LA^D AND WATER 
November 27, 1915. 
BATTLE OF KUT EL AMARA. 
By Sir Thomas Holdich. 
ON the 26th Scptcmbor Geiifial Townsliond con- 
centrated his division at Nakhailat and built 
a bridge of boats across the river. The division 
was divided into two cohnnns. Column A under 
General Delamain ; column B under General Fni'. 
On the 27th Column B advanced slowly on the north 
bank of the Tigris and dug itself in at some distance from 
I lie Horseshoe marsh, bringing the heavy guns into action 
all day against the centre of the Turkish position. In the 
evening one Brigade (Column A) made a feint of 
Ht^h&fi 
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attacking on the south side, but as evening closed in was 
withdrawn to the north side and marched rapidly to a 
point on the S.E. of the Siiwada marsh. Nothing was 
left but outposts on the south bank of the river. After 
resting for two hours from midnight, Column A, guided by 
a sapper officer (who had only been able to half reconnoitre 
the ground) moved forward, and succeeded in reaching 
their position for attack about 4.45 a.m. 
A force was then detailed, under General 
Houghton, to make a flank attack on the Turkish left. 
They marched right round the circular marsh, and thus 
did not reach the left rear of the Turkish position till 
about 8.20 a.m. Meanwhile General Delamain, with the 
rest of the Column A had formed up for attack 
and moving forward for a mile, came in full view 
of the enemy trenches. At 8.20 he attacked with half 
the 117th Mahrattas who went for the trenches with a 
gallant rush, and, undismayed by 45 per cent, of casualties, 
secured the first line. The sappers with half the Dorsets, 
and then the other half, followed ; and when 
General Houghton's nearest regiments came into action 
this one and a half battalions had already captured the 
position. But from the southern flank there commenced a 
terrific fire, the Turks holding on grimly to that part of 
the line, and it was not until General Houghton 
had sent to the assistance of the Dorsets and Mahrattas 
that the whole Une of defences north-west of the Suwada 
marsh was captured. It was then that the Oxfords found 
their opportunity, and the Turks surrendered. 
By 1.30 this part of the action was over, and 
the men were pretty well done up; but regiments 
were quickly sorted out and reorganised, and started 
off to the assistance of General Houghton, who 
was making steady progress southwards to the west of 
the Suwada marsh. He had beaten off first a very large 
body of infantry (probably Turkish reserves) and then the 
Turkish cavalry, but as he got southward he came within 
range of very heavy artillery fire from beyond 121 tents. 
This necessitated retirement from C to D, where General 
Delamain decided to give his men a rest after thirteen and 
a half hours' of marching and fighting. As the Turkish 
fire was altogether too heavy to admit of an approach to 
Die river, and column B. under General Fry, had been 
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making very slow progress towards the Turkish centre 
about the Horseshoe marsh (a very strong and most care- 
fully prepared position elaborated by Nuredin Pasha 
under German supervision) it was finally decided at 5 p.m. 
(when all were very weary) to march to the assistance of 
B column by skirting the S.\^'. edge of the Suwada marsh. 
This would enable (iencral Dclamain's column (A) to 
take the position in rear whilst General Fry's brigade 
attacked in front. General Fry had been ordered to await 
General Delamain's appearance before making any direct 
attack on the Turkish trenches. 
Then occurred the most dramatic incident of this 
long day's battle. Out of nowhere, apparently, did a 
Turkish force of five battaHons with four guns appear, 
marching parallel at about a mile distance with General 
Delamain's column, slightly behind him. They appeared 
suddenlv out of the dust, or mirage — or grass — that had 
hidden them. The effect was electrical. With amazing 
rapidity both brigades wheeled to their right and started 
to the attack as though they were fresh from camp. In 
one long splendid rush, hardly firing a shot, they charged, 
and the Turks broke and fled before them, disappearing 
in the gathering darkness towards the bridge of boats. 
It was all over in less than an hour — and it was pitch 
dark by then. All the enemy's guns were taken, and our 
weary troops just dropped down where they were for a 
cold and cheerless bivouac. 
It is to be noted that the nights were already cold, 
and that there was no extreme heat (such as we first 
heard of) during that eventful day. 
Next morning they marched to the river and the 
cavalry went on at once to Kut. General Townshend lost 
no time in following up the Turks (who had evacuated 
all their positions) by river and road, but the river at this 
period of the cold weather has not found its permanent 
channel, and sandbanks appear and disappear with 
amazing rapidity, blocking all chance of rapid progress. 
Tne Turks got away easily enough, and apparently in very 
fair order. Whether they will make a fresh stand south of 
Bagdad it is impossible to say, but it seems that the ruins 
of the ancient Persian capital Ctesiphon may afford them 
the chance, if they choose to take it. Not that there is 
much left of Ctesiphon. Bricks are too valuable in Meso- 
potamia to be allowed to waste for the benefit of historians 
and arcluxologists. 
The effect of our successful advance in Mesopotamia 
is already apparent in Persia and amongst the Arab tribes. 
It may have its effect in Constantinople too, before long. 
Wc regret that-, in the article on " Gifts for the Services " 
in last week's issue' of Land and Water, the postage rates 
lor parcels to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force were 
erroneously stated to be similar to those for ihe British Expedi- 
tionary Force in Flinders. The rales of parcel post for the 
M.E.F. are i—I^arcels not exceeding 3 lb., is. ; exceeding three 
and not exceeding seven pounds, is. gd. Parcels over seven 
pounds in weight are not at present accepted by the Post 
Office for the M.E.F. f y 
Messrs. Chatto and VVindus have published, in a little 
shilling volume entitled Drum-Taps, the war poems of Walt 
\\ hitman, forming a collection which will be welcomed by 
those \vho know Whitman's work, and also, it is to be hoped, 
will induce others to study this great poet, using this little 
volume as an introduction to his work. The martial note 
rings cleariy in these poems, which include the work in which 
the rugged strength of the poet is clearlv shown, and this is 
eminently a soldier's book of verse. 
The annual report of the Sunbeam Motor Car Companv 
shows a good profit on the year's working, out of which a 
dividend of 15 per cent, plus a bonus of 2s. per share is recom- 
mended on the ordinary shares. Owing to the Government 
iia\mg taken o\-er the whole output of the works for the period 
01 the war. Sunbeam cars are practically unobtainable at the 
present time, but the strong position of the Companv points 
to maintenance of quality and output, and the resumption 
ol the ordinary business, when it is undertaken, will find the 
sunbeam cars as popular as evei. 
