Planning to attack Baghdad

The next step was to plan the attack on Baghdad. General Clark ruled out an attack from the south, by road, as that would mean passing through the "holy city of Karbala". The alternative was to send to forces. Brigadier Kingstone would advance on the main road to Baghdad. Lt-Colonel Ferguson and the Household Cavalry Regiment would circle to the north. The Arab Legion was already in place to the north, having cut the Mosul-Baghdad railway. Brigadier Kingstone's force was delayed by flooding, and the need to get vehicles across unbridged waterways. They also had to contend with German air raids. The northern column crossed the Euphrates on the night of 27 May 1941 "and disappeared inot the desert". This is based on the account in Vol.II of the Official History.