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.