I never succeeded in actually hitting a steamer

TCD MS 3414 folio 57 recto

TCD MS 3414 folio 57 recto

[October-November 1915]

or 3.30 lb Hale bombs, and these I used to drop anywhere where I saw a favourable target. The enemys river steamers were often the objects of my attention, but I fear I never succeeded in actually hitting one thought I have been comparatively near on several occasions. Our cavalry used to occupy a ridge a mile or so to the N.N.E. of our camp and they often had a morning scrap with the Turkish patrols who had returned too near during the night. Early in November I got a very bad go of toothache, and as I did not think that such a small force, as our was, could possibly make an advance on Baghdad, I got leave to go to Basra to see the American dentist. I got as far as Kut where I and other officers were stopped & were informed that the dentist was coming up to Kut. I therefore stayed with Major Gordon & the officers of the RNAS who had their headquarters on a little sand island in the Tigris from which place they could easily launch their sea planes. They found that the Tigris was not a suitable river for seaplane work and so they removed the floats and fixed on land chassis, thus turning them into land machines. Major Gordon RMLI was working under the greatest difficulties, he had a totally inadequate staff of mechanics and pract