"أوراق متعلقة بلجنة بلاد الرافدين من غرفة السير إ. بارو" [ظ‎‎٢‎٦‎٣] (١٣٨٦/٥٣٢)

2
From General Fixon, Basra, \st October 1915.
{Addressed to Chief of General Staff; repeated to Secretary of Stale,
Foreign, Inspector-General of Communications, and ^'2th Division.)
129/197/1. Tigris line. Personal inspection on 29th of enemy's
position, described in my 129 190/1, greatly impressed me with skilful plan
of its capture adopted by Major-General Townshend in his attack on 28th.
I am convinced that his scheme of turning the Turkish left and getting in
the rear of the centre of the position was the only manoeuvre whereby the
enemy could be dislodged without our incurring enormous losses. Any
scheme entailing direct assault of any portion of line would have inevitably
proved most costly. Three air reconnaissances from Kut have located the
retreating Turkish force as follows: Cavalry advanced guard of main
column was at 1 p.m. on Tigris right bank on point (sheet 2 B, square
B 22, 2—2—l), and cavalry rearguard on point (B 2—5—6). Rearguard
has two guns with it. One enemy steamer was seen, apparently in
difficulties, close to Baglinkah. Our pursuit on 30th has been dogged
by persistent bad luck. One of our three gunboats has stuck in shoal
eight* miles up-stream of Kut, and although foot channel in vicinity of
Kut was reconnoitred on night of 29th-30th, shifting sandbanks held
our river column throughout the daylight hours on 30th, and it was
not till dusk that ships were got through. Our cavalry have, however,
pushed ahead, and river column proceed up-stream from Kut at daylight 1st
October. Remainder of division concentrate at Kut as soon as circumstances
permit. Report just received from naval gunboats states “Sainana”
aground eight miles above Kut, with steering gear badly damaged.
“ Shaitan ” and “ Comet ” at 10 a.m. 30th arrived point (sheet 21), C 238), and
engaged Turkish steamer “ Busrah ” aground at C 237 at range of 6,500 yards.
“ Busrah ” replied with four guns, but was apparently hit and at one time
on fire. Pioneers returned to assist, and got her off. Gunboats then chased,
but were fired on from C 208 at 11 a.m. by two guns of cavalry raiding
party under Subri Bey returning from Sheikh Saad. Gunboats carried on,
and came up with two boat-loads of ammunition abandoned by “ Busrah,”
but getting into difficulties at bad crossing returned to avoid being caught
aground by Subri. They got back safely, and observed Turks being hotly
attacked by Arabs. One gunboat is standing by “ Samana,” but others
returned here to report, and will lead Townshend’s river column 1st October.
Royal Navy reports navigation difficult above Kut, channel shifting, and
several bad crossings over which ships must kedge.
From Sir John Nixon, Basra, 2nd October 1915.
{Addressed to Chief of the General Stall ; re floated to Secretary of State,
Foreign, Inspector-Genoral of Communications, and \ 2th Division.)
129/198/1. Euphrates line. Four enemy battalions with two field guns
and about five hundred camelry left Kefl in middle of September. The
camelry joined Nur-ed-din at Kut shortly before the late battle, and the
infantry and guns went to Baghdad, thus leaving tlm Fuphrates line empty
ol‘ enemy’s troops.
Tigris line. Aeroplane reconnaissance shows that at 7.15 a.m. on
1st October advanced guard of Turkish column retreating up left bank of
Tigris had reached “ al ” in Shidhnifalgharbi, and advanced guard of right
bank column was at first “ S ” in Sharish. A steamer, believed to be the
“ Busrah,” was five miles down stream of Aziziyah, and there was no enemy
craft sighted down stream of her. At nightfall on 1st October our river
column had reached point 27 miles up stream of Kut. Our cavalry had
passed same point during previous night.
From General Nixon, 2nd October 1915.
(Addressed to Chief of General Staff; repeated to Secretary of State
for India, Inspector-General of Communications, and \ 2th Division.)
129/199/1. Tigris line : Retreating Turkish forces were located by air
craft reconnaissance afternoon of 2nd October as follows :
Straggling column total length two miles, mostly infantry, head ol column
on Baghdad road 13 miles south-east of Suhnan Pak. Infantry column two