Chapter II - Advance and Retreat
Advance and Retreat 1915 - 1916
The Sqn was now based in Aziziya some 50 miles up-river from Kut and settled down to some intensive reconnaissance work. For this work the Farman ‘Shorthorn’ proved ideal and the battle, starting with a night march on a course provided by the Sqn maps, was a complete success.
After defeating the Turks at Ctesiphon, the Officer Commanding of the army received information of Turkish reinforcements being brought into position. He decided to retire his army to Kut-el-Amara which was a key location for the region, at which point the army was besieged by the Turks. On 7th December 1915 Major Massey succeeded in getting 2 machines safely out of Kut, a BE2c and a Farman flown by Captain Murray and Petre who took them to Ali Gharbi to join the relieving force.
Siege of Kut
While the army struggled to relieve their besieged comrades, 30 Sqn, strengthened by extra flying personnel and machines, supplied the city from the air. BE2c’s were used, with Lewis guns and ammunition removed to allow food and supplies to be stowed in their place. In carrying out this task, 30 Sqn claim the first air transport support operation in the history of British aviation.
During March and July, supplies of all kinds were air-lifted from the field base at Orah to Kut, a distance of 23.5 miles. Packages were dropped onto a marked spot north of the town from an altitude of 5000ft. Supplies were dropped with parachutes included flour, sugar, atta, salt, dates, medical stores, wireless parts, engine parts, maps and even a mill stone weighing 70lbs. The corn was free dropped by placing a full sack inside a larger sack, which received the corn when the smaller one burst on impact. During the period 15th to 29th April 1916, 19,000lbs of food was dropped in 40 flights, some 3,300lbs in the first day alone. Unfortunately, the food drops were not enough to sustain the beleagured garrison and Kut was finally surrendered. Of the 12,000 men who were forced to 700 miles into Turkey, only 4,000 survived. Amongst this number were 44 NCOs and men from 30 Sqn, of whom 6 returned home to tell their story. following the capitulation, 30 Sqn moved back to Shaikh Sa’ad, arriving on 6 May 1916.
In Chapter 3, we will look at Rest and Revenge!