The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1915-02-02
FIGHT IN DESERT WHERE
EVEN CAMELS CAN'T GO

London. Feb. 2-Fighting the,
Turks and Arabs in the desert of
Mesopotamia, where in places even
cameIs cannot go: where after the
Euphrates is left behind water, is
more precious than powder and the
tribesmen show no quarter to the
wounded, is described by Sergeant A
Kingdom, OF the Second Battalion
Norfolk Regiment in a letter to his
mother at Thetford.
1--WE came by ship (fron India) up
the river Euphrates,'' he writes, '.and
disembarked on lovely landing, up
to the waist in mud and water. Not
a tree in sight NOR a blade of grass
except on the river banks, which are
covered with date palms. We march
ed all the next day through mud.
ken. and packs of mules and came1s
are no good, because their big feet
pick up too much sand.
I'VE lay in the wet mud on the
| desert all night and moved away
early again in the morning, to find
the enemy in position. They con
!sisted of Turks and Arabs, about l.
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 knocked out that
| guns when unlocked. The troops
also were knocked out; and in the
meantime the enemy's artillery was
having it all their own way.
| "Our rifles were absolutely choked
| inside with mud and the bolt action
and sights had to be made to work be-
fore an accurate fire could be effect
ed. Some of the men. rather than
drink the muddy s1ush from their
water bottles stood and emptied it in
their bolt action, although water is
SO scarce, and slush worth a gold
piece an ounce.
ST was more fortunate; my socks
had shrunk SO small that I was better
able to march without one, so cut
off 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
flor a time and we saw a chance of
cracking it off, thunderstorm came
over and softened it into a sticky
paste.
| ! "Our only transport is mules 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 a murderous fire. But
| by a supreme effort after we got the
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
remained another quarter of an hour,
and meanwhile we had fixed our bay
/ onets for the grand fnale-but evil
IDENTIFY they did not wish to proIone
their stay.
Everyone, especially the Indians
was anxious for a charge, but the
| birds flew before, we reached their
| trenches. 1t is alright fighting the
Turks; but the Arabs use big muzz1e
i rifles with an enormous lead bullet
| which will smash anything, and not
| make a pretty little hole like the
| Turks pointed bullet which will heaf
I in no time The black powder from
/ the Arabs rifles also causes SO much
| smoke that it is impossible to see the
actual firer They are a. bIood-thirsty
| lot, these Arabs, and when the mer
4 Law wounded they will shoot you at E
| wards distance A ~subadar of the
| natives was shot in this way. On the
| day after the battle we found the
Ijackals had been at work