The weight carried was reduced to the minimum, but averaged about 14 stone. The weather during the last four months of the campaign was trying. Food was often very limited, and during the desert march water very scarce. Under the above conditions, I venture to think that the performances of the regiment on the Arab ponies, will compare with the performance of any horsemen on record.
Casualty Return of Arab ponies, 19th (Princess of Wales’ Own) Hussars, 13th November 1884 to 1st July 1885.
| Summary. | |
| Killed in action | 20 |
| Destroyed | 37 |
| Drowned | 1 |
| Missing | 1 |
| Died | 12 |
| — | |
| Total | 71 |
| —– | |
| Disease. | |
| Bullet wounds | 23 |
| Exhaustion | 31 |
| Fractures | 7 |
| Paralysis | 1 |
| Enteritis | 1 |
| Farcy | 1 |
| Purpura hæmorrhagica | 1 |
| Rupture of intestine | 1 |
| Rupture of stomach | 1 |
| Saddle gall | 1 |
| Colic spasmodic | 1 |
| Missing | 1 |
| Drowned | 1 |
| — | |
| Total | 71 |
| —– | |
Casualty Return of Arab Ponies, 19th (Princess of Wales’ Own) Hussars, from 13th November 1884, to 1st July 1885, showing the period during which the horses died.
| Period. | Number of horses effective. | Destroyed or died from debility and exhaustion. | Destroyed or died from other causes. | Killed in action. |
| Wady Haifa to Korti, 13th November to 8th January | 350 | ... | 5 | ... |
| Korti to Matammeh and back, 8th January to 8th March | 155 | 19 | 5 | 20 |
| At Korti, 8th January to 8th March | 73 | ... | 2 | ... |
| With River Column, 1st January to 8th March | 107 | 3 | 1 | ... |
| Korti, Dongola, and other Stations, 9th March to 20th June | 347 | 5 | 9 | ... |
| Dongola, Assouan, 21st June to 1st July 1885 | 380 | ... | 2 | ... |
| Total deaths | ... | 27 | 24 | 20 |
A few practical lessons learnt.
1. When water was limited to two gallons or less it was given in small quantities, not all at once. Even one pint to the horses, or just enough to moisten their mouths, enabled them to come up to time again. On one occasion, late at night, the horses were much exhausted—we were 35 miles from water, and less than one pint left per horse—the horses could not eat, their mouths were so parched. I had a sack of dhourra meal, and with the water made a number of moist balls of meal. These balls revived the horses, and they marched on their 35 miles next morning. I obtained this hint, previous to the campaign, from General V. Baker, who told me that the Turkomans used to carry in skins balls of grease, or oil and meal.
2. The horses were saved on every possible occasion, and by every possible device. The men never sat on their horses’ backs for a moment longer than necessary. Marches in column were avoided, extended line being used, so that each horse had pure air to breathe; when picketed, horses always had plenty of room and their heads to the breeze; when possible, they were washed two or three times a week, which tended much towards their healthy condition.