Download British capture Baghdad

The Sandwich Headlines
SANDWICH MUSEUM
Remembering World War 1 (1914 – 1918)
SUPPORTED BY HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND
BRITISH CAPTURE BAGHDAD
MARCH 1917
After the surrender of the Kut garrison in April 1916, the British
Army in Mesopotamia underwent a major overhaul and a new
commander General Stanley Maude was appointed to restore the
reputation of the British military.
General Maude spent the rest of 1916 rebuilding the Army,
troops were brought in from India and underwent training in
Basra. In the meantime a new field railway was built and a
small force of armed river boats and river supply ship added.
By the start of 1917 the British had a force of some 50,000 men
and the initial advance was on both sides of the river Tigris.
After a successful two week siege of the fort at Khadairi Bend
the British continued to capture other Ottoman positions. A three
day march to Baghdad had started.
There was a continued assault on all sides of Baghdad and both
the British and Ottoman commanders changed their tactics.
Khalil Pasha moved his troops out of a defensive role to
counteract the British attack but only left one regiment to hold
the Diyala River defence. This was overrun quite quickly and
unnerved Khalil who ordered a retreat to north of Baghdad.
The British moved advanced quickly and marched into the city.
In the confusion some 9,000 Ottoman troops were captured and
the Ottoman Government was forced to end all military
operations in Persia.