"مذكرات الحرب. مقر قيادة الجيش، الهند. [...] قوة المشاة الهندية «د». مجلد ١٧. الجزء ١. (من ١ إلى ١٥ ديسمبر ١٩١٥)." [و‎‎١‎٧‎٨] (٤٨٨/٣٦٠)

Telegram P. ; No. 129-260-1., dated 6th December 1915. APPENDIX 183
(Despatched 11-50 a.m., received 7-20 p.m., 6 th December 1915.) ( Dy. No. 29728)
From—The General Officer Commanding, Force D/’ Kurna,
To—The Chief of the General Staff.
The following is addressed to the Chief of the General Staff, and repeated
to Secretary of State for India, General Officer Commanding, 12th Division :—-
Tigris line. General Townshend reports no movement on enemy’s part
December 5th. All prisoners, wounded and sick have been evacuated from
Kut. In order that it may join hands with General Younghusband’s Brigade
the cavalry brigade is being sent back to Ali-al-Gharbi. Three battalions of
the former, wi#., 57th and 53rd Sikhs and 56th Rifles, together with General
Younghusband’s Brigade Headquarters are now en route to Ali-al Gharbi.
Arrangements are in hand for moving up reinforcements. General Headquar
ters reach Basrah December 6 th.
Working copy to G, S. (M. O. 3)
Copy to M. S. C., M. S. V., G. S. (M. 0. 1 , M. O. 2)
Telegram P., No. I. G.-1698, dated 3rd December 1915. APPENDIX 184
(Despatched 2. p.m., 4th (?) December 1915, received 11-45 a.m., 6 th {Dy. No. 29691)
December 1915.)
From-—The General Officer Commanding, Force a D/' Army Headquarters, through
Basrah,
To—The Chief of the General Staff.
Amongst documents taken at Battle of Ctesiphon are the following (1)
Telegram to Eaouf Bey at Kirkuk from Enver Pasha, dated 18th October 1915,
stating that good officers were required by Iraq and that all available officers
should be sent to Baghdad immediately. (2) A battalion return giving the
strength of 2-142nd Regiment as 8 officers, 938 combatants, 106 transport
animals, 963 <c Model ” Martini-Henry rifles, 65 Martini-Henry rifles, 178
boxes of ammunition.
Accoraing to an agent, who left Baghdad on 26th ultimo, on 14th Novem
ber 7,000 regular troops reached that place from Musal via Samarrah. He
states that during the battle of Ctesiphon these troops remained in Baghdad,
and on November 26th they were still there
It is stated by another agent, who left Baghdad on 13th ultimo, that on
that date there were 8,000 Syiian Arabs with 20 guns (?) on thein way to
Baghdad from Mosul.
It is thought that the troops mentioned by above two agents formed the
52nd Division, some 7,000 or 8 , 000 , following the 51st Division [reference my
telegram ]So. I. G.-1686 {Dy. No. S-29075) paragraph 5 ] and possibly this
division was brought up in time for the attack at daybreak on December 1 st
against General Townshend’s force.
According to the second agent 10 German officers on 15th ultimo reached
Baghdad and Ragoub Pasha succeeded Nur-ud-din. It is also said that Hamza
Bey with 1,500 troops reached Baghdad from Mosul about 7 th November. It
is probable that these troops are included in the 51st Division.
The estimate given in my No. 1008-64-0. (Dy. No. S -287.28) should be
reduced if the strength of this division is as stated in paragraph 4 of my
No. I. G.-1686 (Dy. No. S.-29075) as the estimate was based on the assump
tion that the 51st Division was a complete new one.
Working copy to G. S. (M. O. 3).
Copy to M. S. C., M. S. V., G. S. (M O. 1, M. O. 2).
APPENDIX 185
APPRECIATION BY M. 0. 1 .
Situation in Mesopotamia.
6th December 1915.
During the w T eek General Townshend has retired after a further action on
1st December from Aziziyah to Kut-al-Amarab, where he is intended to remain
by General Nixon.