The Mesopotamia Campaign: from the Fall of Kut to the capture of Baghdad

The campaign in Mesopotamia leading up to the surrender at Kut is fairly well known. However, as is often the case, whilst Britain's failures are well publicised, successes are somehow considered to be less worthy of study, Fear of jingoism and a view that Britain should win anyway appear to dominate.

This talk will consider how the despondent and dispirited Indian Expeditionary Force D, had to face its failure to relieve Townsend at Kut and how its morale was restored to fight a series of difficult and hard fought battles culminating in the first significant Allied success of the war when British and Indian troops took Baghdad.

This presentation will consider how the morale of the force was restored and how Maude won his series of unbroken victories which included the contested crossing of the Tigris. It will also ask how logistics was crucial to this success.

The talk will also consider how the cavalry were able to play an important role, how the sappers aided the advance building a series of river bridges often under heavy fire and how the victory was aided by the Royal Navy hundreds of miles from the sea.

Tony will discuss how the air war over the Tigris was a microcosm of the Western Front and this against a backdrop of C.I.G.S. Robertson's instructions to Maude to 'avoid heavy casualties' because, as he made clear, he would receive no further reinforcement. Maude was also well aware of the political imperative from both India and Westminster to avoid any further damage to British prestige

Tony Bolton joined Holst and Company as a trainee design draughtsman in 1967, retiring after nearly 43 years as Regional Director of Civil Engineering Division of Vinci UK. He has been a member of The Western Front Association almost from its inception in 1980. He has contributed to BBC Radio Sheffield’s Centenary programme and presented talks to many external groups on First World War subjects. Tony completed his Masters degree in British First World War History with Distinction at Birmingham in 2014. His dissertation on the Resignation Of Austen Chamberlain and the Mesopotamia Commission also received a Distinction

Members and non-members of The Western Front Association are equally welcome. Any new visitors are guaranteed a friendly atmosphere and a warm welcome from a group of like-minded enthusiasts.