The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-02
WATER PRECIOUS TO
DESERT SOLDIERS
Troops Fight In Positions
Where Even Camels
Can't Go.

RN Az, Lntall 80.

sll.f - tt5yy5 lAt&Qctatel sPfe8S) y 1t ia,ii3
LONDON Eel. Fighting the
Turks and Arabs In the desert Of Aieso-
potamia, where In places even camels
cannot go; where after the Euphrates
is left behind water Is more precious,
than powder and the tribesmen show
noquarter to the wounded Is d escribed
by Sergeant a. King dom, OF the Sec.
,ond Battalion Norfolk regiment I'M a
letter TO his mother at Thetford.
We came by ship from India up
the river Euph = he writes, and
.disembarkedi on "a oyelyjland ing. IN to
the waist In mud and water. Not a,
tree in sight nor a blade of grass, ex:
'cept on the river banks, fiich are GOV:
cred with date pals. We marched Sall!
the next day through mud. Anything
with wheels cannot be taken. and
.packs ofImules and camels are. no good, .
because their big feet pickiu too much
sand Nv rs
I've lay insthe wetsmud on the Edes.
iert all night and moved away early
again in the morning, to find the EN-,
envy in position. They consisted 4 OF
Turks and Arabs, about ], 400 yards
to 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 knoe ked out that they. could
not walk away from the guns when
unlocked The troops also were knock
ed out and In the meantime tile en-.
emy's artillery was having it all their,
own way. 4.
Our TIL es were absolute ely ichokedl
inside with mud. and the bolt action
and aights had to be made to work
before lanSaccuratelf fire could be effect
3D. Some Of the men, rather than
drink the muddy, slush from their.
water bottles, stood and emptied &c in
their bolt action, although water Is so
scarce, and slusi worth a gold piece
IN ounce. ~
7 was more Fortunate; my. socks
had shrunk so small that ] was better
ableito marchS without one, SO Il cut on
the toe and put it overlmyi bolt ction.,
So my rifle was fairly clean. WeSwerel
5caked with clay from head to foot.
When the sun did come out for al time
and we saw a chance OF cracking tom,
4 thunderstorm came over and soften.
ed 1t into sticky paste.
Our only transport Is mules with,
ammunition and they frequently fall
down and have to be picked up. Any:
how the enemy weresin their trenches
with a decided advantage and were
delivering q murderous fire. But by
4 supreme effort after we got the en-.
Iemy's range we kept. our fire cody de.
iliyerd, and within half an hour the,
Turks were retiring, leaving the AR.
abs to cover heir retreat. They re.
imained another quarter OF an hour, and
meanwhile we had fixed our bayoniets1
for the grand final but evidently they
did not wish to ;prolong their stay.
{ . Everyone; especially the Indians,
was anxious for; charge buts the birds
Jew before we reached their trenches,
1t is alright fighting the Turks; but
the Arabs use big muzzle rifles with an
enormous lend j bullet which will
smash anything, and not make a pref.
" little hole like, the Turks pointed
bullet which will heal In no time. The
black powder from the Arabs sriHes
also causes so much smoke that 1t is
impossible to see the actual firer.. They,
are a. blood: thirsty lot, these Arabs
and when the men lay wounded they
Will shoot you alta yards distance. A
subadart of the natiyeswas! shot in this
way. On the day after the battle we
found the jackals had been at work.