He was recalled to England to answer & explain

TCD MS 3414 folio 75 recto

TCD MS 3414 folio 75 recto

[December 1915]

within the Kut blockhouse line. On the 4th All river craft and details that were not required and wounded etc left Kut for Amarah, & it now became evident to every one that we were about to make a stand at Kut. <On Dec 4th Sir John Nixon & the Army Staff left Kut for Basra, taking with him a double company of the ¼ Hants, a double company of the 67th Punjabis & Sec of No 30 <M. Btn> for it was known that a strong party of Turks from Bedrai had worked round towards the Tigris at Nakailat, and it was expected that they ought impede the peaceful retirement of this Great General. However this was not the case & he arrived safely at Basra & was shortly afterwards recalled to England to answer & explain, I presume, for his blunderings. I forgot to mention above that, Sir J. Nixon had on Dec 3 started down stream but as his steamer was fired on he returned to Kut for a stronger escort on this occasion Lt Jones Col Battery was sent down with one gun on a barge to the Army Comdr, but met him returning to Kut.>

On Dec 5th the first enemy shells fell into Kut, & their advanced troops began to envelope the Town on both sides of the river. All our RFC & RNAS machines flew out or were taken down on the barges Capt Winfield-Smith, Wells, Lt Monroe & self remained with two BE2Cs & 1 Martin Syde, these machines could not be got in running order to fly out; the bulk of the RFC personnel also remained. On Dec 6th the Divisional Cavalry crossed by our bridge just below Kut & marched down the right bank towards Sheikh-Saad. On Dec 6th we destroyed our bridge as the enemy gained command of the bridge head, Lt Matthews RE & Lt Sweet <Ghurkas> distinguished themselves in aiding in its destruction. We were now beseiged, & all troops busily engaged in digging entrenchments. There is little doubt that the Battle of Ctesiphon and the Retreat were operations of which the Indian Army may ever be proud of, the fatigue, the scarcity of food caused by insufficient transport, the appalling medical arrangements & the vanity of the Commander in Chief, John Nixon, who without doubt forced his Governments hand to