“We went through the Infantry and crossed the Tigris above Kut at 9 A.M., Saturday, 24th. Curiously enough, I met Masson, who used to be at Pat’s at Repton with me. He had been building the bridge. We didn’t do much that day, as we were held up when we tried to get round their flank; however, next day we went a long reconnaissance. I got a small batch of prisoners, and then we attacked the Turks’ position. I was commanding the squadron, as Eve was commanding a wing. We advanced about 1½ mile across the open under very heavy rifle-fire and shrapnel. I lost both my sergeant-majors and two sergeants, besides others. The Regiment lost 35 and only 1 officer (Lord): how we got out of it I don’t know, as hardly any one came out without a bullet through his coat, topee, or something. I tell you I lay pretty flat when we weren’t advancing or retiring, but there was not a bit of cover! We camped down about 2 A.M., and were off again about 6 and went about 30 miles, but the Turks had cleared early next morning. We took about 300 prisoners and 6 heavy guns, and the road was littered with ammunition, kit, shells, carts, dead animals, &c. The prisoners were in a very bad way and could hardly walk.... [Illustration: H.M.S. “TARANTULA” “A TRIED AND TRUSTY FRIEND OF THE REGIMENT”] [Illustration: PRIVATE MASSEY’S “ORACLE,” OTHERWISE CORACLE] “Luckily the weather has been perfect, except it has frozen every night, and is quite cold in the day. I brought all my bedding on my spare horse, but of course we haven’t got any tents. None of us got the chance of a wash or shave for four days, so you would have laughed if you had seen us. I am awfully fit. Hope the next letter I write to you will be Baghdad: it’s under fifty miles from here. Best love to all. “The monitors did excellent work and recaptured the _Firefly_ and other boats.”