British administration of Mesopotamia followed the defeat of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War. Tax collections, rising prices and Bolshevik propaganda coming from Persia spread unrest across Baghdad city and the Bedouin tribes. The Arabs had been asked whether they would agree to an Arab state formed under an Arab ruler and backed by Britain. They were enthusiastic in their favour of the proposal but unfortunately it was not put into effect soon enough and delays made the Arabs suspicious that Britain intended to annexe Mesopotamia. By the end of 1919 the unrest was fast becoming a rebellion. On 26 May 1920, at Tel Afar, the Assistant Political Officer and his staff were attacked and murdered.

On 1 July 1920, the garrison in the small town of Rumaitha on the lower (River) Euphrates also came under siege and a relief column was forced to withdraw with heavy losses. The 2nd Battalion The Royal Irish Rifles then joined a new and larger force commanded by Brigadier F E Coningham. The task was to extricate the besieged garrison.

Coningham’s Force approached the town and on 16 July two of its battalions attacked the well sited and entrenched Arab defences – but without success. The 2nd Battalion was in reserve. Night fell and the column cut off from water and exposed to the extreme heat was in a state of exhaustion throughout 17 July. Thanks to the courage of Rifleman Kirk, who filled his water cart at the river under very heavy fire from the opposite bank and returned safely to the hospital carriage, there was water for the wounded. That night the Arabs counter-attacked without success. By 20 July a battalion (10th Gurkhas) had managed to ford the river and clear the west bank. As the Arab rebels withdrew, 2 RIR led Coningham’s Force on 21 July as it entered the town and rescued the garrison.