British India
Tag
(169)1914
August
September
- 01
- First Indian contingent arrives at MombasaOn 1 September 1914 the first unit of Indian Expeditionary Force "C" reached Mombasa, sent to aid the weak forces of British East Africa.
- General Stewart takes command in East AfricaOn 1 September 1914 Brigadier-General James Marshall Stewart, commander of Indian Expeditionary Force "C", took command of the British forces in East Africa.
October
- 16
- Indian Expeditionary Force "B" sails for AfricaOn 16 October 1914 General Aitken's Indian Expeditionary Force "B" sailed from Bombay. Some 8,000 soldiers were to conquer German East Africa.
- Indian Expeditionary Force D sails for the Persian GulfOn 16 October 1914 General Delamain's 16th Indian Brigade sailed from Bombay. It was to protect British oil in Persia in case of war with Turkey.
- 31
- Indian Expeditionary Force "B" off MombasaOn 31 October 1914 at Mombasa the command of Force "B" settled the plan to attack Tanga. After a two-week voyage the troops were not landed.
- Aitken replaces StewartAt the end of October 1914 Gen. Arthur Aitken took supreme command in East Africa. Gen. Stewart and his Force "C" came under his orders.
November
- 02
- End of the Battle of La BasséeOn 2 November 1914 the Battle of La Bassée ended. The Indian Corps took over the front between Givenchy and Fauquissart from the exhausted British II Corps.
- Indian Expeditionary Force "F" sails for EgyptAt the beginning of November 1914 three new Indian brigades sailed from India for Egypt. They were to defend the Suez Canal against the Turks.
- India guarantees the inviolability of the holy places of IslamOn 2 November 1914 the Viceroy of India said Britain would not attack the holy places of Arabia and Mesopotamia or Jeddah if the Turks let pilgrims through.
- Battle of Tanga beginsOn 2 November 1914 a British cruiser warned the Germans at Tanga that the truce was over. In the evening Force "B" began landing on beaches east of the town.
- 22
- War Office takes over the East African campaignOn 22 November 1914, after the defeat at Tanga, direction of British operations in East Africa passed from the India Office to the War Office in London.
- The British occupy BasraOn 22 November 1914 British and Indian troops entered Basra, abandoned by the Turks. The next day the occupation of the city was formally proclaimed.
December
- 04
- Fighting for Qurna beginsOn 4 December 1914 Indian troops landed near Qurna and drove the Turks out of the village of Muzaira, but failed to cross the Tigris and returned to camp.
- Wapshare replaces AitkenAfter the defeat at Tanga Gen. Arthur Aitken was recalled. Command of the British forces in East Africa passed to Gen. Richard Wapshare.
1915
January
February
- 02
- Turkish advance guards on the Suez CanalOn 2 February 1915 the leading Turkish units approached Ismailia. In a sandstorm they clashed with Indian troops and dug in a few kilometres from the canal.
- Turks enter the Aden ProtectorateOn 2 February 1915 Ottoman troops from Yemen attacked the sultanate of Al-Bayda on the edge of the Aden Protectorate. Local tribes repulsed the attack.
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
- 25
- Christmas Eve assault on KutOn 24 December 1915 the Turks made their biggest assault on the Kut fort. Fighting lasted into the night; on Christmas Day the defenders held the ruined fort.
- Clash at Wadi MajidOn Christmas Day 1915 the Western Frontier Force attacked the Senussi camp near Mersa Matruh and drove the order's forces out of Wadi Majid.
1916
January
- 14
- Fighting on the WadiOn 14 January 1916 the British found the Turkish trenches on the Wadi empty. The Turks slipped away to the Hanna defile; the Tigris Corps lost over 1,600 men.
- Percy Lake appointed commander in MesopotamiaOn 14 January 1916 Gen. Percy Lake, chief of staff of the army in India, was appointed commander in Mesopotamia in place of the gravely ill Gen. John Nixon.