"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. المجلد IV". [ظ‎‎١‎٨‎٦] (٥٤٠/٣٧٧)

314 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
hit * Dismounting and fixing bayonets, the Hussars swarmed
up the almost precipitous slopes led by their Colonel.f The
shells of both the supporting batteries were bursting with
great accuracy along the crest and the barrage was not lifted
till the Hussars were within a few yards of the top, wiiile the
Vickers guns also kept up a heavy fire. Largely as a result
of this effective covering fire, the Hussars incurred only seven
casualties in the short burst of close fighting which ensued after
they reached the top. At 1.45 p.m. the Turks began to sur
render and by 2 p.m. the 13th were in complete possession of
the plateau, having taken about 730 prisoners and 12 machine
guns.
In the meantime the 13th and 14th Lancers had come up
on the enemy’s flank and, pursuing for some distance, they
took two guns and about 260 more prisoners, which made a
total of 985 officers and men captured, i.e. the whole of the
Turkish 13th Regiment. Having thus cleared General Cassels’
northern front effectively, the 7th Cavalry Brigade swung round
and by dusk had dug itself in on an extended position about
four miles north-west of Huwaish facing southward so as to
block the retreat of any Turks attempting to escape past
General Cassels.
The Turkish guns which had been in action against General
Cassels the previous day were still silent, having possibly
withdrawn to oppose the 17th Division.! General Cassels could
see no sign of the latter’s advance, but just before 3 p.m. he
received a message from General Fanshawe§ saying that the
“ zero ” hour for the 17th Division attack would not be before
3.30 p.m. Soon afterwards, hearing sound of gun-fire to the
southward, General Cassels directed “ W ” and C/337th Bat
teries to join in what was evidently the bombardment of the
enemy’s main position. || At 3.30 p.m. he received an air
report which gave him a very clear idea of the respective
positions of the Turks and our own forces ; and soon afterwards
he ordered the Light Armoured Motor Brigade to take up a
position about six miles west of Huwaish which would close
the only exit left open to the enemy.
At 3 p.m. the 159th Siege Battery joined General Sanders
and came into action. The l/5th Royal West Kent Regiment * * * §
* One man was hurt by his horse falling and two horses were wounded.
| Lieutenant-Colonel J. J. Richardson, D.S.O. ,
J General Cassels considers it more probable that the guns had run out o
ammunition.
§ 18th Division Headquarters were at Tulul-al-Aqr.
|| General Cassels was not in direct communication with the 17th Division.