1916.
The year 1916 opened, as the last had closed, without any exciting
event for the Indian Cavalry Corps. There was heavy fighting for the
Infantry and guns, and the more hopeful spirits in the Thirteenth
Hussars still believed, or tried to believe, that their chance would
come sooner or later, but there seemed to be no immediate prospect of
it.
Meanwhile the old routine went on.
_Captain W. H. Eve--February 6, 1916._--“We are still busy, though
rather dull, at our ordinary training, ... but the men get a lot of
games, &c., too--football, running, and so on. We have been having
pretty good weather, much drier, and nothing to complain of. It has
been a wonderfully fine winter so far, but it isn’t over yet. Things
are very forward--too forward, I am afraid.
“All the land is under crops, which interferes terribly with our
field-work.
“Oakes (2nd in command, ‘D’ Squadron) is at present in hospital with
a kick on the shin (football), but otherwise we are all very well and
flourishing.”
_March 19._--“There is little or no news from here except that our
proposed move is, I think, postponed for a time. I am sending another
digging party away to-day and one comes back. I expect we shall always
have a certain number of men away now, digging in second line. We are
all very fit and flourishing.”
It was a necessary measure of precaution to have lines of trench behind
the fighting line. All hoped to go forward, but in case of overwhelming
German attacks, strong intrenched positions on which troops could fall
back were an obvious need. The letter goes on:--
“I attended a trench-warfare class for a week about a fortnight ago,
which was a change, but taught me very little.
“The weather is all in our favour for work, but it means that in this
closely cultivated country it is almost impossible to find ground to
work over, now that they are so busy with the spring work on the land.”
“During this time,” writes Lance-Corporal Bowie, “we had many
inspections, the chief one being by General Remington, commanding
the Indian Cavalry Corps in the new year.... The Regiment not being
required in the actual firing line at this time, many men were sent
on various courses of instruction, such as M.M.P.’s, signalling,
pigeon-flying, intelligence, &c. On January 31st a party left by
motor-buses for the village of ----, to construct trenches, &c., being
relieved on March 14th by another party. On March 26th we proceeded
to Feuquières-en-Vimes. From here the Regiment left for St Riquier
on April the 4th to commence Divisional training, after which we
returned to Feuquières on the 18th, meanwhile continuing to relieve our
parties in trench-digging.... Later we again proceeded to St Riquier
to take part in the Corps training, after which we again returned to
Feuquières. The remainder of our stay here was occupied by sports,
horse-shows, &c., the chief event being an International Horse Show
held at Oisemont in May. This event was marked by the attendance of
many noted French Generals and the 3rd French Army Corps from Verdun.
Immediately afterwards we again proceeded to St Riquier to take part in
the Grand Manœuvres.”
It all reads more like peace-time than the middle of the greatest of
wars. But such was the condition of things for the Cavalry of the
Allied and enemy armies on the Western Front. The extension of the
front from the sea to Switzerland, and the development of the great
line of trenches which covered it, had put an end to all open warfare.
The contending hosts were locked in a desperate struggle, which swayed
backwards and forwards over a few miles of devastated and blood-soaked
ground, giving no opening for the sweeping movements of horsemen. Month
by month it became more and more evident that there was no immediate
likelihood of this state of things being changed. Neither side seemed
strong enough to tear a gap in the opposing line and let through a
flood of horsemen into its rear. Till that could be done there could be
no chance for the Cavalry as Cavalry.
[Illustration: “CAPRICE.” 1915]
[Illustration]
[Illustration: AT MARTAINNEVILLE. MARCH 1916]
Meanwhile the war was developing all over the world, especially
in Africa and Asia, and in some quarters the conditions were very
different from those obtaining in the densely-peopled districts of
the main front, where the colossal armies stood face to face. On
two other fronts especially, where Great Britain was opposed to the
Turks, horsemen had room to move and were badly needed. In Egypt and
Palestine, and in Mesopotamia and Persia, the armies engaged were not
in such numbers as to cover the whole ground and reduce the war to the
likeness of a gigantic siege. Even there, on the broad plains of Asia,
trenches and aeroplanes were to some extent in use, and did much to
limit the operations of Cavalry; but they were not all-important. There
was still room for open warfare and turning movements and surprise.
And for service in those countries, with their comparatively dry
climates and hard soil and great heat, the Indian soldier was specially
fitted--much better fitted, to tell the truth, than for the cold and
mud of Europe. It was therefore decided in the early part of 1916, when
trained white troops were beginning to pour out of England in great
numbers, that the work of the Indian Army on the European front was
done, and that for the future, with its numerous and excellent Cavalry,
it could be more usefully employed in other theatres of war.[13]
It has always been the custom to send on service with Indian troops
a certain proportion of white men, and much as the white troops were
needed in Europe, it was felt that the custom must be maintained in
this case. The Indian Regiments now sent to fight in Africa and Asia
were therefore mixed as usual with British Regiments. The officers
of the Indian Regiments had every confidence in the troops they led;
but it would have been a tremendous test to send Indian soldiers
unsupported by British troops to face the renowned fighting men of
Turkey, organised and directed by Germans, and equipped with all the
latest appliances of modern war. The strain would have been increased
by the fact that the number of British officers serving with an Indian
Regiment is always small--probably not half the number serving with a
British Regiment.
As to the Thirteenth, they were warned in the middle of June to prepare
for service in the East, and there were persistent rumours that the
destination of the Brigade would be Mesopotamia, where a serious
reverse had lately been inflicted upon British arms by the capture of
General Townshend and ten thousand men at Kut.
These rumours were well founded, for the nation rightly felt that such
a humiliation must be wiped out, and the Meerut Brigade, including
the Thirteenth Hussars, was among the troops selected to retrieve the
position.
“It was on the 17th day of June,” writes Private C. T. Massey, “that
my Regiment, the Thirteenth Hussars, who were at that time digging
trenches for cables behind the lines in France, received orders to get
ready to return to their billets at Chessy, a little village a few
miles distant from the town of Abbeville. We heard that the Regiment
was under orders for leaving the country, and rumours were flying all
over the place: some said Salonika, others said India, whilst others
said Basra, a modern town of 10,000 inhabitants on the right bank
of the river Tigris in Mesopotamia, and the last one proved to be
correct.... On arriving in billets we found great excitement prevailed,
and every one said we were leaving for Mesopotamia. Every one was in
the best of spirits and glad to be leaving France, where Cavalry were
inactive.”
That was the right spirit in which to take the move; and though no
doubt there had been much disappointment among officers and men with
the fact that in France “Cavalry were inactive,” it would not be easy
to find among all their letters and diaries bearing on this time a
word of murmuring or regret at the prospect of turning their backs
on England again, and entering upon another term of distant Eastern
service. The universal feeling was one of satisfaction at being sent to
some other theatre of war where Cavalry would come into its own.
Private Massey’s diary goes on to describe the voyage out.
“On the 19th we were officially informed that the Regiment was leaving
France for Mesopotamia, and the same day we left for the railhead at
Pont Rémy, a fairly large station.... Whilst waiting, a train-load
of Belgian soldiers passed through and we gave them a rousing cheer....
All was soon ready, and at 6 the train moved off. We were travelling
all day the 20th and the 21st, and on the morning of the 22nd we
arrived at Marseilles, and after detraining with our horses, limber,
and equipment, proceeded towards La Valentine Camp. We remained in the
camp until the 27th, which we left at 7.30 that day, and proceeded to
the docks at Marseilles.”
[Illustration: AT FEUQUIÈRES, APRIL 1916]
It appears from the Regimental Diary that the Regiment embarked 30
officers and 582 other ranks. Private Massey goes on:--
“We handed over our horses to a native regiment. I gave my old horse
(No. 62) a few pats on the neck, as he had been a good old horse, and
he had carried me hundreds of miles, and I was sorry to lose him. We
afterwards went on board the _Kalyan_, and I was put on guard over the
steps leading to the bridge; others were put on submarine guard, and
every precaution was taken to prevent the ship being torpedoed.... On
the 31st we were issued out with Indian khaki, as it was getting very
hot the farther we went south. The next few days the sea became very
rough, and on 2nd July I was sick after tea.
“On the 3rd we arrived at Port Said after a very uneventful voyage. On
the voyage across we received the news by wireless every day, so we
knew that the great offensive had begun. We watched the coaling of the
boat, during the afternoon of the 3rd, and it struck me as a mild form
of slavery, to see the natives coaling the ship: they work like devils,
and all for a few annas a day. Native boys swim round the ship, diving
for pennies which we threw them from the deck.
“When we woke at réveillé on the following morning the boat was already
on the move down the Canal.... Towards night we sailed past Port Suez,
but we could not see much of it; but it looked magnificent with the
streets lighted up, and it seemed to stretch a long way along the coast.
“After sailing down the Red Sea for several days we entered the Indian
Ocean. We saw large shoals of flying-fish in the Red Sea, also other
big fish.
“We had an uneventful voyage across the Indian Ocean, and arrived
outside Bombay at about 9 A.M. on the 15th of July. On the
16th we went into dock soon after réveillé, disembarked, and marched
to Colaba Camp, about four miles from the docks. I went with several
others to the swimming-baths, and for the first time in my life managed
to swim a few yards. I was so fond of the salt water that I was in it
again that night, aided by the light of the moon.”
Lance-Corporal Bowie, already quoted, strikes the same note about the
horses. “Here” (at Marseilles), he writes in his diary, “our horses
were taken from us, many of us being very sorry to part with some
splendid horses which we had brought with us from India, and which
had carried us so well all the time in France.” In that respect the
officers were more fortunate than the men. Though it was not thought
desirable to send the troop-horses back again to the East, the officers
were allowed to take their chargers--about 100 in all,--a great boon.
_June 26, 1916._--“All has gone well,” writes the officer commanding
“D” Squadron, “and I am taking all my three children with me.” And
later from Marseilles he mentions “the glad news that we are taking our
own children with us.... We have handed over a certain number of the
best of the walers and country-breds to the 30th, including, I am sorry
to say, ‘Jean,’ and the remainder all go to the depot to-morrow when we
depart.... All the Regiment will be together, and the ‘children’ with
us too. It could hardly be better, all things considered.”
From Port Said again: “All is well. It’s the usual dull routine, but
better than I remember it before in these parts. The great mercy for
me is having the children with us. They give me an interest and are
most comfortable--tons of room, two or three stalls for each, and very
flourishing so far. ‘Caprice’ was off her feed and with a temperature
yesterday afternoon, but only for a little while, and is as fit as
anything to-day.”
It is satisfactory to know that for the most part they arrived safely
in India, and, though none the better for their voyage, were able to do
good service afterwards.
In spite of all it was not an exhilarating voyage. Very little was
known to the Regiment about the prospect before them, and not much
about what was going on in France.
[Illustration: Lieut. BASH. H. WILLIAMS, M.C.
(_Wounded in France with 11th Hussars, 31st October 1914_)]
[Illustration: Lieut. M. H. C. DOLL
(_Wounded near Authuille, 11th September 1915_)]
[Illustration: Lieut. T. E. LAWSON-SMITH
(_Killed with the 11th Hussars, near Messiner, 1st November, 1914_)]
[Illustration: Capt. J. O. OAKES]
[Illustration: Capt. A. M. SASSOON, O.B.E., M.C.]
[Illustration: Lieut. W. P. CRAWFORD-GREENE]
[Illustration: Capt. S. V. KENNEDY, M.C.]
_Captain Eve--Suez._--“As soon as we arrived yesterday we heard
the push had started and that we had got through on a front of
twenty-five miles, but we didn’t get the telegrams with any details
till the afternoon: let us only pray we may do as well as we hope.”
Alas! it was a vain prayer. There were to be many “pushes” before the
final one two years later.
_July 14._--“We get to the end of our march to-morrow. I needn’t
tell you how glad we shall be. It has seemed desperately long--very
different to when going the other way. We are all very fit and
flourishing.”
A later letter describes the voyage in more detail, and may be worth
quoting as an example of war-time voyages. “We went by ourselves, but
had various kinds of escorts through the Mediterranean: sometimes a
destroyer, sometimes a sham tramp steamer, really of course armed with
guns, and sometimes with no visible escort at all; and we went the
most peculiar way, all round the west and south sides of Corsica and
Sardinia, south of Malta, north of Crete, then south and zigzagged
about a lot before making Port Said. I believe a ship was sunk off the
north-east corner of Crete not long before us. I think our sham tramp
steamers are the most lovely things. Of course we had all lights out,
ports closed, no smoking after dark, and great discomfort, and heaps
of guards and submarine look-outs, and it was very hot but mostly very
calm. However, all this ended at Port Said, where also they took off
our gun and gunners.... We left at 10 P.M. and went through
the Canal very slowly, stopping a long time in the lakes. The camps and
trenches had increased enormously, the most perfect trenches now, and
huge camps. It is quite a sight, very strong, and there must be a large
force in Egypt now. They looked wonderfully fit, and yelled to us to
know where we were going, but we would not say.”
Arrived at Bombay, the Regiment was informed that it was definitely
for Mesopotamia, and the news was received with the greatest pleasure,
as doubtful rumours had been in circulation. They had, in fact, been
better founded than most rumours, for shortly before the arrival of the
Thirteenth, it had been decided that the Brigade was not to leave the
country again. The Thirteenth were to return to Meerut, and the Seventh
Hussars were to take their place with the Mesopotamia force. Why this
decision was altered does not appear, but report said that the Seventh
were wanted on the North-West Frontier, where trouble was brewing, and
the Thirteenth were taken for Mesopotamia after all. Nevertheless,
the old Meerut Brigade was broken up, the 3rd Skinner’s Horse and 30th
Cavalry being retained in India, to their intense disappointment. The
3rd and the Thirteenth Hussars had lain alongside one another for five
years, and it was with special regret that they said good-bye to each
other. The place of the two native regiments was taken by the 13th and
14th Indian Lancers. The Meerut Brigade now became the 7th Cavalry
Brigade of the Mesopotamia Field Force. It retained with it V Battery
of Horse Artillery, which had suffered so severely in France.
Meanwhile the Regiment had lost the services of some officers from
illness. Second-Lieutenant Guy Pedder writes on the 4th of July,
evidently from the Suez Canal, though after the manner of the time his
letter is dated only “on ship going out”:--
“Four officers have fallen out now--Covell in France, Kennedy at
Marseilles, Munster at Port Said, and Wingfield at the next stop....
I wonder where we will get our first letters, &c.; it will be rather
interesting. We travel very slowly along here, and stop at each lake as
far as I can make out! There are no more submarine guards to be done,
thank goodness. I was on eight hours each day, four by day and four
by night. Saw a paper yesterday which said we had got the first-line
trenches over sixteen mile frontage--wonder if the push is going on as
well as was expected.”
_July 14._--“I expect the first news you will have got of me will be
the cable I sent from Port Said; we haven’t put into harbour since
then, but were able to drop some letters to a small boat just opposite
Suez, but I don’t know whether you will get that letter. We hope to
reach Bombay to-morrow; if so, this letter will just catch the mail,
and I will cable to you to-morrow.
“Of course we got out of the danger zone when we got to Port Said. It
was very hot, but very interesting in the Canal. Then followed the
Gulf, which was calm and dull for four days. Then we got into the Sea,
and the so-called terrible monsoon; but it wasn’t a bit terrible,
although the ship rolled like anything for four days; lots of fellows
were sick, and felt very bad, but I was as fit as anything all the
time, and smoked cigars and pipes, &c.
[Illustration: THE “ISLANDA”]
“No one knows our final destination up to date, but I fancy we will
be in India for a couple of months at least, and then go on. I am
looking forward to seeing India awfully, and hope we stay there for a
short time at any rate.... I have enjoyed the voyage very much, but am
just getting bored with it to-day, and want to see a paper and hear
the war news: of course we have had none for over a week. This is a
topping ship, but we have come along very slowly to save coal. They
feed us very well. We had to run for it once in the Mediterranean, but
we did not know it at the time, only guessed. It has been very much
too rough to play cricket, but to-day it is much calmer. We’ve had two
frightfully heavy rainstorms. Only two horses have died, and both mine
are all right. I sang several times after dinner, and on the whole I
think the time has flown. I am longing to hear about the Western Front.
There is an excellent library on board, and I must have read twenty
books, &c.”
_Bombay, Royal Bombay Yacht Club--July 17._--“This is an extraordinary
place, and awfully pretty by night; Daniell (the Staff Captain) gave a
large dinner-party here last night, and very nice it was too. I went to
the Cathedral yesterday evening after a very busy day, and this morning
I have been rushing round shopping. You hardly see two people dressed
alike here. This is a ripping Club, and we are all honorary members,
Indian Expeditionary Force (D). To-day’s paper tells us a little about
the part played by what would have been us in the West!”
The hope of staying a short time and seeing India was not to be
fulfilled. The state of affairs in Mesopotamia admitted of no delay,
and it was soon known that the Regiment was to embark at once for
Basra. It was to be carried in two vessels, the _Islanda_ and _Chilka_,
the former taking “A” and “D” Squadrons, less one troop of “D,” under
Captain Eve, and the latter the Headquarters and remainder of the
Regiment under Colonel Richardson.
By the 19th of July both ships had sailed.