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Authors
and Contributors this page:
T.F.
Mills |
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Page
created 1 September 2000. Corrected and updated
31.07.2004
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Britain's
interest in Mesopotamia ran much deeper than just opening another
front to harrass the Central Powers. They already had a significant
economic toe-hold in Basra and Baghdad to the point that in 1911
the Viceroy of India recommended outright annexation by the India
Office. Russia had always been perceived as a threat in the region
(hence the Crimean
war), but then unified Germany became a threat as well, especially
with their planned Berlin-Baghdad railroad. The British managed
to get two subjects appointed to the railroad board, and they were
deeply involved in developing Basra port. The Ottoman sultan actually
recognised British police authority in the Shatt al-Arab and Persian
Gulf.
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Chronology
(except battles, which see below)
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Despite horrific initial setbacks,
British imperial forces prevailed in the Mesopotamian theatre. Although
the war-time Sykes-Picot agreement had awarded the Mosul villayet
to the French, they were not there and at war's end the British
rushed in to gain as much advantage as possible before the impending
armistice. Because they already had such a major economic investment,
British policy in Iraq was very different from western Arabia where
they had overtly encouraged and aided the Arab Revolt. To do so
in Iraq would have destabilised the India Office as well as further
fragmented the mosaic of races in Iraq that neither the Ottomans
nor the British had been able to bring together. Arab nationalism
was to be controlled, not encouraged, although the "Sharifian" faction
in London (e.g. T.E. Lawrence and Gertrude Bell "the uncrowned queen
of Iraq") was trying to follow through on rewarding all Arabs for
their war effort with full independence.
In January 1919, the British set
up a military administration under Sir Arnold Wilson, and in April
1920 the League of Nations confirmed the British Mandate over the
region. Wilson's arrogant rule, however, helped set the stage for
Great Arab Revolt
in 1920.
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peak forces
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total forces
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total dead
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KIA
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NCD
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civilian dead
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WIA
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PW-MIA
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Britain |
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India |
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subtotal |
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Ottoman
Empire |
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TOTAL |
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British Empire: |
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Ottoman Empire: |
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Date |
Battles
(Battle Honours are shown in bold
face) |
Regiments
(regts with emblazoned Honours shown in bold;
non-honoured in italics) |
Note:
British battle honours were first awarded in Sep. 1922. After some
corrections a "final list" was substituted in Feb. 1925.
Indian Army awards were made in 1926-28. |
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1915
Apr. 12-14 |
Shaiba
(II) |
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Inf: 2/F9
1:4/F37 2/F39 |
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Cav: L7 C16 LC33
Inf: 20 22 76 103 104 110 117 119 120 GR7
Engr: BySM
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1915
Apr. 21-
1915 June 18 |
Persian
Arabistan |
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1915
May 14-16 |
Khafajiya |
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Cav:
L7 C16 LC33
Inf: |
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1915
May 31 |
Qurna (II) |
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Inf: |
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1915
June 3 |
Amara |
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Inf: |
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1915
July 5-25 |
Nasiriya |
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1915
Sep. 28 |
Kut al
Amara 1915 |
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Inf: 2/F9
1:4/F37 2/F39
1/F43 |
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Cav: L7 LC16
Inf: 4 7 20 62 67 89 103 104 110 117 119 120 GR7
Engr: BSM
BySM
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1915
Nov. 22-24 |
Ctesiphon |
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1915
Dec. 1 |
Umm at Tubul |
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Cav:
L7 C16 LC33 |
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1915
Dec. 7-
1916 Apr. 28 |
Defence
of Kut al Amara |
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1916
Jan. 6-8 |
Shaikh Saad |
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Cav:
L7 C16 C23 LC33 |
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1916
Jan. 13 |
Wadi |
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Cav:
L7 C16 C23 LC33 |
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1916
Jan. 14 |
Butaniya |
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Inf: |
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1916
Jan. 14-
1916 Apr. 24 |
Tigris
1916 |
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1916
Jan. 21 |
Hanna |
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Cav:
L7 C16 C23 LC33
Inf: |
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1916
Mar. 8 |
Dujaila
Redoubt |
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Cav:
L7 C16 C23 LC33
Inf: |
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1916
Apr. 5-8 |
Hanna and
Fallahiyeh |
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Inf: |
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1916
Apr. 6-22 |
Sannaiyat
(I) |
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Inf: |
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1916
Apr. 17-18 |
Bait Isa |
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Inf:
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1916
Sep. 11 |
Sahilan |
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Inf: |
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1916
Dec. 16-
1917 Feb. 25 |
Kut al
Amara 1917 |
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1916
Dec. 14-
1917 Jan. 19 |
Advance
to the Hai |
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Cav: H13
H14
Inf: |
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Cav:
L13 L14 C21 C22 MG7
Inf: |
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1917
Jan. 25-
1917 Feb. 5 |
Hai Salient |
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Cav:
Inf: |
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1917
Feb. 9-16 |
Dahra Bend |
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Cav:
Inf: |
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1917
Feb. 17-24 |
Sannaiyat
(II) |
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Inf: |
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1917
Feb. 25-
1917 Apr. 30 |
Baghdad |
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1917
Mar. 5 |
Lajj |
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Cav: |
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1917
Mar. 14 |
Mushahida |
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Inf: |
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1917
Mar. 15-28 |
Delli Abbas |
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Cav: |
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1917
Mar. 19 |
Falluja |
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Inf: |
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1917
Mar. 25 |
Jabal Hamrin
(I) |
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Inf: |
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1917
Apr. 9-15 |
Khalis Canal |
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Cav: |
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1917
Apr. 18, 30 |
Adhaim |
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Cav:
Inf: |
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1917
Apr. 21-22 |
Istabulat |
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Inf: |
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1917
Apr. 24 |
Samarra |
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Inf: |
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1917
July 11 |
Ramadi (I) |
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Inf: |
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1917
Sep. 28-29 |
Ramadi (II) |
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1917
Oct. 1-
1917 Dec. 6 |
Tigris
1917 |
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Inf: 20
28 51 53 56 92 |
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1917
Oct. 16-20 |
Jabal Hamrin
(II) |
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Cav: |
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1917
Nov. 2 |
Daur |
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Cav: |
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1917
Nov. 5 |
Tikrit |
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Cav: |
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1917
Dec. 3-6 |
Jabal Hamrin
(III) |
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Cav: |
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1918
Mar. 9 |
Hit |
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Inf: |
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1918
Mar. 26-27 |
Khan
Baghdadi |
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1918
Apr. 27 |
Kulawand |
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Cav: |
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1918
Apr. 29 |
Tuz Khurmatli |
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Cav: |
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1918
May 7 |
Kirkuk |
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Cav: |
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1918
Oct. 23-26 |
Fat-ha Gorge |
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Cav: |
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1918
Oct. 23-26 |
Little Zab |
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1918
Oct. 28-30 |
Sharqat |
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Cav: H7
H13
Inf: 4/F13 F37 F50 1/F71 |
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Cav: L13 L14 FF21 L32 Guides
Inf: 39 45 52 113 114 1/GR3 GR7 GR10
Engr: BSM
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1918
Oct. 30 |
Qaiyara |
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Cav: |
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1914
Nov. 6-
1918 Nov. 5 |
Mesopotamia 1914-18 |
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Mesopotamia 1915-17 |
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Mesopotamia 1915-18 |
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Mesopotamia 1916-17 |
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Mesopotamia 1916-18 |
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Mesopotamia 1916
'18 |
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Mesopotamia 1917-18 |
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Societies,
Forums & Re-Enactors
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