Contents
Preface to first edition / x Preface to second edition / xv Notes / xvi Prologue / 1
Chapter I The occupation of Basra / 6 Declaration of War. H.M.S. Espiègle in Shatt-al-'Arab. General Delamain's orders. I.E.F. 'D' at Bahrain. General Barrett enters Basra. Beginnings of Civil Administration. Military Governor appointed. Police Force started. Billeting Difficulties. Veterinary Precautions. Occupation of Qurna. Future of Mesopotamia discussed. Saiyid Talib. 'Ajaimi Pasha. Shaikh Ibrahim. Shaikh Uqbashi. Haji Adhar.
Chapter II The occupation of Qurna and the Battle of Shu'aiba / 21 Defective Intelligence Reports. Lord Morley's veto. Declaration of Jihad. Turks invade Persian Territory. Bakhtiari unrest. Death of Captain Dyer. Pro-tection of Oil-fields. Lord Hardinge visits Basra. Reinforcements sent to Ahwaz. Negotiations with Ibn Saud. Death of Captain Shakespear. General Nixon arrives. Battle of Shu'aiba. Unrest in Persia. Mission of Sir Percy Sykes. Disturbances at Shiraz and Bushire.
Chapter III Operations in Khuzistan and the occupation of 'Amara / 38 Sir John Nixon's orders. Advance up Tigris sanctioned. From Ahwaz to Karkha River. Crossing of Karkha. Destruction of Khafajiya. Advance on 'Amara. At Bisaitin. Townshend's advance up the Tigris. 'Townshend's regatta.' Capture of 'Amara.
Chapter IV The occupation of Nasiriya / 50 Occupation of Nasiriya sanctioned. Crossing of Hammar Lake. Fighting on 'Akaika canal. Predatory habits of Arabs. Advance on Nasiriya. Critical days on Euphrates. Reconnaissance on Majinina canal. Capture of Nasiriya. Civil Government organized.
Chapter V The beginnings of the administration of the Basra Wilayat / 64 Sir Percy Cox. Police Force organized. Civil Courts and Revenue Department started. Lt.-Col. Knox. Mr. H. R. C. Dobbs. Rebellion at Najaf and Karbala. The Basra Times. Hostile Trading Concerns. Foreign Commercial Firms. Disturbances in Persia. Education. Posts. Telegraphs. American Mission.
Chapter VI The first advance on baghdad / 79 The Shatt-al-Gharraf. Protection of Oil-fields. First battle of Kut. Decision to advance. Advance on Baghdad. Battle of Ctesiphon. Retreat from Ctesiphon.
Chapter VII The Siege And Fall Of Kut-Al-Amara / 91 Defences of town prepared. Question of expulsion of inhabitants. Mismanagement of supplies. Food dropped from aeroplanes. Negotiations for surrender. Surrender and ill-treatment of garrison.
Chapter VIII A visit to India, and the attempts to relieve kut / 101 The Basra Club. Beri-Beri. Medical Board at Bombay. Delhi. Reinforcements reach Basra. General Aylmer takes command. Battles of Shaikh Sa'ad and Wadi. Further attacks. Weather defeats us. Developments at the Base. War Office takes control. Sir Percy Lake succeeds Sir John Nixon. Dujaila. General Gorringe succeeds Sir Fenton Aylmer. Fresh assaults fail. Final efforts at Sannaiyat. The Julnar. Attempts to relieve Kut abandoned.
Chapter IX. Vat victis. The fate Of The Prisoners / 129 The march to Baghdad. Cruelty of Turks to prisoners: the truth discredited and the facts withheld from British Government. Cruelty to sick at Baghdad. The march northwards. Neglect and cruelty. United States Consuls and citizens endeavour to relieve sufferings. Mr. Morgenthau. Mr. Engert.
Chapter X. 1916 / 143 Functions of Political Officers. Billeting. Requisitioning of River craft. Land Blockade. Military demands on local resources. Work of Military Governors. Civil gaols. Customs Department. Visit of Col. Sir Mark Sykes. Sykes-Picot Agreement. Visit of Captain Aubrey Herbert and Captain George Lloyd. Recruitment of Civil Administration. Political Office at Basra. Miss Gertrude Bell. Ibn Saud. Affairs in Persia. Sir Percy Sykes's Mission. Indo-European Telegraph Department. Military Censorship. Persian 'Arabistan and the Bakhtiari. E. B. Soane.
Chapter XI The Mesopotamia commission / 170 The Vincent-Bingley Commission. Appointment of Mesopotamia Commission. Findings of Commission. Conduct of medical officers. Minority' report. Mr. Austen Chamberlain's resignation. Mr. Balfour's defence of Lord Hardinge. Captain Aubrey Herbert's views. Historical parallels-Walcheren-Crimea-the Peninsular War.
Chapter XII Reorganization at the base and on the lines of communication / 184 Military policy. Sir George Buchanan. Sir G. F. MacMunn. Sir W. H. Willcox, General Maude succeeds General Lake. Sir William Meyer. Railway Construction. Reorganization of River Transport. River Conservancy. Dredging Schemes. Pilot Services. Mechanical Transport. Royal Flying Corps. Sir Godfrey Collins.
Chapter XIII The second advance on Baghdad / 206 Discussions on policy. Question of advance on Baghdad. Hai River reached and bridged. Muhammad 'Abdul Hasan position taken. Gallantry of British and Indian troops. Cavalry Division at Hai. Khadhairi bend. Achievements of Indian Army. Clearance of Dahra Bend. The crossing at Shamran. Sannaiyat. Cavalry at Shamran. Naval operations. Royal Flying Corps. Questions of policy. The decision to advance.
Chapter XIV The capture of Baghdad and subsequent operations / 228 13th Hussars at Zor. Crossing of Diyala River. Operations on right bank. Plight of Turks. Occupation of Baghdad. Order restored. Turkish wounded abandoned. Attitude of citizens of Baghdad. General Maude's proclamation. Its reception in Baghdad and in Parliament. Military Governors appointed. General Maude's attitude towards Civil Administration. Advance to Euphrates. Protection against flood. Progress on Tigris. Fighting on Diyala. Battle of Jabal Hamrin. Battle of Istabulat. Occupation of Samarra. Battle of Band-i-'Adhaim. Auxiliary Services. Royal Flying Corps. General Maude's achievement.
Chapter XV The extension of British influence in the Baghdad Wilayat from the capture of Baghdad till the death of general maude / 255 Turkish Rule in Baghdad Wilayat. Cooperation with Arab leaders. The Naqib of Baghdad. Disorders at Najaf. Samarra. Behaviour of Russians. Arabs secure modern rifles. Question of disarmament. Question of Arab co-operation. Sir Percy Cox appointed Civil Commissioner. Popular demand for civil administration. Views of Mustafa Kamal Pasha. Situation on Diyala and at Khanaqin-on Tigris and on Upper Euphrates-on Middle Euphrates. Operations on Euphrates. Reinforcements for Mesopotamia. Battle of Ramadi. Advance up Tigris. Defection of Russians. Death of General Maude. Estimate of his military achievements.
Chapter XVI The Basra Wilayat in 1917 / 279 Position in Basra. Recruitment of political officers. Mr. H. St. J. Philby. Local contractors. Finance and accounts. Currency problems. Accounts systems. Mr. Bhupendra Nath Mitra. Government printing presses. Public Health Services. Control of prostitutes. The Qurna, 'Amara, and Muntafiq Divisions. Mungasht Mountains. A visit to 'Arabistan. My departure from Basra. Mr. E. B. Howell.
List of illustrations
Lieut.-General Sir W. S. Delamain, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., Indian Army / 6
Captain R. L. Birdwood, C.I.E., Indian Political Dept. Killed in action, 17th November, 1914 / 10
Field-Marshal Sir Arthur A. Barrett, G.C.B., K.C.S.I., K.C.V.O. (died 20th October, 1926) / 12
Saiyid Talib Pasha Ibn Saiyid Rajab Pasha / 18
Captain F. L. Dyer, Indian Army. Killed 15th March, 1915 / 21
His Excellency Shaikh Sir Mubarak-As-Sabah, K.C.I.E., Shaikh of Kuwait and Dependencies, and Ibn Saud 28
Captain W. H. I. Shakespear, C.I.E., Indian Political Dept. Killed in action in Arabia, January 1915 / 30
Lieut.-Colonel G. E. Leachman, C.I.E., D.S.O. / 35
Lieut-General Sir G. F. Gorringe, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., D.S.O. / 46
Major-General Sir Percy Z. Cox, G.C.M.G., G.C.I.E., K.C.S.I., D.C.L. Indian Political Dept. Sir Henry R. C. Dobbs, K.C.M. G., K.C.I. E., C.S.I., I.C.S., Indian Political Dept. Lieut.-Commander Edgar C. Cookson, V.C., D.S.O., R.N. Killed in action 28th September, 1915 / 82
Major-General Sir Charles V. F. Townshend, K.C.B., D.S.O. Died 18th May, 1924 / 94
Major-General Sir C. J. Melliss, V.C., K.C.B., K.C.M.G., Indian Army / 96
Lieut. H. 0. B. Firman, V.C., R.N. Killed in action 25th April, 1916 / 114
Lieut.-Commander C. H. Cowley, V.C., R.N.V.R. Murdered by Turks 25th April, 1916 / 126 Sir Mark Sykes, Bt., M.P. Died 19th February, 1919 / 150
His Excellency Shaikh Sir Khaz'al Ibn Haji Jabir Khan, G.C.I.E., K.C.S.I., Shaikh of Mohammerah and Dependencies . . . His Majesty 'abdul Aziz Ibn 'Abdur Rahman Ibn Faisal Al Sa'ud, King of Hijaz, Najd, and Dependencies / 160
The Right Hon. Baron Hardinge, K.G., P.C., G.C.B., G.C.V.O., G.C.S.I., G.C.M.G., G.C.I.E., I.S.O. Viceroy of India, 1910-16 / 176
Lieut.-General Sir George F. Macmunn, K.C.B., K. C.S.I., D.S.O. / 186
Sir William H. Willcox, K.C.I.E., C.B., C.M.G., D.P.H., F.R.C.P., F.I.C., F.C.S. / 188
To face page Lieut. -General Sir Percy H. N. Lake, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., Indian Army / 190
Major-General Sir Harry T. Brooking, K.C.B., K.C.S.I, K.C.M.G. / 270
Lieut.-General Sir Stanley Maude, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. Died 18th November, 1917 / 274
Sketch model of equestrian statue by Sir W. Goscombe John, R.A., erected in memory of Lieut. -General Sir Stanley Maude outside the British Residency at Baghdad / 278
Lieut. E. A. W. Hawke. Killed 27th December, 1918 / 290
Lieut. -Colonel E. B. Howell, C.S.I., C.I.E., I.C.S. / 302
List of maps
1. The Middle East / in pocket at end. 2. Lower Mesopotamia / ” 3. Upper Mesopotamia / ” 4. Mesopotamia / ”
Note. All the above maps are reproduced, by permission of the Controller of His Majesty's Stationery Office, whose courtesy in the matter is gratefully acknowledged, from those accompanying the History of the Great War, based on Official Documents-Military Operations, by Brig.-Gen. F. J. Moberly: see p. xxvi IraqThat work contains numerous excellent maps illustrating successive phases of the war in 'Iraq which are in dispensable to students of the military aspects of the campaign. |