WITH THE TROOPS IN PERSIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16338, 22 March 1915, Page 2

WITH THE TROOPS IN PERSIA.

A SOLDIER'S LETTER. Describing the fighting against the Turks and Arabs. Serge-ant A. Kingdom, in a letter to his mother-at Thetford, says: "We came up by ship (from India) up the River Euphrates, and disembarked on a lovely landing, up to the wai6t in mud and water. Not a tree in sight nor a blade of grass, except on the river banks, which are covered with" date palms. We marched all tho next day throu-gh mud. "We lay in the wet mud on the desert all night, and moved away early again in the morning, to find the enemy in position. They consisted of Turks and Arabs, about 14-00 yards to our front. The attack was pushed home under cover of our mountain batteries, and the field artillery came up later. The artillery horscG were so completely knocked up that- they could not walk away from the guns when unhooked. The troops were also knpeked up, and in the meantime the enemy's artillery -was having it all its own way. "Our rifles were choked inside with mud, and the bolt action and sights had to ba made to work before an accurate fire could bo effected. Some of our men, rather . than use the muddy 6lush from their water bottles, stood and emptied it on their bolt action, although water is so scarce and slush worth a gold piece an ounce. ' 1 1 was more fortunate; my socks had shrunk so small that I was better able to walk without one, so I cut off the toe and put it over my bolt action. So my rifle was fairly clean. We were caked with clay from head to foot.

" A supreme effort on tiie part of all of us was effected, and wo got the enemy's range, keeping our fire coolly delivered, and within half an hour the Turks were retiring, leaving the Arabs to cover their retreat'. They remained another quarter of an hour! and meanwhile we. had fixed our bayonets for the grand finale, but svidently they did not wish to prolong their stay."