Siege of Kut

Humiliating defeat of the British Empire in Mesopotamia.

British Empire started the war in the Middle East by landing its forces (mostly soldiers from India) in Mesopotamia region, in hope of securing a bridgehead and then marching forward, capturing Bagdad and making sure that Ottomans won't attack Persia oremirates around the Persian Cove. While also securing a lot of oil fields.   While initially succesful, the first campaign in the area ended with humiliating defeat - at the hands of purely Ottoman forces, no less - and the destruction of majority of participating units. While Ottomans failed to retake the bridgehead, they managed to force more than ten thousand british (and indian) soldiers to surrender to them, making it one of the most shameful defeats in British history.