The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-02-07
Scene
OF Furious Fighting
Between the English and Turks
and Vivid Description is
Given letter.

Correspondence OF Associated Press
LONDON, Feb. 6.-Fighting the
Turks and Arabs in the desert of
Mesopo tamia, where in places even
camels cannot go; where after the
Euphrates is left behind water ds more
precious than powder and the tribes
men show no quarter to the wounded,
Is described by Sergeant A. Kingdom,
OF the Second Battalion Norfolk regi-
ment in letter to his mother at Thet-
ford.
I'VE came by ship tfrom 1ndia) up
the river Euphrates,n he writes, land
dtsembarked on a lovely landing, UP
to the waist in mud and water. Not
a tree In sight nor blade OF grass,
except on the river banks, which are
covered with date palms. We march
ed all the next day through mud. Any
thing with wheels cannot be taken,
and packs of mules and camels are
no good, because their big feet pick
up too much sand.
we lay in the wet mud on the des-
ert all night and moved away early
again in the morning, to find the en-
envy in position. They consisted of
4hA nS anu al avs k6p0ut u
our front. The attack was pushed
home under cover OF our mountain
batteries; the field artillery came UP
later. The artillery horses were so
completely knocked out that they
could not walk away from the guns
when unlocked. The troops also
were knocked out; and in the mean
time the enemy's artillery was hay-
ing 1t all their own way.
Our rifles were absolutely choked
inside with mud, and the bolt action
and sights had to be made to work
before an accurate fire could be eff
fected. Some Of the men, rather than
drink the muddy slush from their
water bottles, stood and emptied it
in their bolt action, although water is
SO scarce, and slush worth gold
piece an ounce.
II was more fortunate; my socks
had shrunk so small that was bet
ter able to march without one, SO !,
cut of the toe and put It over my bolt
action. So my rifle was fairly clean.
We were caked with clay from head
to foot. When the sun did come out
for a time and we saw chance Of
cracking 1t OF, a thunderstorm came
over and softened 1t into sticky
paste
sour only transport is mlles with
ammunition, and they frequently fall
down and have to be picked up. Any
how, the enemy were In their trench
es with a decided advantage and were
delivering murderous fire. But by
- az - 4 !.
enemy's range we kept our fire coolly
delivered, and within half an hour
the Turks were retiring, leaving the
Arabs to cover their retreat. They re-
manned another quarter of an hour,
and meanwhile we had fixed our bay
onets Tor the grand finale-but evil
IDENTIFY they did not Wish to prolong
their stay.
..Everyone, especially the Indians,
was anxious for charge, but the
birds flew before we reached their
trenches. 1t is alright fighting the
Turks; hut the Arabs use big muzzle
rifles with an enormous lead bullet
which will smash anything, and not
make q pretty little hole like the
Turks pointed bullet which will heal
In no time. The powder from the
Arabs rifles also causes SO mach
smoke that 1t is impossible to see the
actual tlrer They are q blood-thir-
rty lot, these Arabs, and when the
men lay wounded they Will shoot you
at a yards distance. A subdar of
the natives was shot in this way. On
the. day after the battle we found the
tacka1s had been at work"