What happened in Amara?

Turkish Prisoners in Amarra. One of 300 pictures taken by Captain Charles (Chas) Henry Weaver during his service in The Great War. This was the time of the creation of Iraq out of "Southern Turkey".

Captain Weaver worked for the RAMC and The Red Cross. He was mentioned in dispatches and was awarded the MBE for his wartime service.



Amara was an important administrative and commercial centre, lying on the Tigris. It lies more than 100 miles upstream from Qurna, and 140 from Basra. The river meanders in a never-ending series of bends, begins to narrow and becomes reedy and shallow as one moves north.
North of Qurna, the land was flooded to a depth of 3 feet or so, and transport was possible only by boat. The Turkish positions lay out of range of British artillery. Some small outposts, above the water level, were occupied by parties of Turkish infantry.
Amara lies opposite the lake/marshland.

Spurred on by success at Shaiba, Sir John Nixon decided to strike again at the Turks, despite the clear facts facing him: his transport was insufficient for such an operation, he was unlikely to receive more pioneers or cavalry, and the medical arrangements bordered on the scandalous. His proposal was supported by the Indian Government, and the British complied despite misgivings.

In the lull since Shaiba, Major-General Charles Townshend had arrived to take command of the 6th (Poona) Division.

A fleet of more than 500 flat-bottomed boats was assembled for the push towards Amara. Mountain guns, machine guns and other equipment were mounted in some boats. The attack commenced early on 31st May 1915: the boats - mostly local falt-bottomed bellums - pushed off, and by noon the outposts had been captured, with little loss.

Next day, Townshend received a message from an observation aeroplane that the Turks were retreating from the main position. He reacted immediately and took himself and his HQ onto the Espeigle, which - followed by assorted gunboats - set off at their fastest pace to pursue the enemy. (This became known as 'Townshend's regatta'). He left his army far behind. By sunset on the 1st, he was within sight of the laggards of the Turk flotilla that was steaming upstream. Darkness fell, and it was decided that further movement was too hazardous.

The regatta began again at first light on the 2nd. By now the British army was some 50 miles behind; Amara was still 50 miles ahead. Abandoned Turkish ships were found, and Townshend decided to press on. By the afternoon of the 3rd, he arrived in Amara, with only about 100 sailors and men. By great confidence and bluff, the Turkish force of more than 700 were persuaded to surrender. Townshend acquired a reputation of dash and pluck - and he had an aura of good fortune about him, at a time when generally things were not going well for British forces around the globe.

British losses were negligible, for the capture of many men and much material from the enemy and an advance of 100 miles.