The Turks proved to be too elusive

TCD MS 3414 folio 56 recto

TCD MS 3414 folio 56 recto

[October 1915]

a box of saddlery in addition to a box of private stores from Fortnum & Mason’s which I was continually getting replenished from home. I found myself daily doing reconnaissances to El Ketunie, Zuer and Ctesiphon in an old Morris Farman photographs had to be taken and accurate plans drawn of the defences of all these positions. El Ketunie and Zuer were merely Turkish advanced posts & places that could not be held in the event of their being attacked <by us, the> Suleiman Pak or Ctesiphon Position occupied most of our attention as did also the correcting of the local map of the river, which proved to be very inaccurate. Nothing of any interest took place until Oct 20th when the Division made a night march on El Ketunie in the hope of surprising <at dawn> the Turkish outpost there, which consisted of about 1000 cavalry – 400 cavalry and two mountain guns. The Turks proved to be too elucive and made off to Zuer, we only succeeded in capturing three men and a young Turkish officer who was hit in the back by a piece of shrapnel shell. Everytime I went on a flight I always used to carry either a dozen 3lb