TCD MS 3414 folio 43 recto
[September 1915]
Chapter 6 The Battle of Es-Sinn: – and the Occupation of Kut-el-Amarah – Sept: 26th-27th-28th 1915.
The situation was roughly as follows, the accompanying sketch will help the reader to grasp the position of the troops and follow the main trail of events:-
The Turks & Arab Forces under Nured Din Pascha were occupying a line of sand hills on the right bank known as the Es-Sinn Ridge; the defences in this locality were very formidable, being strengthened with barbed wire, cheveux de fries <shrapnel stakes fixed in the shape of St Andrews crosses & interlaced with wire>, & trous de loupes<deep pits into which are driven sharpened stakes> {foot note}. On the left bank their position ran from the river bank to the Horshoe marsh, and between the gaps between the marsh, the Swada and Sawaich marshes.
The bulk of their force was on the right bank, for they evidently thought that an attack on their left flank over the flat and waterless desert would be highly improbable. (The marshes were salt)