The Siege of Kut Al-Amara

Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire Into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, Together with a Separate Report by Commander J. Wedgwood [...].

€ 2,000.00

Official report of the Mesopotamia Commission appointed in August 1916 to investigate the events connected with the Siege of Kut Al-Amara, the worst Allied defeat of the Great War. The Commission's remit was to enquire "into the origin, inception, and conduct of operations of war in Mesopotamia, including the supply of drafts, reinforcements, ammunition, and equipment of the troops and fleet, the provision for the sick and wounded, and the responsibility of those departments of Government whose duty it has been to minister to the wants of the forces employed in that theatre of war" (p. 3). In the spring of 1916, T. E. Lawrence had been dispatched to Mesopotamia to assist in relieving Kut by either starting an Arab uprising or negotiating a secret deal with Enver Pasha, offering £2 million for the free retreat of the troops; the mission produced no useful result, and General Townshend surrendered on 29 April after a siege of 147 days. Some 13,000 Allied soldiers survived to be made prisoners.

Contents include: Origin of Mesopotamia expedition; Advance from Basra to Kurna; The advance from Amara and Kut; Correspondence and telegrams as to advance on Baghdad; The advance from Kut to Ctesiphon; Operations for relief of Kut; Armament, equipment, reinforcements; Transport; Medical breakdown; Causes contributing to the errors of judgment and shortcomings of responsible authorities; Findings and conclusions; Separate report by Commander J. Wedgwood; Vincent-Bingley report; Memorandum by Sir Beauchamp Duff; Colonel Hekir's account of the siege of Kut-el-Amara.

Waterstained throughout; edges and corners severely wrinkled, bumped and frayed; traces of dod-earing. Binding soiled; spine chipped.