THE FIGHT AT LAJJ, 5TH MARCH 1917.
“On the fifth,” writes Sir Stanley Maude in his despatch upon the
advance to Baghdad, “the supply situation having been rapidly
readjusted, Lieutenant-General Marshall marched to Zeur (eighteen
miles), preceded by the Cavalry, which moved seven miles farther
to Lajj. Here the Turkish rearguard was found in an intrenched
position, very difficult to locate by reason of a dense dust-storm
that was blowing and a network of nalas,[33] with which the country
is intersected. The Cavalry was hotly engaged with the enemy in this
locality throughout the day, and took some prisoners. A noticeable
feature of the day’s work was a brilliant charge made, mounted, by the
Hussars straight into the Turkish trenches. The enemy retreated during
the night.”
Such is the brief official account of an action which was one of the
most memorable in the history of the Thirteenth. In accordance with the
custom of the times, when extreme reserve marked the despatches of the
military commanders, no details are given, and the very number of the
Regiment which made the “brilliant charge” is omitted. This reserve was
probably necessary, yet the charge was a gallant feat of arms, and, if
not a triumphant success, none the less creditable to the valour and
discipline of the Regiment. News of it would have stirred the heart of
the nation.
Extracts from several accounts by those who were present will be given
hereafter; and it will be seen that they are not always in exact
agreement. They reflect in some measure the rush and confusion which
must always attend a Cavalry charge, and perhaps on that account
they give a better picture of it than can be given by any attempt at
a general narrative. The pace of galloping horses and the extent of
ground covered make it impossible for any horseman sharing in a charge
to note all the incidents that occurred, and it is equally impossible
for him to remember in precise sequence all that he did see.
Nevertheless, it seems necessary to state briefly what happened on this
day as far as one can judge from the varying and sometimes conflicting
stories. Their discrepancies after all are mainly on points of detail,
and a fairly accurate view of the whole affair can be formed by
comparing them. The following facts appear to be free from any serious
doubt.
On the 5th of March, shortly before daybreak, the Cavalry Division
marched from Azizieh, the rest of General Marshall’s force coming
on behind them. The line of advance lay along the north bank of the
Tigris, mostly over flat ground, with some low sand-hills on the right,
away from the river. Somewhere between 9 and 10 o’clock the head of the
force reached the village of Zeur,[34] and there the Cavalry watered
their horses. Half an hour or so later they pushed on for Lajj, while
the rest of the force halted for the night.
Lajj was the point on the river where General Townshend had left his
flotilla and his hospitals before the battle of Ctesiphon in November
1915; and it was rumoured that the Turks intended to make another stand
now upon the old field where General Townshend’s advance had been
checked.
At first there was no sign of an enemy, and the Cavalry moved forward
unmolested. The 7th Brigade was leading in the usual march formation,
the 13th Lancers, Watson’s Horse, in front. Soon after the start,
reports came in from some aeroplanes and armoured cars which had gone
on to reconnoitre, to the effect that the country ahead was clear
except for a Turkish convoy with a small escort of Infantry, which was
retiring in the direction of Baghdad. After advancing another mile or
two, the Brigade came in sight of some scattered parties of Turks, and
the Thirteenth Hussars were ordered to come up abreast of Watson’s
Horse, which were under fire. They did so, “A” and “B” Squadrons
advancing dismounted, and remaining for a quarter of an hour or
so in action. During that time they lost 2nd Lieutenant Welstead and
several men, wounded by rifle-fire from concealed Turks.
[Illustration: Lieut. G. R. PEDDER
(_Wounded at Lajj, 5th March 1917_)]
[Illustration: Lieut. E. F. PINNINGTON
(_Wounded and taken prisoner at Lajj, 5th March 1917_)]
[Illustration: 2nd Lieut. G. LYNCH-STAUNTON
(_Killed at Lajj, 5th March 1917_)]
[Illustration: L/Cpl. A. W. WATKINS, D.C.M.
(_Wounded at Lajj, 5th March 1917_)]
[Illustration: Sergt. F. SPANTON
(_Taken prisoner at Lajj, 5th March 1917_)]
It was then about 11.30 o’clock, and the day was a bad one for
seeing. A strong east wind had risen at the backs of the Cavalry, and
was sending along in front of them the “dense dust-storm” of which
General Maude speaks in his despatch. Through this and the mirage the
Thirteenth could make out, not very clearly, the supposed convoy, two
miles or more away.
[Illustration]
Their commanding officer now called up his four squadron leaders, and
sending “C” Squadron under Captain Steele out to the right to cover his
exposed flank, ordered the rest of the Regiment to advance in echelon
of squadrons extended. The ground was flat and covered with low scrub.
“D” Squadron, which led, was under Captain Eve, “B” under Lieutenant
Dawson, “A” under Captain Newton.
The Regiment had hardly got into the formation order when a Turkish
shell burst on its left, and rifle-fire opened from some hidden
trenches on broken ground ahead of the leading squadron. No enemy guns
or Infantry were then visible, nothing but the convoy and its escort
in the distance; but they were evidently there, and it was impossible
to say in what strength. As the aeroplanes had not made out any
considerable body of them, they were presumably few, so it was decided
that the Thirteenth should ride them down, and if possible gallop the
convoy. The three squadrons accordingly drew swords and advanced at a
trot, when it immediately became clear that they had in front of them
not only scattered bands of Turks, but Infantry in concealed trenches
with machine-guns and Artillery.
The order was then given to charge, and the eager horsemen swept
forward with a cheer. A first low trench or water-cut was taken at a
gallop, and some scores of Turks who held it threw up their hands, but
as the squadron galloped on, some of these men seized their rifles
again and fired into our men from behind, while in front the charging
lines were met by a blaze of musketry which emptied many saddles, and
broke the weight of the onset. Many brave men pressed on to the edge of
the farther trenches, and even in places over them, but they found they
could do little against Infantry in such numbers and on such ground.
Their Colonel saw that the attempt to ride through was hopeless, and
wheeling his three squadrons to the right at a gallop, and then to
the right again, he withdrew them some distance until they were in
comparative safety near the point from which they had started.
They were still under fire, but the remains of the squadrons rallied at
once, and dismounted by order. The horses were sent away to the rear,
and the troopers advanced on foot and occupied the trench which they
had first taken. Leaving them there in the hope of another advance,
or at all events of recovering their dead and wounded from the ground
ahead of them, their Colonel went back to consult with the Brigadier
and bring up support.
He returned soon afterwards, but only to be wounded by a Turkish
bullet, and to find that the remnants of the three squadrons were too
weak to push back the Turks and could hardly hold their own. They
remained until dark in the Turkish trench. The rest of the 7th Brigade
was similarly unable to advance, but held its ground in spite of a
bombardment from about twenty concealed guns and a heavy rifle-fire,
until the 6th Brigade worked round the enemy’s left and threatened his
line of retreat. Such of the wounded as could be found in the darkness
were then brought in.
[Illustration: Sergt.-Tptr. J. S. STYLES
(_Killed at Lajj, 5th March 1917_)]
[Illustration: Sergt. G. ANDERSON
(_Killed at Lajj, 5th March 1917_)]
[Illustration: 2nd Lieut. E. V. ROLFE
(_Killed at Lajj, 5th March 1917_)]
[Illustration: Sergt. W. GILBERT
(_Taken prisoner at Lajj, 5th March 1917_)]
[Illustration: Sergt. A. HARRISON
(_Killed at Lajj, 5th March 1917_)]
So ended this day. The Thirteenth had shown a fine example of
combined dash and steadiness. They had charged boldly over broken
ground, and immediately after the charge had re-formed and gone forward
again on foot, as ready to fight as ever in spite of their heavy
losses. For they had lost heavily. Of the officers who had led the
Regiment into the charge, three had been killed, one disabled and taken
prisoner, and five wounded. Of other ranks, twenty-five had been killed
and fifty-two wounded. Among the wounded officers were the Colonel and
the second in command. The senior squadron leader was dead, and another
was badly wounded. One squadron leader only came out of the charge
unhurt. In all, about one-half of the officers and men who rode at the
Turkish trenches were killed or wounded.
Of the three officers who died in the charge, the most prominent was
the Captain of the leading squadron, Eve, who fell sword in hand among
the Turkish Infantry. Many of his brother officers have borne witness
to his courage and character. No braver soldier ever rode in the
Thirteenth, and none was more beloved. The other two were newly joined
2nd Lieutenants, Rolfe and Lynch Staunton, who had not seen a shot
fired before that day.
The following are extracts from letters and diaries bearing on the
story of the fight. As the narrative in the text has been taken mainly
from Colonel Richardson’s account and the Regimental Diary, others are
quoted before these.
_From Lance-Corporal Watkins, D.C.M., to the Hon. Mr Justice Eve._--“I
was with your son, the (late) Captain W. H. Eve, on the 5th of March,
when he was killed, and I was wounded almost directly afterwards.
“I was his signaller in most of the engagements in which we took part,
and I should like to state, sir (although I am not in a proper position
to do so), that he was the bravest man I have ever seen under fire, and
under whom it was my good fortune to serve.”
_May 23, 1917._--“On the 5th of March 1917 we had been on the move
since early morning after three days’ rest, and about 3 or 4 o’clock in
the afternoon we had word back from the advance-guard to say that they
had got in touch with the Turks.
“We formed up, and your son, who (as I expect you know) was squadron
leader of ‘D’ Squadron, received some orders from officer commanding
Regiment, and we were ordered to advance.
“We went along at a canter, myself and Trumpeter Wren (he was
afterwards killed) riding behind the officer commanding squadron.
“I noticed Captain Eve pulling his sword out of the scabbard, and
shortly afterwards we all followed suit and we started to gallop.
“The squadron then had orders to wheel to the left, and Captain Eve,
who had gone towards the right flank, dropped behind and I stayed with
him.
“We followed behind the remainder, and I saw a Turk just in front of me
put his rifle to his shoulder, and was going to fire at Captain Eve,
but I just managed to get there in time to prevent him from doing so.
“Soon afterwards I saw a pal of mine (Private Jones, D.C.M.) lying on
the ground badly wounded, so I dismounted and tried to get him out
of it as best I could, and I then lost sight of Captain Eve and the
remainder of the squadron.
“I did my best for my pal, but his wound was fatal, and I could not get
him on my horse, so I looked about me to see if I could get help.
“I saw Captain Eve about twenty or thirty yards [off?] taking about
twenty Turks prisoners at the point of his sword. He must have seen me,
as he left the prisoners and came over towards me and told me to get
mounted and draw my sword and go along with him.
“There were about fifteen or twenty Turks in a nullah a short distance
from us, and they were firing at us and the other men lying about
wounded and otherwise.
“We galloped towards them; Captain Eve jumped over to the other side of
the nullah, and I remained this side.
“The odds were strongly against us, but I think we did a good deal of
damage to the Turks, before your son fell from his horse, right into
the centre of the Turks.
“I cannot say whether he was shot or if he had been bayoneted, but I
did not see him move after that, so he must have been killed outright.
[Illustration: CAPRICE AND FOAL BORN MAY 1920
(_From the picture by_ George Paige Esq.)]
“His horse galloped away, and I was told later that it had seven
bullet-wounds in its neck.[35] I was left by myself then, and I
really did not know what to do, so I looked over my shoulder to
see if there was any one near to give me a hand, when I saw a Turk
about five yards away ready to fire at me, and before I had time to do
anything I got a bullet through my left arm close to the shoulder; the
same bullet broke the blade of my sword, which was in my right hand.
My horse took me back out of it, as I was too dazed to do anything
myself; and if it had not been for ‘Chicko,’ I should not have been
alive to-day. I was told later that Captain Eve, when found, still had
his sword tightly grasped in his hand, and I am sure it will be some
consolation to you to know that he died a hero fighting to the last.
“I may also mention several occasions before that in which he proved
himself one of the bravest.
“He rescued a wounded man from out in the open under very heavy fire
and at close range, and on the 25th of February 1917, in a dismounted
attack on the Turks, he bandaged several wounded men up, regardless of
the danger to himself in being exposed to heavy fire in the open.
“A bullet [hit?] him on that day, but luckily it hit his revolver-belt,
and glanced off without doing him any harm.
“I was lying by the side of him at the time, and he said to me,
‘Watkins, I think we are both marked men,’ as I had been hit three
times without causing any wound.
“One bullet passed through the sleeve of my tunic, and another stopped
in my pocket, in a book that I carried, after passing through my
pay-book; and I also got hit with a shell-case on my foot, which only
caused a slight bruise, and I was able to carry on.
“I hope you will not think, sir, that I am trying to flatter myself in
this letter, and making you think I am a hero, but I have only put down
how things happened, and let you know as best I could how your son met
his untimely death.”
_Major Twist--March 1917._--“I feel I must write and say how we shall
miss dear old Billy. You will have heard how he met his death from
those who were actually with him at the moment, and though I was quite
close to him I suppose the dust and confusion of the charge, and also
my being myself wounded, prevented my seeing him killed. He was, I
know, most gallantly leading his squadron, and fell from his horse
without a word. I believe if he had been asked to choose, this was
the death he would have chosen, and I remember him often saying that
if he had to die he would like to be killed on his horse. His men are
heartbroken, and it was a sad day for the Regiment when we lost him.”
_Captain E. Wingfield Digby, V Battery, R.H.A._--“Well, here we
are just outside Baghdad.... The saddest part of the whole show to
me is poor old Eve’s death--he was just one of the best fellows on
earth--anyway he lost his life charging the Turk (intrenched). I
believe he took his man, and was then shot through the head from
below--the bullet entering under his chin. The Thirteenth lost pretty
heavily that day; we got very heavily shelled too--lost all our layers
casualties, and a direct hit on one gun and one waggon,--it was a very
dusty day and high wind, and one couldn’t see a yard. And when the wind
dropped and mirage lifted in the evening, the Turks could easily see us
in the open, and fired at us from three different directions.”
_2nd Lieutenant Guy Pedder--March 15._--“I am afraid the only comfort I
can give you is that he was killed instantaneously, and also mounted,
in a brilliant charge--a death which I know he would have preferred to
all others.
“I remember him telling me at Makina that personally he didn’t think a
man could have a finer death than in jumping a large fence out hunting,
but his was infinitely finer leading his squadron (I was directly
behind him) straight at a small nullah full of Turks. He was probably
shot by a Turk not more than two or three yards off. I did not see his
body afterwards, as I was hit myself very shortly afterwards; but Mr
Payne did, I believe, and no doubt he will have written to you.
“It is most awfully sad, and I shall feel it all the more when I get
back to the squadron and he isn’t there. I never saw a braver or more
fearless person than he was: he almost made it impossible for any one
under him to be afraid.”
[Illustration: Capt. H. C. D. FITZGIBBON, M.C.
(_Wounded near Deli Abbas, 8th April 1917_)]
[Illustration: Lieut. A. M. LE PATOUREL.]
[Illustration: Capt. A. VEANTO, M.C., R.A.M.C.]
[Illustration: Capt. H. G. T. NEWTON
(_Accidentally drowned in Tigris, 25th April 1917_)]
[Illustration: Lieut. J. H. HIRSCH]
[Illustration: Pte. J. L. ROBERTS, D.C.M.
(_Died, 20th April 1917, of wounds received near Deli Abbas_)]
_Lieutenant Fitzgibbon--March 21._--“I have seen by the way what no
other Regiment has seen or done in this war--that is to say, the
Regiment formed line and charged! It was a damned fine effort, but
rather a mad one. We had been given wrong information by aeroplanes,
and ran our heads against the most beautiful trenches full of Turks I
have ever seen. The old Turk just sat back and waited for us, and, by
God! he let us have it. The noise was something impossible to describe:
how the devil we any of us ever got out of it I still do not know.
The dust did us in, but also saved us. Well, we eventually got out of
it, rallied, dismounted, and attacked on our flat feet, and had the
satisfaction of seeing the Turk evacuate his position at nightfall. We
rather got a dusting though.
“My squadron (‘A’) went into action very weak from previous casualties,
and we went in sixty-six strong and came out thirty-three. Fourteen
officers of the Regiment were knocked out and five killed. Newton and I
scraped out of it safely.
“We had a good many shows besides this one, but none so good. It is
something to be the only Regiment to have charged as a Regiment, and it
did jolly well. We were the first Cavalry Regiment to enter Baghdad. We
have lost our Colonel and also the second in command, Twist; the senior
squadron leader was killed--such a nice fellow, Eve, shot through his
head. I was the first to find his body, and took his things off him. It
was very sad.”[36]
_Colour-Sergeant F. Spanton, “B” Squadron._--“After a few minutes
we were galloping towards the enemy with drawn swords, at a fair
pace. We were well received by the Turks, who blazed away at us as
hard as they could, and when we got close some of their shots took
effect, and one or two spare horses were galloping about. After we
had crossed the first trench my horse was apparently hit and pitched
over, causing me to be thrown. I landed between the lines of Turks,
and remained quiet, waiting to see what would happen next. The Turks
now had turned about, and were firing over me into the rear of the
squadrons. The Regiment changed direction to the right, and passed
out of my view; the Turks got out of the trenches and continued to
send a hail of bullets after the disappearing squadrons. I watched
this as I lay on the ground, weighing my chances of rejoining the
Regiment. The Turks in front of me were now retiring, and moving to
the left of the trench, and I thought if I remained quiet they would
all probably pass me by unnoticed, and then I could get back to my
squadron again. But no such luck: as the tail-end of the Turks passed
by, one fellow stopped when he saw me, and raising his rifle to his
shoulder he fired point-blank--but missed--the bullet not coming so
near as the one that had cut the belt of my haversack in half a few
minutes before. This man, evidently disgusted with his bad shooting,
walked hurriedly away, so once again I thought my chances of getting
back were good; but a group of three men coming along a little later
came to see who I was, and lugged me off to a dug-out. I had hurt my
knee rather badly when I was thrown, and couldn’t get along over fast;
this annoyed the Turks, as we were still under a heavy fire from the
British machine-guns, so they jabbed me in the back with the butt of
a rifle as a signal to hurry.... Sergeant Gilbert was brought up to
where I was, and duly deprived of his possessions. After a few minutes
Lieutenant Pennington[37] was brought in. He was holding his wrist: he
had been badly hit in the forearm, the bone being broken. I tied him
up with my field-dressing, and made a plug for him until we could find
a dressing station. In the meantime, Private Morrison had been brought
in, and he also was shot through the arm and was bleeding freely. We
were now hurried off, and came to a dressing station, where the wounds
of Lieutenant Pennington and Private Morrison were dressed. We were
now handed over to an escort, who had instructions to take us to the
Headquarters, 18th Turkish Division, for interrogation. The escort made
a wide chukker to get to the Headquarters. After a while they called a
halt, and motioned us to sit down. Now they thought was the best time
to change clothes. They commenced with Lieutenant Pennington, taking
his puttees and spurs, and tried very hard to get a gold ring off a
finger on his broken arm, which must have caused him considerable pain;
but being unsuccessful they let him alone, and turned their attention
to Private Morrison, whom they robbed of almost everything; next they
came to me and took what the others had left.... Now they turned to
Sergeant Gilbert and served him in a like manner. After they had
got all they could out of us they continued to walk to G.H.Q., where
eventually we arrived. Here we were interviewed by an interpreter,
who spoke excellent English, and who was wonderfully informed, but I
am afraid the satisfaction he got from us was little. I spoke to him
about my clothes and possessions being stolen by the soldiers, but he
said nothing could be done, as they were allowed to do it. Two Turkish
soldiers fighting for possession of my revolver were interrupted by
an officer, who thrashed them both and took it himself. The Turks
were still retiring and we were sent to travel with a Field Ambulance
Section.”
It will be seen that there was some measure of mercy shown by the
fighting Turks towards the men who fell into their hands, but Sergeant
Spanton’s diary goes on to describe the lives and sufferings of the
British and Indian prisoners during their captivity, and the story is
painful reading.
2nd Lieutenant Pinnington, who was wounded and taken prisoner at Lajj,
had joined the Regiment only a fortnight earlier with 2nd Lieutenant
Rolfe, after a long voyage from England by way of the Cape and India.
More fortunate than his companion, he lived to be exchanged to England
within a year. His account of the fight at Lajj is as follows:--
“The 7th Brigade, to which the Thirteenth belonged, led the way, one
of the Indian Regiments--Watson’s Horse--furnishing the advanced and
flank guards. The Division had been on the march several hours when
the news filtered through that a Turkish convoy, escorted by a company
of Infantry, had been sighted a mile or two ahead. The job of rounding
up this convoy was assigned to the Thirteenth, and the Regiment drew
ahead in the formation known as echelon of squadrons. We had not gone
far when the whizz of bullets greeted our ears, and the order came to
dismount for action--presumably owing to the impossibility, on account
of the dust, of seeing what actually did lie in front of us. A lull in
the dust-storm served to assure our leader that whatever opposition
there was could be ridden down, and accordingly, after advancing a
short distance dismounted, and snapping away with Hotchkiss gun and
rifle, we were summarily recalled, ordered to mount, draw swords, and
finally charge. Shells by this time were bursting overhead, and the
storm of bullets through which we rode gave the lie to the report
that, with the exception of the convoy and its escort, all was clear
ahead. We were quickly on top of a line of Turks who had abandoned
their trench and were scurrying back to join their comrades in the rear
lines. The horrible screeching told its own weird tale of the fate
they met. In the onrush I got ‘winged’ and was left, as I ultimately
learned to my cost, a few yards from the Turkish main-line trench. As I
stood there dazed amid the dust, I saw another squadron come galloping
up. It was a sight I shall not readily forget. The leader to the fore
with sword aloft, the line of panting horses, the grim eager faces
of the men, the flashing swords--I thought of Lady Butler’s painting
‘Floreat Etona,’ and marvelled at seeing the living parallel. Captain
Eve was the leader, and as he approached ‘with a swiftness not to
be conceived,’ I shook my right arm, which was hanging limply by my
side, and shouted, ‘This thing’s shattered.’ ‘Hard lines, old boy.
Never mind,’ he called back, and was gone. The line had passed and
disappeared in the dust.
“When once again the dust had settled, the Turks, observing that the
attack was for the moment over, sallied forth from their trenches to
pay attention to the casualties. An Arab relieved me of my possessions
and led me to an officer in the trench. This officer, on seeing me
approach, forsook the machine-gun he had been manipulating and shook my
uninjured member warmly--a thing which no good Mahomedan should have
done, as such contact with the ‘infidel’ is forbidden in terms of Koran
regulations. Some one applied a tourniquet to my arm, which was still
dripping, and I was taken to a bend in the trench where I came across
Sergeants Gilbert and Spanton, and Trooper Morrison, the only other
survivors amongst those who had fallen into Turkish hands. The horses
of the two sergeants had been shot down, and Morrison was suffering
from a wound in the forearm. We were led out of the trench and across
the open country to the Headquarters of the Turkish forces (instead of
rounding up a convoy the Thirteenth had ridden through a Division),
and in the course of our journey to the rear had ample opportunity
of realising how much nastier is the effect of British shrapnel than
that of the Turk. Arrived at Headquarters, we were separated and
interrogated in a very polite manner by one who spoke English
fluently. In this interrogation, to my surprise and the credit of the
enemy, there was not the slightest suggestion of coercion to extract
information. After a few hours’ rest, Morrison and I, with some wounded
Turkish soldiery, were given seats in a rickety waggon, and with
Sergeants Gilbert and Spanton marching behind, we set out. It was early
the next morning that the palm groves of Baghdad, topped by the domes
and minarets of the city’s many mosques, came to sight. At Baghdad,
Morrison and I were taken direct to a hospital, where a Jewish doctor,
Alalou by name, dressed our wounds and gave us food and drink.”
[Illustration: SCENE OF THE FIGHT AT LAJJ. 5TH MARCH 1917]
Lieutenant Pinnington was afterwards sent on to Mosul, and he writes:
“It is perhaps worthy of mention that on many occasions during my
imprisonment there I received compliments from Turkish officers on the
bravery of the British Cavalry in making their ill-fated charge on the
4th [? 5th] March.”
Captain Newton, the one squadron leader who came out unwounded from
the “ill-fated” charge, evidently took much the same view of it as his
subordinate. The entry in his diary for the 5th March is as follows:--
“Marched 4.45 past Zeur almost to Lajj, where enemy reported. Tried to
take them on mounted, but found them intrenched and very strong, and
had rather a bad time. Retired a bit, and came into action dismounted,
and held on all day. Awful job getting wounded away at dusk. Eve, Lynch
Staunton, and Rolfe killed. Pinnington missing. Colonel, Twist, Dawson,
Pedder, Welstead wounded. Total casualties eighty-seven. Retired to
biv. near Lajj bend, getting in soon after 10. An awful day, wind and
dust terrible. A little rain at night. Took sixty-six men into action,
and brought out thirty-three.”
In a letter of the 21st March 1917, Captain Newton gives a somewhat
longer account.
“The poor old Regiment has been through some pretty troublous times,
and has been pretty well knocked about, but it’s done most awfully
well, and got a great chit for itself....
“I last wrote on Saturday the 3rd. They gave us a rest next day. We got
orders to parade at 4.45 A.M. (on the 5th), and it was awfully
cold and dark turning out. We had an uneventful march for some time,
but quite unexpectedly came in touch with the enemy in the middle of
the morning. We came into action against them, and there seemed to be
very few, so the Colonel decided to ride them down. Then we found that
we were wrong! There were a few scattered Turks in nullahs who ran away
or held up their hands as we rode over them, but just behind were some
beautifully concealed and very well-dug trenches, and we fairly caught
it from rifles and machine-guns. We rode right up to them though, and
even in places across them, but we couldn’t do anything, and had to
rally and go about, and eventually came into action dismounted. It was
a pretty tough business though, as one did not know where any one was.
Young Welstead was hit in the arm before we charged, and Twist during
it. Billy,[38] Vavie,[39] Lynch Staunton, Rolfe, and Pinnington could
not be accounted for at first, but later in the day we got forward a
bit and found poor old Billy’s body, and Vavie lying out wounded, and
several other wounded men. Poor Billy was shot through the head, and
death must have been instantaneous. He must have been shot in the very
act of jumping a nullah, as his body was lying in it as he had fallen
with his sword by his hand. Vavie was very badly hit in the knee, and
must have had an awful day, as we couldn’t move him till after dark,
and the Turks had been at him and taken all his equipment off, and
even the rings off his fingers, I believe. Rolfe’s body we found after
dark, and Lynch Staunton’s next morning. Pinnington we have no news
of, and he must be a prisoner, as his body was never found. When we
had established ourselves in a nullah to hold on we continued to have
a few casualties, as we had very little cover. Young Pedder got one
through the shoulder, and soon after that Jimmy (the Colonel) got one
through the arm. Then my troubles began, and I found myself in sole
command of such as there were of three squadrons. ‘C’ were not with
us, and it was not till much later that we got news that they were
away on our right, though they had had a few casualties. We hung on
all day, and I had a pretty anxious time, as there were an awful lot
of Turks in front of us, and I couldn’t make out what they were going
to do. We had frightened them pretty badly, and they cleared off after
dark. We collected all we could find and brought them in; but we had
no stretchers, and it was pretty hard work, and there were a lot of
snipers at us all the time. Vavie was splendidly plucky. He was one of
the worst cases, and we got him in on a ground sheet, and although I
knew he was in agony he kept quite cheery, and would only apologise for
the trouble he was giving us.
[Illustration: SCENE OF THE CHARGE AT LAJJ. 5TH MARCH 1917]
[Illustration: “CAPRICE” WITH PTE. C. HOGG, WHO FOUND HER IN MAY 1918
AFTER SHE HAD BEEN “MISSING” FOR 14 MONTHS]
“I was simply dead-beat when we got back to the horses. I don’t think
I ever felt so done up in my life before. We reached bivouac about 10
P.M., and I was overjoyed to find Charles[40] safe and sound,
and to find I was only second in command and not commanding officer.”
_2nd Lieutenant F. N. Payne to his Wife--March 13-16._--“At last I am
able to write to you, and very lucky I am to be alive to do so, for we
have been through a terrible time, and suffered heavy losses....
“On March 5th the Cavalry, pushing on ahead of the army, ran into the
enemy again at Lajj, thirty miles below Baghdad. The aeroplanes and
armoured cars reported that they were about 300 strong, and protecting
a convoy that was trying to get away safely, so we were given orders
to round them up and bring them in, while the rest of the Division
attacked the convoy. Our Regiment was sent round the right flank to
get behind their trenches, the river being on the left. We started
out in extended order, and gradually worked up to them, when about
a hundred Turks seeing us coming, walked out of the nullah they had
been firing at us from, and the Colonel gave ‘Draw swords-charge.’ The
hundred dropped their arms and surrendered. We charged through them,
and ran into their concealed trenches that were packed with a solid
mass of Turks, and three thousand rifles from all directions, together
with shrapnel and bombs, came pouring into us, and eighty-two of our
good fellows went down. We had to get out the best way we could, and
retire about a mile with what was left, and get away the remaining
horses and advance on foot, for we had to recover our wounded at all
costs: they were left all over the place as their horses reared and
plunged till they toppled out of their saddles. Then came the worst
part of all. I rallied all the men near me, after finding I was not
killed or even wounded, and forty of us all told and cut off from any
possible help kept the Turks in their trenches, and in about three
hours made good the nullah, and held it till dark with our Hotchkiss
gun and twenty rifles. We, of course, all expected to be wiped out,
which would have been an easy matter, but they were satisfied to stay
where they were except for a number of the boldest who walked out
and stripped our wounded. I killed two of them myself, but we could
not stop them, and that day the Turk seemed to return to his ancient
savagery, for we found they had murdered several of our chaps that were
lying helpless. Poor Eve was killed instantly, to the sorrow of every
man in the Regiment: he always wanted to die in a charge, but we do
want him so badly, and it seems such a shame that he isn’t there to
enjoy the victory in Baghdad. Dawson was very lucky to come off with
his life--he fell right up against one of their sniper’s holes and
couldn’t move with a shattered knee, and the Turks had taken everything
off him, but couldn’t get his ring off, so threatened to shoot him as
they had done to seven others alongside him, together with the brave
chap who tried to carry him in.[41] Eight of us worked our way up the
nullah, and held them off till dark, when we got him out of the open.
We had had nothing to eat or drink since 3 that morning, and had three
miles of ploughed land to carry sixteen men in without stretchers, and
fired on all the time. Some got hit several times on the way back.
When we called the roll in the darkness, we found that thirty-two had
been killed and twenty-six wounded. The Colonel, who is the bravest
man next to Eve, was hit only at the very last: he was always to be
seen in the thickest, carrying up ammunition and encouraging the men
with a smile on his face, and you could hardly see him for the dust of
bullets hitting the ground round him. The second in command was hit,
Eve killed, and three young officers who had just joined killed. Pedder
got a nice one through the shoulder, and two others wounded, so that
Jeffrey and myself found ourselves alone in the squadron, absolutely
staggered at being alive. I lost most of my men--all the best, of
course--and have now only thirteen: we had to make two troops out of
what was left of the four. When we moved on and saw the position, we
stood aghast that it was possible, and the army commanders of the
Infantry when they came on, sent messages of their deep admiration
and gratitude for the work we had done that would have delayed them
considerably. I believe our Colonel is to be decorated later on, and we
are having our reward now in that ‘For Valour’ our Regiment was chosen
to garrison Baghdad when it fell.
“There were some very sad cases in these chaps that were killed.
Out of five new officers that had joined and not been under fire
before, three were killed and one wounded, and none of them more than
twenty-one years of age. Only a few minutes before we went into the
charge, and were halted awaiting orders, Eve called out one of my
men[42] to present him with the D.C.M. for extraordinarily fearless
bravery in the last show that had just been sanctioned that morning,
and I promised to send a cable home for him if we got up alongside
any of the gunboats. Another fellow, a great big, rough, hard-working
fellow, remarked that if we could have one in the troop we could just
as easy have two, and he was going to get it in the next show we got
into or die in the attempt. I saw him try: he rode past me yelling
and whooping and ran his sword through the foremost Turk, only to be
bowled over the next second. When I went out later to find him, my
sergeant, who had a shattered thigh, told me not to risk myself any
further, as he had seen a Turk blow his brains out, as they had also
done with the boy who had just won his medal. I have finished up after
being in fifty shows without a scratch: they’ve whistled past my nose,
through my coat and everywhere, killed four of my horses, one after
another, and never touched me. You may call it providential or the
hand of God. I don’t know what it is other than miraculous good luck,
for it’s not right to think that I should be spared when such good
fellows as Eve are struck down, and all three poor new chaps, who had
never heard the terrible swish of a bullet pass their heads before,
to meet death the first time. It doesn’t seem right that I should
be spared.... I had absolutely no thought whatever about my soul or
the hereafter, in fact everybody seemed to be in a state of pleasant
anticipation. When Eve galloped by me and I looked to him for orders he
had a beautiful smile and just sailed along, and I waved my men on to
follow him, and next second his soul had left his body. I don’t believe
he had a thought of death, or that it meant anything to him. I know
only when we had breathing-space in all these occasions did I worry
about anything, and that was how you would get along, and whether I
had left everything satisfactory.... Lynch Staunton, whose father was
a Senator from Hamilton, was one of the six new subalterns who hadn’t
been under fire before.... Poor fellow, he rode right down into the
Turk trench and walked his horse along it over the Turks, that were as
thick as gooseberries, as much as to say you are my prisoners; and they
certainly would have been, had not that murderous fire from their main
position bowled him over. They took him prisoner, but we found his body
next day: they had dressed his wound, but later decided he would be a
hindrance to carry along, so murdered him and took everything off him.”
2nd Lieutenant Guy Pedder, one of those wounded in the fight, writes
to his mother from the hospital at Amara: “No doubt you will have
heard by now how we ran into it on the 5th, but in case you haven’t
I will try and give you a rough idea of what happened. After camping
at Azizieh for four or five days (I wrote to you from there), the
Cavalry Division moved at 5 A.M. (we were centre Regiment of
the leading Brigade) on March 5th with orders to camp at Lajj, which
was about twenty-six miles away, the flying people having reported all
clear. After we had gone about twenty miles we halted and watered, and
fed on the river bank, three monitors steaming past us up-river, and an
aeroplane over our heads--quite a dramatic picture. At 10.30 we moved
off again, and almost immediately a sand-storm started, the strong wind
taking all our dust out in front of us. We went about five miles, when
one of our armoured cars brought in a Turkish officer, and the news
that there were a few of the enemy scattered about, who were probably
only waiting for us to collect them as prisoners (like the lot we took
in the pursuit), so we got orders to move out to the right to verify
this or collect prisoners. Eve told us this, and quickly changed on to
his favourite mare. Three squadrons moved out to the right, the fourth
(‘C,’ Stirling’s and Ormrod’s squadron) right out to the flank; ‘A,’
‘B,’ and ‘D’ then advanced in line of troop column extended and almost
immediately came under heavy rifle-fire. We walked about half a mile
and then trotted; the dust was awful and you couldn’t see more than
one hundred to two hundred yards in front; all of a sudden, through
the dust, I could see a lot of Turks in the open and in a nullah. Eve
gave the order, ‘Draw swords--form line--gallop,’ and before we knew
where we were we were into them. Some stood up and surrendered, others
lay flat on their backs and shot at us at two or three yards’ range;
two fellows let off their rifles right in my face, but missed both
Matches[43] and me. There was a small nullah at the part of the line
where ‘D’ charged, and the Turk lying flat was pretty well safe, but we
got a certain number; the noise was tremendous, bullets from revolvers,
rifles, and machine-guns cracking all round. Beyond the first nullah,
and running at right angles to it, was another much deeper, and we gave
the Turks holding it a splendid target. I lost sight of Eve, who was
just in front of me at the first nullah, but his orderly who was shot
(wounded)[44] close by him, tells me he was shot from two yards’ range,
as he was bending down to charge a group of Turks. At any rate, he must
have been killed instantaneously.
“There were a great many dead horses and empty saddles by now, and
I tried to rally all the men who were near me; it was extremely
difficult, as we were under very heavy fire at very short range; there
was deafening noise and a hard wind blowing, and if you collected men
in bunches, the bunches would very soon have a machine-gun on to them,
so what men I got under hand I kept extended, and galloped a fair way
back and handed over the horses and went up dismounted. The Turks’ guns
had now got our range and were very annoying, but their shells were
bad, or I should not be writing to you now. I met Jeffrey, and we all
went on by short rushes together, until we met the Colonel, who told us
roughly where to go, and we got into the nullah we had first charged,
and there we held on till dark, when we collected the wounded, who
were lying out in front. I was hit clean through the shoulder about 2
P.M., having got through the charge and dismounted attack, and
when I was sitting in the nullah talking to the Colonel, who got hit in
the arm very shortly after me.
“We had nine officers casualties--two killed, Eve and Rolfe (from
Aldershot, first time under fire), two missing, believed wounded and
prisoners, Lynch Staunton and Pinnington (just joined from ‘A’), and
five wounded, Twist, Colonel, Dawson, Welstead, and self. ‘A,’ ‘B,’
and ‘D’ lost very heavily. ‘D’ had thirteen wounded and thirteen
killed, and I think we got off lighter than ‘A’ or ‘B.’ Dawson is the
worst hit of us five; the Turks robbed him of everything, even taking
his water-bottle and ring--we left him at Sheikh Saad, and I hope he
won’t have to lose a foot. Poor old Thirteenth, we fairly ran into it.
My troop sergeant and best corporal were killed, new sergeant-major
badly hit. And now I hear we have crossed the river again to the right
bank, and are three miles west of Baghdad. I wish I was with the
Regiment--it’s sickening....
“Later. News has just arrived Baghdad has fallen, only five days after
I was hit: isn’t it sickening I was not there?...
“I am awfully sorry about poor Billy Eve, but he died just the death
he would have preferred, certainly a very noble one. He was one of
the most fearless people under heavy fire I have so far seen, always
rushing about looking after any one who was hit.”
It need hardly be pointed out that 2nd Lieutenant Pedder, being when he
wrote in hospital at a distance from the front, was not in a position
to get the most accurate information about casualties or other matters
connected with the Regiment. The Regimental Diary, written by the
Adjutant, states the casualties as follows:--
“Killed, 3 officers; 22 British other ranks.
Wounded, 5 officers; 52 British other ranks.
Missing, 1 officer; 4 British other ranks.
Horses, 54 killed; 36 wounded.”
This gives the total of casualties at nine officers and seventy-eight
other ranks--of whom four officers and twenty-six other ranks were
killed or missing. How many wounded died of their wounds does not
appear, but none among the officers. The horse casualties were ninety,
of which fifty-four were killed.
The following is an account of the day given by Private Massey of “D”
Squadron in his diary of the war:--
“Next morning, the 5th of March (a day to be remembered in the annals
of the Thirteenth Hussars), we moved off about 5 A.M. and
proceeded up the Tigris, in the teeth of a terrible sand-storm, which
blinded both horses and men, and through which we could only see 80 to
100 yards ahead of us. Suddenly, out to our front, we heard the sound
of rifle-fire, and bullets whizzed amongst us. The report came through
that a Turkish convoy was attempting to get away, and it was decided to
make an attempt to capture it. Still under fire, the order was given to
‘draw swords,’ and we continued to trot on in extended order. As we got
nearer, the fire became heavier, and the whizz-whizz of the bullets,
as they flew in amongst us, told us we were in for ‘hot stuff.’ Then
we got the order to canter, and when within a hundred yards of the
Turks (whom we could now see through the sand-storm lining the parapet
of the first-line trench) the order to ‘charge’ was given. Digging
in our spurs, and with a loud shout, we charged the Turks in their
trenches. Seeing us on top of them, the whole front line surrendered,
holding up their arms, and some were waving white flags. The order was
given to bring the left shoulder round, and immediately we commenced
doing so, the enemy’s guns opened on us with shrapnel; and he also
had a second line 800 yards behind his first one, and we came under a
heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, and our losses were rather heavy. On
wheeling out of action, but still under fire, the Colonel rallied his
men. The order was given ‘dismounted action,’ and No. 3’s of sections
led the section’s horses to the rear, while Nos. 1, 2, and 4 of the
sections formed line and charged with fixed bayonets. I went to the
rear with the gun-section’s horses, and many wounded men were being
helped to the first-aid dressing station.
“I had gone all through the charge, riding my own horse, and leading
the horse carrying the Hotchkiss gun. I saw M‘Nulty at my side during
the charge with his revolver in his hand. He was very excited and
shouted across to me, ‘Come on, Charlie’; a second later he fell shot
in the head. My section-corporal was wounded in the elbow, and his
horse had a nasty shrapnel wound in its neck. That I got through it all
without a scratch seems hardly believable. Riderless horses, and horses
carrying automatic rifles were galloping madly about, and I was told
that I was the only one who had stuck to my led horse all through the
charge.
“But the Turks played a dirty game on us, even those who had
surrendered in the first-line trench fired on us when we had passed
over them; and several men, whilst dressing our wounded where they had
fallen, were shot at point-blank range in the head.
“But to return to my former subject: after the rally, and when a
halt was called with the led horses well out of rifle-range, and
knowing that the section-corporal was wounded, and that they would
probably want the gun and ammunition up in the firing line, I
decided to volunteer to return with it to the trenches. I asked the
sergeant-major, and he gave me permission to take it up. I was about
to start up with it, when I saw Private Galloway, who had caught a
gun-horse which had got loose in the charge, leading it up towards
the firing-line on foot. I thought that a much better way, and though
one could not go so fast leading as riding one and leading, it had
the advantage of offering a much smaller target for the enemy’s
machine-gunners. I told the sergeant-major my opinion, and he took my
riding-horse from me, and I started to lead the gun-horse towards our
fellows in the enemy’s captured first line. On coming in view of the
enemy, he opened on me with a machine-gun, and bullets were kicking up
the dust at my feet, and buzzing round the horse and myself. I passed
close to Corporal Taylor, who was lying wounded on the ground waiting
for the Field Ambulance to fetch him in. He shouted to me to clear off
to the right, as he had already been wounded once. I didn’t think I was
drawing the enemy’s fire on him until he reminded me of the fact. After
that I began to run, and seeing me coming up with the gun, two N.C.O.’s
rushed out and hurriedly took off the ammunition. They didn’t want the
gun, and gave me a stern order to ‘get away as quickly as you can.’ I
then started to run back with the gun-horse. When I had gone a dozen
yards I remembered that I had left my rifle behind, and turned round to
go back and fetch it, but the sergeant told me to go on and leave it.
It was certainly a hot corner, and perhaps it was best I did.
“I then started to run back as fast as I could go, as the Turks knew
I was bringing up ammunition as well as I did, and meant to make it
hot for me, but I got back quite safely. On the way down I passed the
Colonel talking to a wounded man.
“As soon as I had got back, however, Sergeant-Major Tassie called me,
and ordered me to go up to the line again with more ammunition. I again
started for the first-line trench. I arrived in safety, and having
put it down was told to stay in the trench. Here we hung on till
nightfall, as the wounded on the field pinned us to the trench. Several
were killed in the trench by rifle-fire, and the Turks heavily shelled
V Battery, knocking out a gun and limber and killing several men.
Whilst in the trenches the Colonel and Major Twist (second in command)
were both wounded,[45] and the command fell on Captain Newton of ‘A’
Squadron.
“Towards night the Turks retired, so we collected the wounded, and
slowly, very slowly we returned to camp, three miles to the rear, the
end of a hard and terrible day. On arriving in, after taking over our
horses we watered at the river-side.”
The writer proceeds to describe how in trying to get a bucket of water,
he was carried away by the stream and nearly drowned. He was rescued,
and the day’s entry finishes: “After getting into bed it started to
rain, so I put on M‘Nulty’s cape and British warm, laying it all over
the bed, as I knew poor Mac would never want his any more.”
To close the story of the fight at Lajj, the Colonel’s account of it is
given in his own words. He had commanded the Regiment throughout the
day, had led it in its charge, and after rallying it when the charge
was over had taken it into action again dismounted. Conspicuous for his
courage among many brave men, he had won the admiration of all; and the
wound which disabled him towards the close of the action was happily
not severe enough to prevent his commanding the Regiment again.
_Colonel Richardson._--“The following extracts are taken from a letter
written home about the middle of March, when events were fresh in my
memory:--
“We started on the 5th of March, leaving camp an hour before dawn, and
our orders were to march the Infantry to Zeur, twelve or fourteen miles
on, and the Cavalry to Lajj, about six miles farther on still. Our
Brigade, the Seventh, were leading, and we made Zeur, where we watered
and fed the horses a little before 10, and we marched again at 10.30.
Soon after we started armoured-car reports came in to say that there
was a small convoy ahead of us proceeding in the direction of Baghdad
with an escort of about 250 Infantry, and that otherwise the country
was quite clear. The formation of our Brigade was the usual formation,
with the 13th Lancers (Watson’s Horse) leading and finding one squadron
advance-guard, and one squadron each on right and left flanks; then
the Machine Gun Squadron, Thirteenth Hussars and 14th Lancers, and V
Battery R.H.A. We had gone about two miles when our Brigadier ordered
me to take the Regiment up abreast of Watson’s Horse with a squadron
as advance-guard, and soon afterwards pointed out what he took to be
the convoy on the march, and hinted that we might be able to get in
on it with the sword and round it up. And so, having had a good look
at this supposed convoy, which was about two and a half miles to our
right front, I called up the squadron leaders, explained the situation
to them, and sending ‘C’ Squadron well out to the right or exposed
flank to work to the north of some small hillocks, I ordered ‘D,’ ‘B,’
and ‘A’ Squadrons in that order to advance in echelon of squadrons
extended. (I should say here that the day was an exceptionally bad one
for visibility, as a strong east wind had got up and was carrying along
with us all the dust we raised and a good deal more, which filled the
air and made it difficult to clearly distinguish things.) Of course
a Regiment in this order covers a lot of ground and takes a certain
amount of time to get its formation, and even before the formation was
complete a shell bursting on our left warned me that we were seen, and
that the enemy had at least one gun, and made me wonder whether the
convoy was just a convoy, or whether it was not a gun or two with their
ammunition-carts. At this time too, rifle-fire was opened on us from
apparently a trench, for no Infantry were then visible, a few hundred
yards to the front of the leading squadron; at the same time I heard
rifle-fire well away to our left, showing that the advance-guard was
coming into touch with the enemy. All this convinced me that we were up
against a much bigger thing than the scattered bands of Turks reported
by the aeroplanes and armoured cars, but already the leading squadron
was on top of the first line of Turks, and the latter, about forty
or fifty in number, were already running for all they were worth, or
standing with their hands up. Some of these latter, I am told, picked
up their rifles after we had passed and fired into our backs, but very
few of that first lot reached their friends; they were either “stuck”
or taken prisoners. In the meantime our impetus had carried us on two
or three hundred yards, and into a very heavy rifle and machine-gun
fire, from what I took to be a big nullah or water-cut some eight
hundred yards to our front. Men and horses were dropping right and
left, so I tried to wheel them right-handed and backwards until we had
crossed the trench, or as it proved, small water-cut, from which the
Turks had first opened fire on us. Having crossed that, I halted the
remnants of the three squadrons (‘C’ Squadron was still operating by
itself out on the right) some three or four hundred yards farther on,
dismounted them, sent the horses back out of rifle-range, and advanced
on foot until we had reached this trench originally held by the Turks,
and which was still full of their equipment and rifles. I may say
here that the test to which I put these squadrons--viz., of halting
and dismounting under fire, and when the squadrons were all mixed up
and actually retiring at a gallop, albeit a slow one--was a very high
one, and the way in which they responded was beyond all praise. It was
only when we reached the Turkish trench that we were able to take a
breather and take stock, and then only did I fully realise the cost
of our ride. Major Twist, I heard, was hit, though slightly; Captain
Eve was missing, and it was feared killed; Captain Dawson missing,
Lieutenants Rolfe, Pinnington, and Lynch Staunton missing, and Welstead
hit; my trumpet-major killed, and my orderly badly wounded, and a
number of sergeants and men missing. It was patent to me that the men
who were missing must be lying, if hit, between us and the big nullah
in which the Turks were, and that our only chance of getting to them
was to draw the Turks out of this nullah, and it was very soon apparent
that we could not do this by a frontal advance without considerable
reinforcements: so I went back to Brigade Headquarters to consult with
the Brigadier, and pointed out to him that I thought the quickest and
cheapest method was to outflank the Turkish position to the northward.
He said he would consult with the Divisional Commander, and in the
meantime sent up two squadrons of the 14th Lancers to fill the gap
between us and the advance-guard of Watson’s Horse. Soon afterwards I
heard that the 6th Brigade was being sent to find the left flank of
the Turks, and I believe they did find it, but late in the afternoon,
showing that we could not be up against much less than a Turkish
Division, and that I believe was corroborated later. In the meantime
we hung on to our line, but were quite unable to advance, and it was
whilst sitting in this shallow water-cut that about 4.45 P.M.
I was hit by a rifle bullet in the right forearm. At the clearing
hospital I was able to ascertain from the books that night and next
morning the approximate extent of our casualties from wounds, and since
then I have had a few corrections and additions to make, with the
result that I can append a pretty accurate list as under:--
Killed--Captain Eve, 2nd Lieutenants Rolfe and Lynch Staunton.
Wounded--Major Twist, Captain Dawson, Lieutenant Pedder, 2nd Lieutenant
Welstead, and myself.
Missing--2nd Lieutenant Pinnington (reported a prisoner of war).
Killed--25 N.C.O.’s and men. Wounded--80.
“The wounded men are all most extraordinarily cheery, tremendously
pleased with themselves, and keen as can be to get fit and go back
to the Regiment; and I am glad to say that quite 50 per cent of the
wounded cases are very slight, and if not already discharged from
hospital, are likely to be there only a few days longer.
“At about 4.30 or 5 o’clock the enemy opened a heavy bombardment with
about twenty guns, knocked out one if not two of the guns of V Battery
by direct hits, and at the same time opened heavy rifle-fire, and
it looked as if they intended to make a strong counter-attack. The
event, however, proved otherwise, for as soon as darkness fell, about
6.30, they withdrew from their positions in haste; we were able to get
all our wounded in, and eventually retired a few miles to the river.
Next day the advance was resumed, and we were then able to judge the
strength of the position, where the Turks evidently had intended to
put up a big rearguard fight, and it became apparent that the shelling
of ‘S’ Battery of the 6th Brigade from their left rear had caused
the Turks to realise the danger in which they were of being cut off,
and had consequently hastened their retreat. The Regiment received
congratulations from many Divisional and Brigade Commanders for the
fine show they had put up on this occasion, and it naturally was very
pleasing to us to realise that we had effected good work, and that our
heavy casualties had not been altogether in vain.”
[Illustration: _Officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the 13th
Hussars who fell at Lajj, in Mesopotamia, on Monday, the 5th of March,
1917._]
General Maude’s view of the action is given in a letter to Colonel
Symons: “Your old Regiment did spendidly during the advance here, and
particularly on the 5th inst., when they made a mounted charge and got
well into the Turks, although they lost heavily in doing so, as they
got hung up in some trench systems.”
It may be noted that the loss in killed and wounded suffered by the
Thirteenth at Lajj was greater than in the famous charge of the Light
Brigade at Balaclava. The comparative nearness to England, the dramatic
setting, and other circumstances, combined to make Balaclava a name of
glory. The charge of the Light Brigade will always be for Englishmen
one of the most splendid deeds in the history of the race. Lajj is,
and is likely to remain for the nation in general, a name almost
unknown. But to the Thirteenth it will always be one of the Regiment’s
great days, for the level sands by the Tigris saw that morning in the
dust-storm a death ride just as brave and devoted as the one which has
become immortal.