Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-20
WITH INDIAN TROOPS
IN MESOPOTAMIA
(pY g. q. MccIaIn.l

The Young Mems Christian Associa-
tons OF British India were so well eStab-
lished when the war broke out that In
dian secretaries were at work in France
in Red Triangle huts before the British
or Canadian associations were upon the
field, and today working under the Indian
National Council with headquarters there
are over 800 secretaries, and this assoc
citation has sent Red Triangle huts and
men to France East Africa, Egypt and
Mesopotamia to serve the Indian troops.
1t is not generally known that the In
dian army has played such conspicu-
Gus part in the war, nor has the loyalty
of India been appreciated: her sons have
gone forth to fight and die side by side
with the British and the French. Some
OF the races OF India are noted for their
fighting Qualities namely the i+s Gu fTo5
North India, the Jats and the Baluchis.
The following story is told Of the fight
ing spirit of these Indian soldiers:
At Galipoli a group of young English
ambulance men were out bringing In the
wounded, and these men, did not know
the difference between an Indian soldier
and a Turkish soldier, with the result
that one Gurka was placed side by side
with twelve wounded Turks. The ambu-
lance men went off to bring In othefs,
and in the meantime the Gurka had re-
yived sufficiently to look around and dis
cover that he was in the midst OF the
enemy with the result that he got out
his knife, and when the English stretcher
bearers again returned, they FOUND only
one Turk" alive, and that Turk was a
Gurka. He had been faithful accord
ing to his conception of duty, to the
British King.
The Young Mems Christian Association
has done a very fine piece of work up
ON the burning desert plains of Meso-
potamia, and at the present time there
there is a staff of sixty-seven secretaries,
with thirty-five huts established up and
down the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
with extension work, concerts, moving
pictures, sports and athletics being car
atA Il IN f.rvrN fNfl IF
camps North of this region is the coun-
try where the Turks have Deen killing
and massacreing the Armenians. During
the early months of the struggle in those
regions, the conditions of hardship en-
dured by the Indian and British troops
was said to be without parallel in any
other theatre of war, and the early rec
ord of that campaign is one OF defeat.
suffering, loss, ending in the capture OF
General Townsend and his heroic army at
Kut-al- amarah; and during this time the
association work with canteens and rec
reation features was organized at Basa-
-ra, the headquarters base, and at ANA
rah. half way up the river to Kut-al-
Amarah. Later when the relieving force
was attempting to break through to Kut, |
they had canteens and Red Triangle huts
established up at the front lines. Their
work won the hearty commentator and |
sympathy of officers and men, and was !
deemed so important by the peoples of
India that they raised hundreds Of thou
sands of rupees for the Red Triangle
Il,
Christians to do.
The past year has witnessed a complete
change so far as the Persian Gulf situa-
ton is concerned. AT the very begin
ming Of the year, Kut al-Amarah was
gloriously retaken from the Turks, and
then began the victorious British advance
up the Tgrs river which eliminated in
the capture of Bagdad by the British and
Indian troops The association was not
behind in this move, and when the final
smoke of battle cleared away and the
City of Bagdad was in British possession, |
there was the association steam launch
coming up the Tgris river, flying the
Red Triangle, and carrying canteen
stores, equipment for huts, and secre-
taries and within four days one Of the
largest buildings in the city, formerly
used as a Red Crescent hospital by the
Turks, had been completely renovated
and placed at the associations disposal
for Red Triangle work, by the military
authorities. And this work is now well
established in Bagdad, the ancient eta
del of Mohammedan learning and Arab
culture.
Eden is at the juncture of the Tigris and
Euphrates river but the Garden of Eden
has charms for all people except those
who have actually lived in the valley of
the Tigris, and the soldiers who have
been there have one great desire ever
present. namely to get out of the garden,
bac kto what Tommy calls "ome' to es-
cape from its mosquitoes. insects and
fevers. In spite of the unhealthy local
ity, the Red Triangle hut is carrying on
a greatly valued work in this Garden.
The terrible conditions existing in the
Persian Gulf will never be appreciated
except by those who have actually pass
ed through them, but when the associa-
ton work was first established these
conditions were at their worst, Owing to
the difficulties of transport. it was impos
sible to get up sufficient equipment, food
supplies or medical units for the troops,
and for this reason the work organized by
the association was the more appreciated.
Men sometimes walked from eight to ten
miles across the burning sands of the
Mesopotamla Desert, with the tempera-
ture 12O degrees in the shade, to purchase
fifty-cents' worth of supplies at the asso
citation canteen. Hundreds of thousands
of gallons of lime juice were dispensed to
thirsty troops in the summer time, while
during the winter 1t was hot tea and
cocoa. In the Field Ambulance out upon
the desert where there was layer of
dust from five to ten inches deem. asso
citation secretaries were sent with their
moving picture machines, with gifts and
comforts collected and sent out by the
people Of India: nianos and gramophones
were secured. and everything done to les
sen the terrible suffering of the men.
At least 1000 cinema shows have been