"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد IV". [ظ‎‎١‎٧‎٥] (٥٤٠/٣٥٥)

294 HISTORY OF THE WAR: MESOPOTAMIA
continuing to press forward towards Ain Dibs and Balalij. The
45th Sikhs and 258th Machine Gun Company, after a long
and arduous march, had joined him at 6.15 a.m.*
On the Tigris left bank it appeared evident to 18th Division
headquarters soon after dawn that the Turks on the right
bank had retired ; and, this being confirmed by reconnaissance,
the 53rd Infantry Brigade closed its outposts and made pre
parations to advance.
About 8 a.m., when it was clear from aerial and other recon
naissance that the enemy had evacuated his whole line and
was retiring towards Sharqat, General Cobbe issued orders
that the 7th Cavalry Brigade was not to cross the Tigris at
Fat-ha and that the 18th Division was to push forward a
column at once along the Tigris left bank. The composition
of this column was left to the discretion of General Fanshawe,
but it was to be strong enough both to block the ferry near
Sharqat and to send troops to support the 11th Cavalry Brigade.
It was also to be accompanied by a few pontoons for rafting.
General Fanshawe detailed a column, under command of
Brigadier-General G. A. F. Sanders, consisting of two troops
32nd Lancers, A/337th and one section 341st Field Batteries,
one section 2/86th Heavy Battery and the 53rd Infantry
Brigade, with orders to push on to opposite Sharqat to prevent
the enemy crossing the Tigris in that vicinity and to assist
the 11th Cavalry Brigade in every possible way. By 9 a.m.
the leading troops of this column had begun to advance and
the whole group was on the move by 11 a.m. except for the
pontoons, which joined the column before dark. In his report,
General Cobbe expressed his appreciation of the despatch
with which this column was sent forward.
General Cassels, commanding 11th Cavalry Brigade, had not
learnt, till just after midnight 26th/27th October, of the lack
of progress made by the 17th Division on the 26th and of the
probability that enemy reinforcements from Erbilhad reached
Sharqat.f In reply, General Cassels asked for information
concerning the situation on the Tigris left bank below his
position and the whereabouts of the 7th Cavalry Brigade.
He also asked for more 18-pounder shrapnel.
* His column now consisted of 34th Mountain Battery, l/10th Gurkhas,
45th Sikhs, two sections 257th Machine Gun Company and 258th Machine
Gun Company (less one section).
t The message containing this information had been sent off by General
Cobbe’s headquarters just before dusk on the 26th, but it had been dropped
by an aeroplane by mistake on the 7th Cavalry Brigade, by whom it had to
be sent to 18th Division headquarters for transmission to General Cassels.