orders for the 11th Cavalry Brigade under General
Cassels and for the Light Armoured Motor Brigade under
Major Sir T. Thompson to carry out special missions.
, rl ^ e . 1 Cavalry Brigade, starting from the northern end of
.u A ln u Nukhaila P ass on the night 23rd/24th October, was on
the 24th to reach a point on the Little Zab about twenty-five
miles above its junction with the Tigris. Next day the brigade
was to operate down the Little Zab so as to assist the attack of
the 1 st Corps, by intercepting movement between the Turkish
forces about Altun Kopri and those on the Tigris and by
securing a bridgehead over the Little Zab for subsequent use
by the 1st Corps. General Lewin—whose column would occupy
Taza Khurmatli on the 23rd, Kirkuk on the 24th and operate
towards Altun Kopri on the 25th—was to meet General Cassels
on the 23rd to arrange for co-operation between their respective
columns. The 63rd Squadron, R.A.F., was to assist the 11th
Cavalry Brigade on the 24th by reconnoitring the line of the
Little Zab and was to detail a machine to work with it on the
25th.
Besides giving General Cassels the above written instructions.
General Cobbe discussed with him future eventualities in
cluding the possibility that after the 25th October the llth
Cavalry Brigade might be called upon td cross the Tigris above
Sharqat.
The Light Armoured Motor Brigade ( 8 th Light Armoured
Motor Battery less two sections, 14th Light Armoured Motor
Battery, three Lewis gun detachments from the 56th Infantry
Brigade in motor vans and 13th Motor W/T Station) was to
move on the 24th from Abu Rajash to Hadr, a desert city
about thirty-five miles westward of Sharqat. From there it
was to assist the 1st Corps attack by (a) raiding the enemy’s
communications about Sharqat on the 25th, {b) bringing such
pressure to bear upon the enemy southwards of Sharqat as
the situation might permit, (c) intercepting the enemy’s line of
retreat to Mosul, while retaining full mobility, and (d) co-opera
ting with our cavalry on the left bank of the Tigris if opportunity
offered. On the morning of the 24th the brigade was to halt
at Tel Ajar till noon and be ready to operate to the east and
south-east if the necessity arose ; and on the 25th the 63rd
Squadron, R.A.F., was to get into touch with the brigade and
ascertain its probable route to and from Hadr. Colonel
Leachman, who had great knowledge and experience of the
Arabs, was to accompany the column as political officer to
facilitate intercourse with the local tribes.