A WAR STORY

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1929, Page 8

A WAR STORY

THE DEFENCE OF THE FORT AT KUT. The entrenched camp at Kut lay in a loop of the River Tigris with a mud fort as its extreme northern point of defence. On December 24th. 1915, the Turks concentrated a large part of their artillery on the fort, and big breaches were soon made in the walls. The north-east bastion had to be abandoned, about thirty of the Ist. Oxford and Bucks light Infantry manning a barricade in the rear.

Before noon the Turks emerged, from their trenches, less than 100 yards away, and rushed to the assault. They were met with bullet, bomb, and bayonet, the Oxfords being reinforced by detachments'of the Indian Volunteer Artillery. Farther to the left the Turks passed over the shattered walls and engaged the 103rd Mahratta Light Infantry; on the other flank they attacked the 110th Infantry.

After a struggle lasting for over half an hour, the enemy were repulsed with great slaughter, and the remainder of the Oxffords relieved the 119th; but the Turkish bombardment never ceased and at about 8 p.m., in dim moonlight, the assault was renewed with greater strength. To the right of the bastion the rapid fire of the Oxfords did immense execution at close range. The ruined bastion itself, could not be held, and the •Tur I*<' 1 * < ' surged up against the barricade, where a fierce struggle was waged with bombs. Bales, flour bags and biscuit tins were used to strengthen the barrier, where the defenders were nearly all killed! or wounded; but some of the 48th Pioneers arrived in time to save the situation.

On the left the 103rd Mahrattas fought splendidly and kept the enemy , bombers in ' check, although they lost heavily in doing so. in the early hours of Christmas morning the Turks at last retreated Their losses are variously estimated at from 800 to 2000; ours were about 320, including 70 per cent, of the original defenders of the fort, British, Indian and Anglo-Indian. . Never again did the enemy attempt to take Kut by assault; he preferred to leave hunger and disease to do the'r work.