'The Mesopotamia Campaign from the Fall of Kut to the capture of Baghdad, 30 April 1916 to 11 March 1917'. - by Tony Bolton

  'The Mesopotamia Campaign from the Fall of Kut to the capture of Baghdad, 30 April 1916 to 11 March 1917'.

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 dispiried 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.

How was the morale of the force restored? How did Maude win his series of unbroken victories which included the contested crossing of the Tigris? How was logistics crucial to this success? 

It will 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. How the victory was aided by the Royal Navy hundreds of miles from the sea. It will consider how the airwar over the Tigris was a microcosm of the Western Front and all 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 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. Tony is currently Chair of the Chesterfield Branch. 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