the 2nd Battalion advance. Magazines
were charged and bayonets fixed on the move; the companies moved with
great rapidity and wonderful exactness considering the exhausting
march of the day before and the little practice they had had in open
warfare. But without covering fire, and there was little artillery
fire available to cover our attack such an attack over bare open plain
cannot succeed unless the enemy be few in numbers or of poor heart.
The Turk was neither weak nor faint-hearted, and poured in so deadly a
fire that before the leading lines were within 200 yards of the enemy,
five hundred of the battalion had been killed or wounded. Other units
suffered with almost equal severity, the attack came to an inevitable
halt, there were no reserves to drive it home, consequently orders
were sent up from the Brigade that the infantry should dig themselves
in where they were. Nineteen officers and two-thirds of the men had
been hit: Colonel Wauchope was severely wounded by a shell and Major
Hamilton Johnstone took over command.

[Illustration: The Pipe Band.]

[Illustration: Corporal McLEOD.]

[Illustration: The Pipe Band.]

[Illustration: Our Left Flank At San-i-yat, The Tigris.]

[Illustration: Capt. HALDANE Inspects The Hannah Trenches.]

[Illustration: At Mohammerah.]

But if our losses were heavy and the sufferings great, the Turk had
also suffered so heavily at our hands, that he was forced to evacuate
his position on the following day, and we occupied it on the 9th. The
situation was one of extreme difficulty for the new Commanding
officer. If there were few men left there were still fewer officers or
sergeants remaining with much experience. Yet the Turks were close to
our trenches and re-organisation of the depleted platoons imperative.
But his indomitable spirit and the determination within the regiment,
so often shown at times of crisis, made the hardest tasks possible.
The wounded were brought back, the dead buried; rations were got
forward and the trenches securely held. New leaders were appointed,
and on January 10th when the Brigade moved forward from Sheikh-Saad
the Battalion had been reformed under its well-loved commander, ready
as always to do whatever duty lay before.

Progress was made up the river bank slowly, but always in the
direction of Kut, the aim and object of our every march and fight at
this period. The enemy had retreated some miles and, on January 13th,
they were attacked and dri