Nevertheless, on the 5th of November they were attacked and completely defeated, losing 2000 men, of whom 300 were killed and though the brunt of the trench-fighting fell of course upon the Infantry, the Cavalry did their share. General Marshall, who was in immediate command, records that in the afternoon “a spirited attack by the Infantry coupled with a charge by the Cavalry Brigade on the flank, threw back the Turks in disorder, who fled panic-stricken.” Most of them got away under cover of strong rearguard positions, prepared beforehand, which held up the British pursuit. Still, it was a very successful action, and during the night the Turks, after burning a large quantity of ammunition and stores, withdrew the whole of their forces to a point forty miles up the river. At Tekrit, for the second time in the Mesopotamian campaign, the Thirteenth, or two squadrons of them, got an opportunity of attacking on horseback, sword in hand, which is always the chance the Cavalry soldier longs to get. They lost an excellent officer, Captain Robinson, who was commanding the two squadrons concerned, and was killed in the charge. Another officer, Lieutenant Williams-Taylor, was wounded and taken prisoner. Their total loss was six killed and twenty-two wounded--only a fourth of the loss sustained at Lajj eight months before, but still a sensible one for two weak squadrons. It was a fine affair, and the Regiment was proud of itself. After the action, and the rapid retreat of the Turks, the main portion of the troops on this line were brought back to a better position, but Tekrit was held and was never again in Turkish hands. Unhappily, this was the last battle fought by the army of Mesopotamia while under the command of General Maude. On the 18th of November, at the height of his success and reputation, he died of cholera in Baghdad, and not only for the troops he had led to victory, but for the nation, his death was a real misfortune. Few men have been more beloved by those who served under him, or more trusted as a bold and yet careful commander. He was no doubt more fortunate than his predecessors, in that he was given a large and thoroughly equipped force to do the work demanded of him, while they had been called upon to achieve victory with troops insufficient in number and very badly equipped, but this in no way detracts from his merits. He was not like them, asked to do impossibilities, but what he was asked to do was not easy, and he did it thoroughly well. The following extracts are from papers bearing upon the fight at Tekrit from the point of view of the Thirteenth Hussars. _By Lieutenant T. Williams-Taylor._ “TEKRIT, _November 5th, 1917_.