its old first trenches.  The next day the Turks were further reinforced and attacked again.  The British drove them back over and over, but found themselves unable to advance.  The Turks had lost enormously but the English had lost about one-third of their strength, and were compelled to fall back.  They therefore returned on the 26th to Lajj, and ultimately, after continual rear guard actions, to Kut.  There they found themselves surrounded, and there was nothing to do but to wait for help.  By this time the eyes of the world were upon the beleaguered British army.  Help was being hurried to them from India, but Germany also was awake and Marshal von Der Goltz, who had been military instructor in the Turkish army, was sent down to take command of the Turkish forces.  The town of Kut lies in the loop of the Tigris, making it almost an island.  There was an intrenched line across the neck of land on the north, and the place could resist any ordinary assault.  The great difficulty was one of supplies.  However, as the relieving force was on the way, no great anxiety was felt.  For some days there was constant bombardment, which did no great damage.  On the 23d an attempt was made to carry the place by assault, but this too failed.  The relieving force, however, was having its troubles.  These were the days of floods, and progress was slow and at times almost impossible.  Moreover, the Turks were constantly resisting.

The relief expedition was composed of thirty thousand Indian troops, two Anglo-Indian divisions, and the remnants of Townshend’s expedition, a total of about ninety thousand men.  General Sir Percy Lake was in command of the entire force.  The march began on January 6th.  By January 8th the British had reached Sheikh Saad, where the Turks were defeated in two pitched battles.  On January 22d he had arrived at Umm-el-Hanna, where the Turks had intrenched themselves.

After artillery bombardment the Turkish positions were attacked, but heavy rains had converted the ground into a sea of mud, rendering rapid movement impossible.  The enemy’s fire was heavy and effective, inflicting severe losses, and though every effort was made, the assault failed.

For days the British troops bivouacked in driving rain on soaked and sodden ground.  Three times they were called upon to advance over a perfectly flat country, deep in mud, and absolutely devoid of cover against well-constructed and well-planned trenches, manned by a brave and stubborn enemy, approximately their equal in numbers.  They showed a spirit of endurance and self-sacrifice of which their country may well be proud.

But the repulse at Hanna did not discourage the British army.  It was decided to move up the left bank of the Tigris and attack the Turkish position at the Dujailah redoubt.  This meant a night march across the desert with great danger that there would be no water supply and that, unless the enemy was routed, the army would be in great danger.