Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-02-01
MESOPOTAM|A
FIGHTING IS
DESCRIBED
When English Lett River Euphrates Behind
Them in Advance Against Turks and
Arabs They Found Water More Valuable
Than Powder.

Correspondence ot the Associated PrcS~.D
London. Feb. Fighting he Turks and
Arabs ~ the desert ot Me~opotamia. where
places even camcl- can not 20: where
after the Euphrate~ l. left behind water
i more precious than powder and the
show no quarter To the wounded.
l. described by Sergeant A.. Kingdom OF
the Second Battalion Norirrk regiment ~
u letter "a HI mother ID Thctiord
We came hy hip ttrom Indial up the
river E~uphratc-.' W. writes. 'and di~cm
banked on i lovely landing. up 10 the wai>t
IN mud and water. Not \ tree ~ sight nor
a blade Of gra~~. except on the river bank.
which are covered with date palms. We
marched I'M the next day through mud.
Anything with wheels can NOT DC taken and
pack mules and camcI~ are ~ good. be-
cause their biz feet pick up too much sand
I'VE Ian IN the wet mud un the desert all
night and moved away early again III the
morning. to lind the enemy IN position.
They consisted ~ Turk aud Arabs. about
400 wards "a our front. The attack wa
pushed home under cover ~ nur mountain
batteries thr field artillery came up later.
The artillery horses were - completely
knocked out that they could not walk away
from the runs when unlocked. The troop
also were knocked ont and III the meantime
the enemy artillery was having u IN their
own way.
''Our rifle wcrc absolutely chukcd in-
side with mud. and the bolt action and
sights had 10 be- made IA work before an
accurate fire could w. effected. Some 81
the mcn. rather than drink IN, muddy
~lu~h from their water bottles, stood and
cmpticd Il ~ their bolt action. although
water III ~ scarce. and ~lu~h worth y gold
piece In ounce.
II wa more fortunate; my socks had
-hruuk ~ small that was better able Nv
luurch without one. 80 cut oil the toe and
put u over my bolt action. 80 my rifle
was fairly clean. We were cakcd with clay
from head tu loot. When the -un dld come
4 for y time and 81 saw Y chance NJ
cracking II of. q thunderstorm came over
and ~uitrncd u INTO 4 sticky paste.
Dur only transport l. mule with am-
muuiiion. and they frequently tan down
ami have 10 ~ picked up. ANYHOW. the
enemy were IN their trcnchc~ with q de
cldcd advantage and were delivering Y
murdcrou- fire. But by q supreme effort
after W. got the enemy range Ne kept our
fire cody delivered. ana within halt uu hour
the Turk were retiring. lcaN .ag the Arabs
~ cover their retreat. They remained au
other quarter Of an hour. a..i meanwhile
We had liked our %hayunct- tor the urandr
hnulc-but evidently they lid not wish a.
p%rolong their stay.
Everyone. especially thr Indians. wu~
anxious Tor q charge, bat the birds flew
before NJ reached their trrnrhr-. II ~
alright fighting the Turks; but the Arabs
use bg muzzlc rifle with am enormous
lead bullet which will smash anything. and
not make q pretty little hole like the Turk
pointed bullet which will heal IN ~ time.
The black powder from the Arabs rifle
also causes - much smoke that u y i'm
possible Ia see the actual iircr. They are W
bloodthir~ty lot. these Arabs. and when
the men lay wounded they will shoot YOU
at \ YARD distance. \ ~uhadar ut the
natives wa> shot IN TIM WAY. Dn the dav
after the battle wc found the lackul~ had
been at work"