terms for the
surrender of Kut. I spent the night in their camp and have been with
them several times since then. I asked them for information about
three names. About two of the names I could get little information. On
the third day I received a message from Ali Jenab Bey, telling me that
your son had died in hospital, and that all that could be done for him
had been done, and asking me to tell you how deeply he sympathised
with you. The next day Ali Jenab and two other Turks came into our
camp. One of them, Mohammed Riza, a relation of Jenab Pashas, told me
that your son had been brought in after the fight on the 21st,
slightly wounded in the shoulder and badly wounded in the chest. He
had been well looked after by the Doctors and the Colonel of the
Regiment (I could not find out which Regiment) had visited him, and at
the Doctor's wish sent him some brandy. He did not suffer and the end
came after four hours.

It is useless to try to tell you how sorry I feel for you and all of
yours. In this campaign, which in my mind has been the most heroic of
all, many of our men who have given their lives have suffered very
long and very terribly, and when one hears of a friend who has gone,
one is glad in this place, to know that he has been spared that
sacrifice.

I am,

Yours very sincerely,

(_Signed_) AUBREY HERBERT.

* * * * *

APPENDIX I.

THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE TAKEN FROM SIR PERCY
LAKE'S DESPATCH TO THE WAR OFFICE, PUBLISHED
OCTOBER, 1916.

_It will be noticed that it differs from the private accounts in one or
two particulars._

_1st phase--January 19--23._

After the battle of Wadi River General Aylmer's leading troops had
followed the retreating Turks to the Umm-el-Hannah position, and
entrenched themselves at the mouth of the defile, so as to shut the
enemy in and limit his power of taking the offensive.

The weather at this period was extraordinarily unfavourable. Heavy
rains caused the river to come down in flood and overflow its banks,
and converted the ground on either bank into a veritable bog.

Our bridge across the Wadi was washed away several times, while the
boisterous winds greatly interfered with the construction of a bridge
across the Tigris, here some 400 yards in width.

It was essential to establish Artillery on the right bank of the
Tigris, so as to support, by enfilading fire, the attack of our
Infantry against the Hannah position.