TCD MS 3416 page 15
[May 1916]
conveyance for our sick or any form of watercart.
As can well be imagined nothing could be done in the matter, so cursing the Turks & Turkey we cast away more kit and determined to make the best of it.
In my effort to describe this monotonous march to Mosul over the desert, I am putting in a good many details as to the duration of the marches & the dates to give some idea of our rate of march, the ground covered, and the time we had for resting.
On May 14th we started at 6.30 p.m. on our <211> mile journey <as the crow flies> to Mosul. Our transport of one diminutive donkey each, for our kit & riding purposes. This was an excellent method by which the Turkish officers could equip themselves, for, as I have already said, we were obliged to cast away a lot of kit to enable two kits to go onto one donkey, so that one donkey remained between the two of us for riding purposes. My mess mate, Mason & I decided that we would rather walk the whole way, by so doing we were able to allow our orderlies, Sgt Arlett & Pte Lacey plenty of warm clothing, & at the same time arrive at Mosul with a good kit ourselves, gambling on the possibility of