thin
2,000 yards before the Infantry should assault. This idea was adopted.

During the 19th the Highland Regiment, by some fine patrol work, drove
the enemy advanced troops back with little loss, and during the night
three strong points were built a mile in advance, two on the east and
one on the west bank of the Dujail. From these points both the
Highlanders and the Punjabis skirmished further forward on the 20th,
and the enemy's position was becoming seriously threatened with but
little loss to ourselves.

One incident in this patrol fighting must not pass unnoted. An
artillery officer had been sent forward in the morning to observe the
ground and enemy positions from our strong point on the east bank of
the Dujail. It was a task of considerable danger, for already several
of our men had been hit by enemy snipers, and at this moment a wounded
man was being carried back by the stretcher bearers. The artillery
officer had crawled a little ahead of the Strong Point in order to
observe more freely, but his gallantry was ill rewarded by a bullet
striking him and incapacitating him from coming back, or even escaping
from his exposed position. Easton had been Sergeant of the Highlanders
stretcher bearers since his predecessor had been killed when
recovering wounded, and he himself had won the Distinguished Conduct
Medal for a fine piece of work in France. Without hesitation Easton
now ran forward from the strong point and, though the enemy snipers
were dropping bullets all round, roughly bandaged the officer, picked
him up on his back, staggered down to the river and got him across
under the welcome shelter of the other bank, though the stream was
over six feet deep. For this action Sergeant Easton now wears a bar to
his Distinguished Conduct Medal.

[Illustration: Street Scenes In Baghdad.]

[Illustration: British Residency, Baghdad.]

[Illustration: Hotel Maude, Baghdad.]

[Illustration: The Bridge At Baghdad.]

On the 20th it was definitely decided that the situation demanded an
immediate advance, and a direct frontal attack was ordered to take
place at dawn on the following morning. One force were to lead the
attack at 5 a.m. on the east of the Dujail, the Highlanders to
advance along the east bank of that canal, and one Company of the
Punjabis on the west bank. On the right of the Highlanders a battalion
of Gurkhas were to advance from the right strong point with a
battalion of Indian Infantry in echelon on th