Dialah River

[Paul Reed]

I just came across this photo while sorting through some of my postcards; it shows a battlefield memorial in Mespot/Iraq commemorating the crossing of the Dialah River (and area still echoing to gunshots even now).

Two men got the VC for this action:

Captain O.A.Reid, 6th Loyal North Lancs

On 8/10 March 1917 at Dialah River, Mesopotamia, Captain Reid consolidated a small post with the advanced troops on the opposite side of the river to the main body, after his lines of communication had been cut by the sinking of the pontoons. He maintained this position for 30 hours against constant attacks by bombs, machine-guns and rifle fire, with the full knowledge that repeated attempts at relief had failed and that his ammunition was all but exhausted. It was greatly due to his tenacity that the crossing of the river was effected the next night. During the operations he was wounded.

Pte Jack White, 6th Kings Own

On 7/8 March 1917 on the Dialah River, Mesopotamia, Private White, a signaller, during an attempt to cross the river, saw the two pontoons ahead of him come under very heavy fire with disastrous results. When his own pontoon had reached mid-stream, with every man except himself either dead or wounded, and not being able, by himself, to control the boat the private tied a telephone wire to the pontoon, jumped overboard and towed it to the shore, thereby saving an officer's life and bringing to land the wounded and also the rifles and equipment of all the men in the boat.

Wonder if there is anything still there?

[Paul Reed]

Also found this description of part of the action:

A major hurdle in front of Baghdad was crossing the River Dialah, a tributary of the Tigris. Armed with artillery and well dug in, the Turks held a formidable defensive position. On 7th March 1917 the 6th Battalion KORLR seized Dialah village on the left bank of the river, but received Turkish fire from the left bank. In an attempt to cross the river, the Battalion launched pontoons, but were driven back. The operation cost 40 casualties. A battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment completed the crossing early on the 10th March.

The 13th Division of the British Army was now able to advance on Baghdad.

Source: http://www.ermysteds.n-yorks.sch.uk/archiv...amy/bellamy.htm