eadnoughts, was becoming
increasingly dependent upon oil instead of coal. So much was this so
that the British admiralty some time before the war bought a controlling
interest in this same Anglo-Persian Oil Company. It was, then, primarily
to protect this fuel supply from a Turkish raid that an early descent
upon the Mesopotamian coast was planned.

On November 7, 1914, the Poona Brigade, composed of white and Indian
troops, under command of Brigadier General W. S. Delamain, appeared off
the Turkish village of Fao, where an antiquated Turkish fort lies amid a
grove of palm trees. Against Persian Gulf pirates it could have put up a
valiant fight, but it was a poor match for the guns of the British
gunboat _Odin_. The defenders fled and the British force sailed up the
Shat-el-Arab. At Sanijeh they effected a landing, intrenched, and
awaited the coming of two additional brigades.

It soon became apparent that the Turks, either because they were not
prepared or because they preferred to make their real stand nearer their
base of supplies, did not intend to offer any serious opposition to the
British advance. They adopted tactics designed to harass and delay the
invaders, however, and on the 11th of November a small force moved out
of Basra and engaged the Indian troops attached to General Delamain's
command. After a sharp action the Turks retired. No further opportunity
was given them to attack in small force, for two days later Lieutenant
General Sir Arthur Barrett arrived at Sanijeh with the Armednagar and
the Belgaum Brigades, both made up of Indian troops with a stiffening of
British regiments.

By November 16, 1914, the whole of the British forces were ashore, and
on the following day at daybreak General Barrett ordered an advance. The
main Turkish forces were located at Sahil, about halfway between Sanijeh
and Basra. The battle was opened by an artillery duel. The British had a
great advantage in the possession of gunboats, upon which had been
mounted guns of considerable caliber. The Turks had selected their
positions with great skill and knowledge, and despite the heavy
artillery preparation, the British troops, when they did advance, were
badly punished. Recent rains had made the ground heavy, almost marshy,
and the entire absence of vegetation gave the Turkish riflemen and
machine-gun crews an excellent chance to work. Slowly the Turks were
forced out of their advance positions, but just as the invaders were
ab