BATTERED WARROATS OF THE TIGRIS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 14, 11 October 1917, Page 7

BATTERED WARROATS OF THE TIGRIS

NAVY'S REARGUARD WORK. (By Edmund Candler.) In the undemonstrative, though none the less triumphal, entry of tho fleet into Bagdad, on the afternoon of March 11, there wero two veEsels that had onco "been Turkish. One was the little Thornycroft patrol boat H.M.&. iycatcher, originally built for the Turks, sunb by tho Espicgle in the Sliatt-el-Avab during tho advance on Basra (November, 1914), and afterwards ealvcd by us. The other was the Firefly. When I tho Firefly entered Bagdad again aa a. British ship, after her Gorman incarceration- of over a year, lior original British commander was on board, though sho still bore the Turkish Star and Crescent and- an inscription' in Turkish on her name-plate on +ho battery deck. Iho Firefly grounded at TJuim-dl- Tubal on December 1, 1915, during thp retirement from Ctesiphon, and was recaptured by us op February 26, 1917, in tho advance on Bagdad. AVe tried, and tho' Turks tried, to burn her. In tho retirement from Ctesiphon tho fleet played a part more difficult and arduous than, if not so brilliant and dramatic, in tho advance on Bagdad. The shepherding of river craft during a retreat is no easy thing. It is not easy, even behind an army that is advancing, to escort a miscellaneous collection of steamers, barges, and lighters over the sandbanks and shallows of tho Tigris at this season, when the water is lowest; but when the Army ia in retirement and tho fleet forms theirearguard, it is still more difficult. Tho sandbanks of tho Tigris shift their position almost every week. Even the local pilots are of little use. Barges were constantly grounding. The. pace of tho slowest o{ .them was tho pace of the fleet. Some ships could only get over tho worst reaches by laying out an anchor and heaving the vessel over tho shallow part.' On tlio evening of November 2S (1915) the Shaitan and tho Comet were aground. Both ships got off during the night, but tho heavy towing had 6trained the Shaitan badly, causing a leak which she could not keep under, and she sank before daylight in shallow water. Tho Comet anchored and engaged tho snipers ashore, while the Firefly and Shushan wero salving the Shaitan's gnne. AVhilo this was in progress a wireless message brought tho cavalry on the scene, and they shot or stuck nearly 200 of tho snipers on the bank, who were bo occupied with their prospective spoil that they nllowed themselves to be rushed. But tho hull of tho Shaitan could not be ealved. , Before dark the Turks had brought up'their artillery and were bombarding her.

. The battle of Umm-01-Tubal wae fought on tho morning of December 1. ;

Turks had come up in the night and pitched their tents within a milo of our camp. At daylight they attacked in niaea formation.' They gave.our artillery and the guns of our (loot a splendid target. Tho Firefly and the Comet poured in lyddite as fast as ■ their guns conld be loaded at a range of well under 3000 yards. The Turkish loss.es were estimated at 2000. It was during this engagement that the Firefly was crippled. Heavy artillery firo was concentrated on the two gunboats all the while, and the Firefly 'received'a direct-hit on her steamdrum, which exploded her boilers and loft her helpless. The Comet managed to get her in tow, but could not tow her out of it, and th'e Comet also grounded. Tho Firefly drifted clear, but she was swept ou to a bank by the current. Both boats were under very heavy artillery and rifle fire.

Meanwhilo tho Sumana—which fell into tho hands of the Turks at Kut and was recaptured on February 26 last—had come up, and was vainly endeavouring to tow tho Comet oft. Tho enemy had brought their guns to short range, and their right wing ashore was within 50 yards of the Comet. There was now no hope of salving her, and the life of tho Sumana, if she remained, was only a question of minutes. At that short range the bullets whizzed through her protective plating. The order was given to abandon the vesoels. Tho Comet was cornpietoly destroyed liy firo. Tho Firefly, being all iron, would not burn; neither would uho sink, being already ashore. Noitlier boat was abandoned until the breech-blocks of the gunti had boon removed aud tho engines disabled, and tho survivors of Iho crow transferred to the Sumniia. This gallant ship got away without vital hurt, though pock-marked by bullets nil over. Tho Navy is always laconic. Hero is the entry afler midday in tho log of H.M.S. — for February Si, 1017, when Iho gunboats ran tho gauntlet of tho enemy's batteries, iniichine-giine, and riflo firo ill almost point-blank range, passed through ihein, and played havon with their gun loams uiid transport on tho bank:— 12.)..—1u action with enemy at Nahr Kellalc. ~ , 0 p.m.—Grave, digging pnrty landed. !). 15.—Slipper.