Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-04-24
DUST OF TlGRlS
WAS FACTOR @
bAGOAD CAPTURE
LAST BATTLE BEFORE CITY LIKELY
10 BECOME HISTORICAL BECAUSE
OF FIGHTING At A CROSSING.
P0nT00N LAUNCHING PARTY IS SHOT
DOWN IN FEW SEC0NDS-SEc0ND
P0MTOOM MET DISASTER.

sBAGDAD, Mesopotamia, Apr. 24.-The
rnuch-maiigned dust Of the Tigris Valley
was an important factor in the taking of
Bagdad by the British army. 1t was a
dnst storm, so thick that one could not
see four feet in front of him, that enabled
the engineers to bridge the Diala river,
where the Turks made their last stand.
The last battle before Bagdad is likely to
become historic mainly on account of the
fighting at the crossing of the Diala, about
eleven miles from Bagdad. 1t was neces-
sary TO cross opposite the village of Diala,
where the stream is about 12O yards wide,
in. the face of an anemy sheltered behind
thick houses, walls, and gardens, armed
with machine gun and rifles. There were
too days Of very desperate fighting be-
fore the crossing was effected.
The attack on the night of March z was
checked, but the quality of courage shown
has never been surpassed in war. Immed-
lately the first pontoon was lowered over
the ramp, the whole launching party was
shot down in a few seconds. 1t was q
bright moonlight night, and the Turks had
concentrated their machine guns in the
houses on the opposite bank. A second
pontoon reached the middle of the stream
when a terrific fusillade was opened on
IT, The crew Of five overs and ten rifle
men was killed, and the boat floated down.
stream. A third boat got nearly across
the river but was bombed and sunk. All
the crew, was killed, but there was no hold
ing back.
The orders still held to secure the pass
age. Grew after crew pushed off to an OBJ
vions and certain death. The second and
third groups Of pontoon crews were ex-
terminated in the same way, and their pom
toons drifted out into the Tigris TO float
past the British camp in the daylight with
the freight Of dead. The pontoon parties
were volunteers, so chosen that all battal-
ions Of the brigade would share the hon.
ors of'the night. The loss of all the avail
able pontoons finally stopped the efforts
to eros sthe river.
On the second night the attempt was re-
sumed with equal gallantry. But this time
the attack was preceded by a lombard
ment. Registering by artillery had been
impossible on the first day in the speed of
the pursuit. 1t was the artillery arrage
that finally secured the troops their foot
ine-not the shells themselves, but the dust
storm raised by them. The dust, fine par
ticles of dried Tigris mud, was so thick
that it formed a curtain behind which ten
boats were able to cross.
Afterwards, in the clear moonlight, when
the guns were waiting for ammunition.
and the dust curtain lifted, the conditions
Of the preceding night were re-established.
Succeeding crossing parties were EXTERN
mated and pontoons drifted away, but Il
footing had been secured. The crew of one
pontoon which lost its way in the dust
cloud, failed to make the bank in time.
Directly the air cleared, a machine gun wsS
opened on them and the rowers were shot
down and the pontoon drifted back to the
shore. A sergeant called for volunteers
{ oget the wounded out Of the boat, ard a
party of twelve men went over the river