received your cable enquiring about your son to-day, and have wired
to the Adjutant General at the base at Basra enquiring whether he has
any information not known to the Regiment, as I very much regret to
say we have none whatever. All we know is that he started in the
attack on the Turkish trenches on the 21st January and has not been
seen since. I write to-day as the mail is leaving, but will cable as
soon as I get a reply from the base. Out of 310 who went into the
attack we had 288 casualties. Bucknill and a good many men are missing
as well. There was great difficulty in getting the wounded back as it
had to be done at night and the rain and mud were appalling.

There was an armistice next day, but we were not allowed to go within
a certain distance of the Turkish trenches, so all wounded within that
area are probably prisoners.

One other officer of ours was captured and we only found that out
incidentally. There has been no official list of prisoners and I don't
think the Army Headquarters here know who was taken. I don't know
whether you would have the means of getting this from the Turks
through the War Office. I believe attempts are being made here. I
think there is a chance of his being a prisoner as the Regiment got
pretty near the trenches, but I can get no information from any of our
men. I will cable at once if I hear anything.

I saw yesterday a copy of the _Pioneer_ (Allahabad) for January 30th,
and that reported your son wounded. I hoped, therefore, that he had
been sent to India and the medical people in this country had omitted
to make any record of it, but I imagine in that case he would surely
have cabled to you himself, and I fear the only hope is that he may be
a prisoner of war.

Your son was attached to my Company latterly and besides being very
keen and capable was a great favourite with the men, and we all miss
him very much indeed. I hope your Lordship will accept my deepest
sympathy in your anxiety, and I sincerely hope that your son may be
safe.

(_Signed_) H.M. FOSTER,

_Capt. 1/4th Hants Regt._

* * * * *

H.M.S. "MANTIS,"

_May_, 1916.

DEAR LORD SELBORNE.

I am more grieved than I can say to have given you the news which I
telegraphed yesterday. I know how cruel the anxiety of doubt is, and
telegraphed to you when I had the evidence which I and my friends here
considered reliable.

About six days ago I went out to the Turks to discuss