Battles on the Tigris: The Mesopotamian Campaign of the First World War [Hardcover]

This book provides a look at one of WWI's most interesting, and certainly most unusual, campaigns - in terms of geography, action, and personalities. In addition, the writing style flows effortlessly. The author, Ron Wilcox, has also thankfully included orders of battle, numerous maps, and several photographs. A fascinating look at WWI's most forgotten campaign - outstanding!

Despite the fact that Iraq/Mesopotamia is largely a desert, Britain's Mesopotamian campaign largely involved fighting on rivers and through large flooded areas. Like many great historic rivers, the Tigris has annual floods which submerge broad swathes of land during the flood season. And given the abhorrent, near non-existent state of roads and railways the rivers Tigris and Euphrates provided the only practicable transport route throughout southern Mesopotamia. Thus, we find British and Indian soldiers launching canoe-based attacks against Turkish positions built-up above the flooded ground. And we also see the repeated use of river craft for fire support on shore (which is very reminiscent of the American Civil War campaigns on the Mississippi and Cumberland rivers).

Besides the novelty of many of the attack and defense methods (which would have been suicidal in most other WWI theatres), the leadership in this campaign was quite extraordinary. Notwithstanding his forced surrender at Kut el-Amarna in early 1916, General Townshend was nothing short of a miracle worker. Time and time again from early 1915 Townshend and his mostly Indian troops won victory after victory pushing the Turkish troops ever further upriver. Townshend probably made more rapid progress in mileage than any other British commander during the war, and what's more, he did it on a logistical shoestring. (A similar effort made today by British or American forces would probably require 40-50x as much logistical support.)

As his successes mounted, the Indian Gov't and the War Committee gave the Mesopotamian force increasingly ambitious goals. The minarets of legendary Baghdad sounded their siren call to the politician's imagination - imagine the regional prestige to be won by capturing the greatest city in the Middle East away from the Turks! Unfortunately, conditions on the ground were manifestly unsuitable for such an effort. Food and ammunition were limited. But by far the worst issue were the unspeakable medical conditions - like something right out of the Middle Ages. Sick lists almost always exceeded the number of those fit and able to fight.

Despite his reservations Townshend gave the Baghdad advance his best shot at Ctesiphon, but the Turkish forces were under Nurredin's new management and had also been dramatically reinforced. After being convincingly blocked Townshend planned to retreat downstream to regroup and reinforce this troops. However, he was instructed to remain at Kut and was soon completely surrounded and cut off by Turkish forces. After several months and a failed relief effort Townshend and his troops were forced into a humiliating surrender. But much worse than that, they suffered (and profusely died) of malnutrition, beatings, filth, and neglect at the hands of their Turkish captors.

Almost an entire year passed as the British/Indian force under General Lake was heavily reinforced, resupplied, and provided with sufficient logistical transport to conduct a future sustained campaign of advance. However, Lake was replaced by General Maude before the next advance began, so Maude became the conqueror of Baghdad a year after Townshend's surrender. With the conquest of Baghdad, the terrain completely changed and British/Indian forces were able to spread out pushing the Turks back towards Anatolia proper. Also included is the story about how Dunsterville led a bizarre effort through Bolshevik/Persian territories to secure the Baku oilfields against the Turks.

The story of the First World War in Mesopotamia, modern day Iraq, is one of the most interesting, and oft-ignored, stories. During the first world war the British established an expiditionary force in the Gulf of Arabia, much as was done in 1991 and 2003 by the American army, and they struck northwest for Baghdad. The capture of Baghdad was regarded as a side-show, like Gallipoli, but it was also a strike against the Ottoman Empire. From Baghdad the rail lines stretched towards Syria and Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

In 1915 the British general launched his attack up the Tigris and quickly became bogged down at Kut. His surrender the next year was a great defeat for British arms and an embarrasment. It was a harrowing battle and siege and is one of the great stories of the war.

This is a well written book, fascinating military history full of drama.

Seth J. Frantzman

Wilcox has written a good book about the British campaign in Mesopotamia in World War I. The book covers the campaign and its major events from the first British landings in 1915 all the way to the siezure of Mosul in 1918 at the end of the war. He also discusses the story of the Dunsterforce that was sent to Baku, Azerbaijan.

Wilcox bases it mostly on primary and secondary accounts written at the time, as well as the British official histories of the campaign. One flaw of the book is that it hardly mentions the contributions of Indian soldiers who made up the majority of the British Empire's troops in the theater. Reading the book one would think the British soldiers did nearly all of the fighting if it was not for the maps that clearly show Indian units on the battlefield. If he had used sources such Barker's The Neglected War (1967) for more about the Indian Army units and soldiers, and Erickson's Ordered to Die (2001) for the Turkish story this would be a much better book.

In conclusion, book will give the reader a start on knowing more about this World War I campaign.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 3 reviews  4.3 out of 5 stars