First British troops into Baghdad

[stevehowarth]

In my research into 2nd Lt. Thomas Bellamy of the 6th King's Own Royal Lancs. Reg., I found a local newspaper (Craven Herald, Skipton, Yorks. ) cutting that claimed that he was one of the first three officers into the captured city of Baghdad on 11th March, 1917.

Reading around I gather that there is some controversy over which battalion was the first to enter on that date. Can anybody throw any light on this?

Steve

[Ski]

Steven,

Col N.C.E. Kenrick's book,"The Story of the Wiltshire Regiment", states about the 5th Battalion:-

" On 10th March the whole Wiltshire Battalion ferried over [The Diala] in the dark, unobserved by the Turks, who were dug in on the far bank about 400 yards west of the Battalion's crossing point. By daylight they were firmly established, and had taken 120 prisoners. Their only casualty was Second-Lieutenant J. G. Mellish, who was killed by a bomb. The way to Baghdad was open, and next day the Wiltshires were the first to enter the city, the Turks having retreated from it. The inhabitants were loud in their welcome, and generous in their gifts of oranges and eggs."

Cheers,

Ski

[Ron]

Quote from Edmund Candler: The Long Road to Baghdad pp95-96

'The enemy evaculated this position in the night; ansd early on the morning of the 11th the corps cavalry, two squadrons made up of the Herts Yeomanry, the 10th Lancers and the 32nd Cavalry, rode into Baghdad. The column on the right bank had the start of us on the left and if the Baghdad railway station is Baghdad, the Black Watch had the honour of bring first in.'

NOTE: The railway station was on the right bank of the river Tigris while the city of Baghdad was on the left so the Black Watch, if they were claiming to be first in Baghdad, were pulling a fast one.

In 'A Highland Regiment in Baghdad' by 'One of its Officers' we read (p.61-62) 'When about a mile short of the Iron Bridge that crosses the Kharr Canal, the Colonel received a message that our leading patrol had gained the railway station in Baghdad before 6 a.m., that no Turks remained and that we were driving the Arabs out with little difficulty. This information was immediately sent back to the Army Commander and the Red Hackle was the first British emblem seen in Baghdad (!!!). (My exclamation marks).

Ron

[Guest David Humphrey]

A late reply(!), but my mother has previously claimed that her father was the first back into Baghdad.

He was the "SSO" (Secret Service Officer) with the "IEF D" Cavalry Brigade (who managed to break out of the siege of Kut), and prior to the war had been working in the area in the oil industry. I believe that he was also involved in forming the local Marsh Arabs into irregulars (plus ca change ...), and I have seen a photo of him disguised as an arab.