"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد IV". [و‎‎١‎٧‎١] (٥٤٠/٣٤٦)

CHECK ON RIGHT BANK
285
day. 1 heir attack had been supported by the fire of the eight
mountain guns in position on the hill slopes west of the road and
of the 403rd Field Howitzer Battery in position to the east of
the road. But the mountain gun shells had little effect on the
well-entrenched enemy, while the fire of the field howitzers was
neutralised by that of an enemy howitzer battery, whose
accurate shell fire put the 403rd Battery temporarily out of
action about 8 a.m.*
General Wauchope, commanding the 34 th Infantry Brigade,
got into touch with General Hildyard, commanding the 51st
Infantry Brigade, just as the 14th Sikhs’ advance came to a
stop. It was clear that they were under heavy fire, and, as he
understood that their right was in danger of an enemy counter
attack, General Wauchope sent forward two companies 114th
Mahrattas to secure this flank. These Mahratta companies
pushed forward with great steadiness under a heavy artillery
fire till 9.30 a.m. when they reached an island in the Tigris bed,
well beyond the flank of the Turkish first line ; and here they
remained for the rest of the day under constant artillery and
machine gun fire.f
In the meantime, owing to the heavy fire from the hills to
their left front, the Highland Light Infantiy had been unable
to do more than hold on stubbornly to their trenches near and
across the road. Neither the Brigade nor Divisional head
quarters were in touch with Colonel Coningham’s men on the
crest of the range, and, learning the situation, General Leshe at
8.30 a.m. ordered the 34th Infantry Brigade forward to support
the attack and to secure the high ground to the left of the
Highland Light Infantry. Twenty minutes later General Leshe
received a report (by runner)^ from Colonel Coningham saying
that his infantry had been in touch with the enemy all through
the night, that he was meeting with considerable opposition,
and that the ground was precipitous and difficult.
At 10 a.m. the 404th Field Howitzer Battery reached the
front and came into action not far from the position of the 403rd
Battery ; and at the same hour General Leslie sent orders to
General Wauchope to take control of the forward troops. At
* The 403rd Battery had 25 casualties, and the 220th Artillery Brigade
commander (Lieutenant-Colonel R. K. Lynch-Staunton) was mortally wounded
here at this time.
f They incurred a total of 92 casualities.
+ Visual signalling was impracticable. At 9 a.m., learning that touch had
been lost. General Cobbe sent two armoured cars along the desert road to try
and get into communication with Colonel Coningham. But they returned to
Corps Headquarters at 3.30 p.m., without having been able to do so, though
they had seen Colonel Coningham’s troops on the range.