indeed, than those of the Turks which officially were stated
to have been only seventy-nine killed, 168 wounded and nine missing.

After this unsuccessful attempt to advance further a lull ensued for a
few days. On April 12, 1916, however, the Third Division again began
to attack on the right bank of the Tigris and pushed back the Turks
over a distance varying from one and one-half to three miles. At the
same time a heavy gale inundated some of the advanced Turkish trenches
on the left bank at Sanna-i-Yat with the waters from the Suwatcha
marshes. This necessitated a hurried withdrawal to new positions,
which British guns made very costly for the Turks. A heavy gale made
further operations impossible for either side on April 13 and 14,
1916. On the following day, April 15, 1916, the Third Division again
advanced a short distance on the right bank, occupying some of the
advanced Turkish trenches. Further trenches were captured on April 16
and 17, 1916, at which time the Turks lost between 200 and 300 in
killed, 180 by capture as well as two field and five machine guns,
whereas the English losses were stated to have been much smaller. This
was due to the fact that for once the English forces had been able to
place their guns so that their infantry was enabled to advance under
their protection up to the very trenches of the Turks, which, at the
same time, were raked by the gunfire and fell comparatively easily
into the hands of the attackers. The latter immediately pressed their
advantage and succeeded in advancing some hundred yards beyond the
position previously held by the Turks near Beit Eissa. Here, as well
as during the fighting of the few preceding days, the British troops
were frequently forced to advance wading in water up to their waist,
after having spent the night before in camps which had no more solid
foundation than mud. They were now within four miles of the Turkish
position at Es-Sinn, which in turn was less than ten miles from
Kut-el-Amara. However, this position had been made extremely strong by
the Turks and extended much further to the north and south of the
Tigris than any of the positions captured so far by the British relief
force.

In spite of this the Turks recognized the necessity of defending the
intermediate territory to the best of their ability. After the British
success at Beit Eissa in the early morning of April 17, 1916, they
again brought up strong reenforcements from Es-Sinn, and at onc