TCD MS 10516 folio 21 recto
[5th September 1916] ble bond links us to our base, to realise that we are independent of a treacherous river that changes with every season and every flood.
The impassability of the lake has isolated a little fleet of vessels at Nasiriyah. They patrol the river, watch the Arab villages, convoy troops when we emerge on an errand of loot and devastation.
The fleet consists of two river-gunboats, three stern wheelers and a tugboat.
(1). Gunboat Cranefly.
(2). Gunboat Dragonfly
(3). Stern wheeler S. 3.
(4). Stern wheeler S. 4.
(5). Stern wheeler “Mozafari”
(6). Tugboat T. 1.
The Gunboats are of course well armed with 4 inch guns, twelve pounders and machine guns. The Tugboat carries a three-pounder; she is a specially