13th Hussars in Mesopotamia

[Jim_Grundy]

Pals

Does anyone have any information about the charge made by the 13th Hussars at Lajj, near Baghdad in March 1917? I have read a couple of accounts but nothing first hand, which is what I would really like to find.

Cheers,

Jim

[Patrick ODwyer]

I have a copy of the 13th Hussars HISTORY at home which after the holidays I'll follow up on. I recall they had a Squadron very severely affected by the charge with some 90 killed and wounded. If I forget please remind me by bringing this back to the front!

[Robert Dunlop]

This from Lt Col James Richardson, the commanding officer:

'(The regiment) had gone about two miles when our Brigadier ordered me to take the regiment up abreast of Watson's Horse (13th Lancers) with a squadron as advance guard, and soon afterwards pointed out what he took to be the (Turkish) convoy on the march and hinted that we might be able to get in on it with the sword and round it up. And so, having had a good look at this supposed convoy, which was about two and a half miles to our front, I called up the squadron leaders, explained the situation to them, and sending "C" Squadron well out on the right or exposed flank to work to the north of the small hillocks, I ordered "D", "B", and "A" Squadrons in that order to advance in echelon of squadrons extended.... Of course a regiment in this order covers a lot of ground and takes a certain amount of time to get its formation, and even before the formation was complete a shell bursting on our left warned me that we were seen and that the enemy had at least one gun and made me wonder whether the convoy was just a convoy or whether it was not a gun or two with their ammunition carts.

At this time too, rifle fire opened on us from apparently a trench, for no infantry were then visible, a few hundred yards to the front of the leading squadron; at the same time I heard a rifle fire well away on our left, showing that the advance guard (of the 13th Lancers) was coming into touch with the enemy.'

Second-Lt Pinnington wrote:

'When the whizz of bullets greeted our ears, the order came to dismount for action - presumably owing to the impossibility, on account of the dust, of seeing what actually lay in front of us.... After advancing a short distance dismounted and snapping away with Hotchkiss gun and rifle, we were summarily recalled, ordered to mount, draw swords and finally charge.'

Pvte Massey ("D" Squadron):

'As we got nearer, the fire became heavier and the whizz-whizz of the bullets as they flew in amongst us, told us that we were in for "hot stuff". Then we got the order to canter and when within a hundred yards of the Turks, the order to charge was given!'

Second-Lt Guy Pedder wrote:

'before we knew where we were we were onto them. Some stood up and surrendered, others lay flat on their backs and shot at us at two or three yards range; two fellows let off their rifles right in my face, but missed both Matches (his horse) and me. There was a small nullah at the part of the line where "D" charged and the Turk lying flat was pretty well safe, but we got a certain number; the noise was tremendous, bullets from revolvers, rifles and machine guns cracking all around.'

Pinnington again:

'(The Turks were soon) scurrying back to join their comrades in the rear line. The horrible screaching told its own weird tale of the fate they met. In the onrush, I got "winged" and was left... a few yards from the Turkish main-line trench. As I stood there dazed amid the dust, I saw another squadron come galloping up. It was a sight I shall never forget. The leader to the fore with sword aloft, the line of panting horses, the grim eager faces of the men, the flashing swords - I thought of Lady Butler's painting "Floreat Etona" and marvelled at seeing the living parallel. Captain Eve was the leader and as he approached... I shook my right arm, which was hanging limply by my side and shouted "This thing's shattered". "Hard lines, old by. Never mind" he called back and was gone. The line had passed and disappeared in the dust.' (Pinnington was taken prisoner)

Pedder again:

'Beyond the first nullah, and running at right angles to it, was another much deeper and we gave the Turks holding it a splendid target. I lost sight of Eve... but his orderly tells me he was shot from two yards range as he was bending down to charge a group of Turks.

There were a great many dead horses and empty saddles by now and I tried to rally all the men who were near me. It was extremely difficult as we were under heavy fire at very short range. There was a deafening noise and a hard wind blowing and if you collected men in bunches the bunches very soon had a machine gun on them, so what men I got under hand I kept extended and galloped a fair way back.'

Richardson:

'men and horses were dropping left and right... (I tried) to wheel them right-handed and backwards until we had crossed the trench, or as it proved, small water-cut, from which the Turks had first opened fire on us. Having crossed that, I halted the remnants of the three squadrons some three or four hundred yards further on, dismounted them, sent the horses back out of rifle range and advanced on foot until we reached the trench originally held by the Turks and which was still full of their equipment and rifles....

It was patent to me that the men who were missing must be lying, if hit, between us and the big nullah in which the Turks were and that our only chance of getting to them was to draw the Turks out of the nullah, and it was very soon apparent that we could not do this by a frontal advance without considerable reinforcements: so I went back to Brigade Headquarters to consult with the Brigadier and pointed out to him that I thought the quickest and cheapest method was to outflank the Turkish position to the northward. He said he would consult with the Divisional commander and in the meantime sent up two squadrons of the 14th Lancers to fill the gap between us and the advance guard of the 13th Lancers... In the meantime, we hung on to our line... and it was whilst sitting in this shallow watercut that about 4.45 pm I was hit in the right forearm.'

Massey:

'(When ordered to dismount) No 3s of each section led the sections' horses to the rear whilst Nos 1,2 and 4 of the sections formed line and charged with fixed bayonets. I went to the rear with the (Hotchkiss) gun section's horses, and many wounded men were being helped to the first-aid dressing station.'

Lt Payne wrote:

'We had had nothing to eat or drink since 3 that morning and had three miles of ploughed land to carry sixteen men in and fired on all the time (chiefly by snipers and artillery).'

From: 'A History of the British Cavalry: Vol 6 1914-1918 Mesopotamia' (ISBN 0 85052 433 4)

Robert

[Guest Pete Wood]

An excellent account. Many thanks, Robert, for taking the time to type it out.

What I found most interesting is the suggestion (on my part!) that the Turks appear to have had training in anti-cavalry tactics - by lying on their backs, and firing upwards.

A British trooper would have to be really leaning out of the saddle to slash a Turkish soldier, laying flat, on the ground.

It is the first time I have read of such tactics - and quite early in the campaign, too.

[Robert Dunlop]

What I found most interesting is the suggestion (on my part!) that the Turks appear to have had training in anti-cavalry tactics - by lying on their backs, and firing upwards.

I recall other descriptions of this tactic but I am not sure that it was used outside Mesopotamia. I will check my sources on this. Makes me wonder if the Turks may have developed something like this against the Cossacks, a traditional mounted enemy in the Caucasus. I have not read far enough back in the history of the Turko-Russian conflicts prior to 1914.

Robert

[Jim_Grundy]

Thanks to everyone, especially Robert, for their help.

I've just ordered Marquess's volume on Mesopotamia (don't tell the missus). Santa managed to bring me the 13th Hussars' history!

Cheers,

Jim