SCENARIO 8

HABIB SHAWI (BASRA) - 24 MAY 1941

Scenario:

This scenario centres on the capture of a bridge to open the road north and involves a diversionary attack and an amphibious assault on prepared positions.

Introduction

Basra has been captured and the base areas secured in the city and at RAF Shaibah a few kilometres to the south.  It is now time for 10 Indian Infantry Division to start its move northwards against the insurrectionists holding Baghdad.  The first step on the western approach is to force the bridge at Habib Shawi.  Both sides appreciate the importance of the bridge.  A previous attempt by the Gurkhas failed to take the bridge but left it under observation preventing the Iraqis from blowing it up. 

Ground

The spring flooding of the land around the Shatt al Arab and Qarmat Ali Creek is receding leaving the ground near the watercourses muddy and remaining creeks and canals that crisscross the area full of garbage, excrement, dead dogs, dead babies and the entrails of donkeys.  The mud of the region has a glue-like quality that makes movement through it extremely fatiguing. 

In the south is the suburb of Qarmat Ali with the main road running north over the bridge.  In the centre is the road bridge.  On the right is the Shatt al Arab with the suburb of Ma’qil and its quays.  In the middle of the river is a small island.  The water in both the Shatt al Arab is deep enough for a frigate to sail and the Qarmat Ali creek will take small craft.

The road bridge is a substantial structure that will take a fair amount of punishment before being rendered impassable.  The charges on the bridge failed to fire and have been rendered harmless by a party landed from HMAS Yarra.  The explosives were wet guncotton manufactured in Waltham Abbey in 1937, the reason for failure being a badly fitted primer.

 General Outline

The bridge is defended in some strength by elements of the Iraqi 4th Division, a second line formation.  Facing them is the 21 Indian Infantry Brigade and 2/4 Gurkha Rifles in particular.  

Both forces have suffered reverses and are keen to succeed in their appointed tasks.

 

21 Indian Infantry Brigade Briefing

 Mission:  To clear the road north to permit 2/10 Gurkha Rifles and 4/13 Frontier Force to pass through and exploit northwards.

 Execution: The plan is to create a diversionary action at 0200 on the bridge with at least one company.  The main assault is to be delivered from the Shatt al Arab at 0400 from HMAS Yarra.

The Fd Arty Regt has 4 batteries not 3 in this game to represent the firepower of 24 guns at 1/6 scale.

One embarked OP party on HMAS Yarra has an improvised tower made from a telegraph pole and guy ropes with a platform on top.  It will need 4 men to assist in carrying it. 

Forces embarked on HMAS Yarra, feluccas and rowing boats may not take transport elements with them.  They will have to RV somewhere near the road.

 

The 2/4 Gurkhas have 4 x 3 tonners from the Brigade RASC Company to carry the Rifle Companies.  Each can carry 24 men on roads and tracks but only 12 cross country.

Text Box: HMAS Yarra
Naval gunfire Observer party, Officer, Radio Op.
Counts as:
1 x Med arty Bty & 1 x LAA Battery (40mm)
1 x felucca lashed alongside carrying one company 2/4 Gurkhas and another company on HMAS Yarra. 
The ship’s boats are available to carry the 2 coys ashore.
 
10 Field Company RE (Average)
1 x Officer, 2 x LMG, 2 x SMG, 16 x Rifles
2 x 3 tonners, 2 x drivers
(6 x demolition charges, 6 x Bangalore Torpedoes, 2 x Magnetic charges, 2 x Mine detector)
4 x locally acquired rowing boats each able to carry 7 x Infantry and need 3 x RE crew. 

Text Box: ASSAULT FORCE
2/4 Gurkha Rifles (Elite)
HQ: 1 x car, 1 x radio truck + 2 drivers 
3 x Officers, 3 x radio operators, 3 x SMG, 3x rifles
1 x 15 cwt, Twin Bren AALMG, driver, 3 crew 
1 x 15 cwt, 2 x Vickers MMG, driver, 4 crew
2 x Carriers, 2 x 3” Mortars, 2 x drivers, 4 x crew, 2 x observers
2 x Carriers, 2 x drivers, 2 x LMG, 2 x Rifles, 1 x Boys, 1 x 2” mor 
1 x 15 cwt, driver, 7 x pioneers (3 x demolition charges, 3 x Bangalore Torpedoes, 1 x Mine detector)
Four Rifle Companies each 
1 x Officer, 1 x Boys, 1 x 2” Mortar, 2 x LMG, 4 x SMG, 12 x Rifles

Madras Sappers and Miners (Good)
1 x Officer, 2 x LMG, 2 x SMG, 16 x Rifles
2 x 3 tonners, 2 x drivers
(6 x demolition charges, 6 x Bangalore Torpedoes, 2 x Magnetic charges, 2 x Mine detector)

3 Fd Regt RA (Good)
(In Qarmat Ali except for OP Parties)
HQ – OP Party, car, Officer, Driver, Radio Op
4 Batteries each (see Note)
1 x OP Party, car,  Officer, Driver, Radio Op
1 x 25 pdr, Quad, limber, driver, radio, 4 x crew

 

 

 

 


Iraqi Force Briefing

 Mission: To prevent the enemy from securing the bridge over the Qarmat Ali Creek and the road to the north within boundaries (the table).

Execution: Your troops have had time to dig in.  But any trenches sited within 6” of the river are flooded and their occupants have a negative modifier in morale and firing.  You have no barbed wire or mines.

Your positions are to be marked on a map and the field telephone lines also marked.  The Infantry HQ has 2 exchanges and one of these is connected to Brigade HQ further north.

You have 2 trucks, each able to carry 12 men from the Brigade transport pool.

Text Box: Remnants of MG Coy (Good)
1x Officer, 2 Rifles, 1 x mule, 1 x muleteer
1 x Vickers MMG, 2 x Crew
Artillery Brigade (average)
HQ: 1 x Officer, 1 x Telephonist, 1 x Rifle, 3 x horses
2 Batteries, each;
1 x Officer, 2 x telephonists, 2 x Rifles, 1 x horse
1 x 3.7”, 3 x crew, 3 x mules, 1 x Muleteer
Militia (see note)
1 x Officer, 1 x LMG, 10 x rifles
Text Box: Iraqi Inf Bn (Second Line)
HQ & HQ Coy (No Transport)
2 x Officers, 2 x telephone exchange operators, 4 x Rifles, 2 x horses
1 x Lewis AAMG, 3 crew, 1 x mule & handler
1 x Vickers MMG, 2 crew, 1 x mule & handler
Two Rifle Companies (average), each;
1 x Officer, 1 x Boys, 2 x LMG, 12 x Rifles
Two Rifle Companies (Poor), each;
1 x Officer, 1 x LMG, 9 x Rifles

 

 

 

 

 

 

Playing the Game 

This action takes place at night and so involves a lot of concealed positions and movement.  In this case it is best if there is an umpire to decide any issues of visibility and concealed movers.  An umpire may devise all sorts of delays and muddles for the players at night.

Since most players will not have a Sloop to hand I suggest that a shadowy card drawing is used to represent it on the Shatt al Arab.    The whole force from 21 Brigade should be lined up on the “land” table edge until they land from their boats on the flank.  The amphibious landing should come as a surprise!

Winning the Game 

·         The player who controls the bridge and the road at the end of the game wins outright.

·         If 21 Brigade hold the bridge only they have a partial victory. 

·         If the Iraqis block the road but lose the bridge they gain a partial victory.

·         If the Bridge is destroyed the Iraqis win.

Notes

If an umpire is available the he controls the Iraqi Militia until they enter the fray.  The Iraqi militia roll 2 dice (d6), one red one black when the enemy get within 18” of their positions.  The red die indicates which column to use and the black die result on that column.  This keeps the result secret from the 21 Brigade player.  The Iraqi player can be kept in the dark too if an umpire is controlling them.

Red Die (gives column to use) Black Die (gives result in that column)

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

Result

1

2

3

4

5

6

They have already fled taking any weapons and transport with them.

2

3

4

5

6

1

They are panicked – half have fled

3

4

5

6

1

2

They are disorganised -2 from firing and morale

4

5

6

1

2

3

They are in poor shape -1 from firing and morale

5

6

1

2

3

4

They are confident – no penalties

6

1

2

3

4

5

They are over confident and launch an immediate attack.

 HMAS Yarra

 HMAS Yarra was a Grimsby Class Sloop.

1060 tons and 1510 tons deep load.

Speed: 16.5 knots, 

Complement: 100 

Armament: 2 x 4.7-inch QF guns,  1 x 3 –inch, 4 x 2 pounder AA guns.

In this action she also carried the 3” mortars supporting the assault troops mounted on her decks.

The 4.7” guns on HMAS Yarra in the real action had almost no real effect because the naval shells were being fired at very close range.  They passed through the mud brick buildings exploding beyond them.  In wargame terms this means that the damage is calculated in the normal way and reported as “hits” to the 21 Bde player until he gets close enough to see that the guns have made some neat holes in the buildings.  However, if they are fired at a “hard” target – a vehicle, trenches or fortifications then they will have the normal effect of a medium artillery hit.   They did have quite an effect on the morale of the defenders as the shells hurtled in almost horizontally through the trees.

 

There are a significant number of civilians in the huts and houses.  They will escape at the first opportunity away from any firing.  They have small fishing boats that carry 3-5 people.  If the Iraqi troops choose to escape in these boats they may not be fired upon by any party with an officer present. 

The Old Matchbox kit of the Flower Class Corvette could be used as a representation or a “wargamer’s approximation” constructed from card if desired.

 Historical Action

The area was recced by the captain of the Yarra and 2 petty officers dressed in Arab clothing.  They discovered that the centre of resistance was a large house north of the creek. 

The diversion at the Habib Shawi bridge started at 0200 with Bren and Vickers fire as well as artillery bombardment of the big house.  This increased as the Iraqis were drawn in as the Gurkhas and Madras sappers attacked.

Then just before dawn the Yarra opened fire with a heavy bombardment until the boats hit the shore then a spirited assault with grenade, rifle and kukri took the house.  The Iraqis fled northwards as dawn broke. 

It was then that it was realised that the Yarra’s guns had punched holes in the house and not reduced it to rubble.  The artillery observers abandoned the telegraph platform and directed fire from the roof of the house.

The diversionary force stormed over the bridge and both the Gurkhas and Madrassi Sappers mopped up the remaining Iraqis.  The Iraqis who escaped by boat mixed with the civilians were not fired at.  The CO forbidding anyone to fire on them in case innocent women and children became casualties.

Then the battalion collected its dead and wounded and marched back to Basra as the other battalions came forward to exploit the success.

 

Iraq Scenario Intro Page

The Escape of the Regent

Night Patrol at Habbaniyah

Battle at Sinn el Dibban

Clearing the Port of Ashar

British Assault on Fallujah

Iraqi Counter Attack at Fallujah

The Raid Across the Jezireh

River Crossing at Habib Shawi and Qrmat Ali

The Battle at Kadhimain

The Fort at Khan Nuqta

What If the Arab Legion and Legion Freies Arabien Met?

Mercol in Action

The History

Building Your Forces

Back to Iraq 1941

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