Is "Ricket" meant to be "Tikrit"?

[rolt968]

Three years ago or so I started a thread on Pte. Arthur Murray and the inscription on his family gravestone:

At the time it did not occur to me to question where "Ricket" was in Mesopotamia.

Judging from his date of death (5 November 1917), I think it should be Tikrit.

Is there another possibility I have missed?

 

RM

[charlie962]

On 28/05/2019 at 14:26, rolt968 said:

I think it should be Tikrit.

or 'Tekrit' as an alternative spelling. I'm sure you are right in your assumption given the unit and date.

 

Charlie

[Guest]

Mate,

 

A check of the unit history may tell you where they were stationed around that date?

 

The Ottomans record little around that date?

 

"

In September 1917, General Maude renewed operations and his first target was Ramadiya. The Turkish garrison was encircled as the British seized numerous ridges above the town. An attempt to escape by Turkish forces on the night of September 28 was stopped by the British cavalry. Having realized that they had no options, Turks surrendered on September 29.

Maude dispatched Gen. Alexander Cobbe at the head of two divisions further up the River Tigris to tackle newly established Turkish defensive positions some 13 kilometers north of Samarrah. Cobbe attacked Turkish lines on November 5 and succeeded after three hours fighting in taking the Turkish front line, although heavy British cavalry losses were incurred during a charge on the Turkish second lines. Turkish troops had to withdraw.

Gen. Maude, who had successfully commanded British operations in the Mesopotamian theater so far, died of cholera on November 18. He was replaced by Gen. William Marshall."

 

All the Ottomans say, that the fighting was around Ramadi, not Tikrit?

 

But since Tikrit is North of Samarrah or Samarra, and British units were around that area then its possible the place is correct.

 

Cheers

 

S.B

[rolt968]

I did finally download 1 Seaforth Highlanders war diary. Below are the beginning and end of the entry for 5 November 1917. (The whole entry is more than three pages.)

1 Seafoth Highlanders attacked the Turkish positions and took the first two lines of trenches. The war diary criticises the British barrage for moving too slowly. There was some difficulty consolidating their position as snipers remained in the area

The Turks had withdrawn by the following day.

RM

 

[rolt968]

Having never researched a war memorial where places of death are inscribed, I am finding this one very interesting.

 

Presumably the information was supplied by relatives. I wonder where they received the information from. Some locations are vague - "Somme" while others like "Ricket/Tikrit" are very precise. Another one says "Delville Wood" (reading the war diary I think it might actually have been Longueval - but that seems to be a bit picky on my part).

 

RM

[rolt968]

A thank you again to everyone who helped me with 1 Seaforth Highlanders and Tikrit (Tekrit).

 

I am researching another war memorial. One of the men commemorated on it was also killed at Tikrit on 5 November 1917 serving with 1 Seaforth Highlanders.

RM