On November 7, 1914, British troops began the march from Fao to Basra. The Ottomans sent cavalry to stop the British advance, and there were many battles between the British infantry and the Ottoman cavalry between November 7 and 9. Despite this, the British arrived outside Basra on November 10. The Ottomans retreated from Basra, leaving only a few hundred troops to guard the city. The British attacked Basra and within an hour the remaining Ottoman troops were defeated and Basra was occupied.