Battle of Wadi (1916): Difference between revisions

The attack, which began in the early afternoon of [[January 13]] — postponed from the morning because of a persistent [[mist]] and a slow advance by [[artillery]] across the river, quickly lost the intended element of surprise, as the outnumbered [[British forces]] on both sides of enemy lines struggled to assert themselves against a robust Turkish defense.<ref name=history/> [[George Kemball|General Kemball]] made a frontal advance, while [[Francis Younghusband|Younghusband]], with the bulk of the British force, attempted a wide turning movement.<ref name=Lovat/> The delay had seriously affected the chances of success, as [[small-arms]] and artillery fire from the alerted [[Turks]] began to halt the British infantry movements.<ref name=greatwar/><ref name="Candler"/>

 

 

By [[dusk]], it became clear that the attempt had failed. No British troops had got as far round the Turkish flank as to reach the river, and the mouth of the [[Hanna Defile]] was still strongly entrenched by the Turkish.<ref name=greatwar/> Aylmer called off the attack by the end of the day and ferried most of his remaining troops to the right bank of the [[Tigris]].<ref name=Tucker/>