February 21.—“I am starting my chat to-day because we are going out to-morrow, so I make certain of catching the mail. We shall have had a six days’ easy—haven’t been out since Thursday, the 15th, and it has been very nice. To-morrow I fancy the next stage of the proceedings is to start, probably crossing to the north. I don’t imagine we shall have anything to do but sit on the flank at first, and until the Infantry as usual have done the work....
“I started to write to mother after my chat to you last Friday evening, and then a most terrific thunderstorm with heavy hail and a gale of wind suddenly came on, and we had to turn out and stand to the horses, only just in time to stop a stampede. In fact, for a minute or two after we were with them, I thought they might go. I got to mine, Follow Me and Caprice tangled up together. We held them all right, but it was pretty miserable—pitch dark, blowing a hurricane, and hail you couldn’t face. The men were top hole. When the storm passed, we got the lines down again (in water) and made all secure. We were, of course, wet through, and I then found our tent flooded out, beds in an inch of water, &c.... It blew and rained hard in the night, and the poor wretched men were wet through and in the open, all flooded or mud. Box and I kept dry in our tent, and it held all right against the wind....
“The men, as a matter of fact, have got into the way of making themselves the most cosy little dug-outs. They dig down and cover up with their waterproof sheets. They are wonders—never have any of them sick—two rubbed heels is my total sick in the squadron, and yet in permanent camp there would probably be a sick-list of ten....
“The river has risen tremendously the last few days, and is only a few feet from the top. Let’s hope it does not rise any more or we shall be completely flooded out.... I have got thirteen extra men out from permanent camp, and with the new horses can turn out something like a respectable squadron.... I am still short of horses, could do with any amount more like the last lot. Do you remember how in peace time it was always too many horses and no men? And now it is the exact opposite, just when horses are wanted.”[28]
CAPTAIN EVE’S CHARGER “FOLLOW ME”
(DIED AT SEA ON THE WAY HOME IN APRIL 1919)
February 23.—“Well, we didn’t go out on Thursday, yesterday, the whole show being postponed owing to the river having risen too much. It has since fallen, and the show started early this morning, and so far is going very well indeed, and we are standing-to in readiness.
“Besides this show, we have taken a great part of the first and second lines of the Sannaiyat position and repulsed five or six counter-attacks, so all is very well....
“Payne overheard the following between two of the men the other day. ‘That there Major Fry, ’e’s been made a Colonel.’ ‘What, ’im? What’s wrong with him?’ I think it good enough for ‘Punch’ if only one could draw a picture for it....”
General Maude had certainly been lucky in the weather, the winter floods not having yet made the river impassable, and he was taking full advantage of his chances. The “quite good show” of the 15th had been the last of a series of carefully-planned and hard-fought Infantry attacks, which had gradually torn away the Turkish hold from point after point upon the south bank of the Tigris. The enemy was now thrown across the river, and in desperate anxiety for his long line of communications. They were still covered by a swollen river more than three hundred yards broad, but they were not safe from a resolute attack, and after some skilful feinting here and there the blow was about to be driven home.