Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte Arbuthnot, of Gadfly hoisted the Union Jack over the town, bringing in also about 200 prisoners and some trench mortars.
Just above Bghailah we now began to come up to numbers of Turkish stragglers on the left bank of the Tigris, and some guns partially submerged in the river, where they had been abandoned. We opened fire on all who did not surrender.
The smoke of steamers had been seen ahead, and we were soon able to distinguish several steamers, including H.M.S. Firefly, which we had to abandon on 1st December 1915, when her boiler was disabled by a shell during the retreat from Ctesiphon and we were surrounded by the Turkish Army.
We shortly afterwards got into gun range of the small shipping and opened a heavy fire, particularly on Firefly and the armed enemy ship Pioneer, who both replied. The Firefly made some good shooting at us with her 4-inch gun.
The Turks retreating on the left bank were becoming more numerous; they now had our cavalry division in pursuit of them on their right flank and the gunboats on their left.
The enemy were firing at us from three directions, and on approaching Nahr Kellak bend I observed a large body of enemy on the left bank at the head of the loop in the river, and gave orders for all guns to be fired on them.
They proved to be a strong rearguard, and opened on us with field and machine-guns and heavy rifle fire. At this close range there were casualties in all ships, who were all hit many times, but our guns must have caused immense damage to the enemy, as we were at one time firing 6-inch guns into them at about 400 to 500 yards.
Besides the Turkish Artillery there were a large number of enemy with rifles and machine-guns behind the bend at a range of about 100 yards from the ships.
In the act of turning round the bend shot came from all directions, and casualties of Moth, which came last in the line, were particularly severe.
There were casualties in all three ships, Moth, which was magnificently handled by Lieutenant-Commander Charles H. A. Cartwright, who was himself wounded, had three officers wounded - all severely - out of four, and two men killed and eighteen wounded, which is about 50 per cent, of her complement.
She was hit eight times by shell - one from ahead hit the fore side of stoke hold casing, burst, and pierced the port boiler, both front and back, but luckily missed the boiler tubes. The after compartment was holed below the water line, and the upper deck and funnels of all ships riddled with bullets.
The quartermaster and pilot in the conning tower of H.M.S. Mantis were killed, but the prompt action of her Captain saved her from running ashore. I consider that the excellent spirit of the men and skilful handling of the ships by their Captains in a difficult and unknown shallow river were most praiseworthy.
We thus passed the enemy rearguard, and large numbers of the retreating Turkish Army were on our starboard beam. I opened rapid fire from all guns that would hear (this included heavy and light guns, pom-poms, maxims, and rifles), and at this short range we did enormous execution, the enemy being too demoralised to reply, except in a very few cases.
We were also able to shoot down some of their gun teams, which they deserted, and several guns thus fell into the hands of our forces when going over this ground.
The vessels ahead were now in easy range, and several small craft stopped and surrendered, including the armed tug Sumana, which we had left at Kut during the siege, and had been captured at the fall of that place.
About 5.20 p.m. the large Turkish steamer Basra stopped and surrendered when brought to by a shell from H.M.S. Tarantula, which had, I was afterwards informed, killed and wounded some German machine-gunners. The Firefly kept up a heavy fire from her 4-inch gun, but our reply began to tell on her, and having been hit several times she ran into the bank and fell into our hands about 6.15 p.m. in the north-west part of the Zaljah reach, to westward of Umm al Tubul.
The Pioneer having been badly hit by Mantis, was in flames near her, and some barges laden with munitions in the vicinity.
The Turks had endeavoured to set fire to the Firefly's magazine, but we were able to put it out and took possession of her at once, and I put a prize crew on board and hoisted the White Ensign.
Darkness now came on, and I considered it inadvisable to go on further, as we were far ahead of our troops.
I placed Lieutenant John P. Bradley, R.N.R., of H.M.S. Proserpine, in temporary command of H.M.S. Firefly, with a small crew, and we moved out of the way of the burning Pioneer, anchored for the night, and buried our men who had been killed.
We remained in the vicinity the following day, and I sent the Moth back to Basra for repairs, and the prizes down river. The advance of our Army continued, and we reached Aziziyah on 1 March. Here the Turks had abandoned more guns and again retreated. I was joined here by H.M.S. Waterfly.
The pursuit was continued on 5 March, and our cavalry again engaged the enemy rearguard near Lajj, but we were unable to distinguish anything owing to a dense sandstorm.
We arrived at Ctesiphon on the 6th, finding the strong position there deserted, and next day arrived in gun-range of the enemy position on the north bank of the Dialah River, which joins the Tigris on the left bank about eight miles below Baghdad.
In attacking this position we again came under heavy fire from the Turkish guns, to which we briskly replied. During the night of the 10th-11th the enemy evacuated the position, as some of our troops had crossed the Dialah, and others were carrying out a wide flanking movement on the right bank to the south-west and west of Baghdad.
An attempt had also been made to send two motor lighters full of troops to land them on the left bank above the Dialah on the night of 10 March. One of them, however, grounded in the shallow river in gun range of the enemy. I sent H.M. Ships Tarantula and Snakefly to assist, and Tarantula rendered valuable assistance by extricating the motor lighter from her dangerous position before daylight.
The Baghdad railway was seized early on the 11 March.’
Initially mentioned in Lieutenant-General Maude’s despatch dated 10 April 1917, Feilman was advanced to the temporary rank of Lieutenant in August 1917 and received a further “mention” (London Gazette 21 September 1917 refers), in addition to the D.S.C.
He was finally demobilised in August 1919, having served in Tarantula on the China Station in the previous year, but was recalled on the renewal of hostilities and served as a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve.
Sold with the recipient’s original M.I.D. certificates, dated 10 April and 21 September 1917, together with Ministry of Shipping authority to wear certificate for his Mercantile Marine War Medal, dated 23 July 1940, and Admiralty issuance certificate for his Defence and War Medals.
www.dnw.co.uk
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