, 1915, found the troops in readiness
to attack, stretched out on the wide plain facing the Ctesiphon
position, the troops detailed for the frontal attack nearest the
river. As soon as dawn broke the advance commenced. The left of the
columns marching against the enemy's flank were faintly visible on the
horizon. The gunboats opened fire against the enemy's trenches close
to the left bank. The field artillery drew in and pounded the ground
where they imagined the trenches must be, but there was no reply, nor
any sound of movement at Ctesiphon until the lines of advancing
infantry got within 2,000 yards of the wire entanglements. Then, as by
signal, the whole of the Turkish line broke into a roar of fire, and
we knew that the struggle had commenced.

"Under the heavy artillery fire the attack pushed in toward the enemy
with a steadiness which could not have been beaten on parade until
effective rifle range was reached, where a pause was made to build up
the strength. The fight for the trenches from now on until the British
succeeded in reaching the first line of trenches baffles description.
The gallant advance across the open ground, the building up of the
firing line, the long pause under murderous rifle fire, while devoted
bodies of men went forward to cut the wire, the final rush and the
hand-to-hand fighting in the trenches, are stories which have been
told before. No description could do justice to the gallantry of the
men who carried it out.

"Meanwhile, the flank attack had crushed the enemy's left and driven
it back on its second line a mile or so to the rear. Courage and
determination carried the day, and by the afternoon the whole of the
front Turkish position, and part of the second line was in the hands
of the British. The intensity of the fighting, however, did not abate.
The Turks pressed in counterattacks at several points from their
second position on which they had fallen back. Twelve Turkish guns
were captured, taken again by the enemy, recaptured by the British,
and retaken finally by the Turks, and so the fighting went on until a
merciful darkness fell, and, as if by mutual agreement, the fire of
both sides, too weary for more, died away."

Nuredin Pasha's forces were numerically far superior to the British.
General Townshend had only four brigades, while the Turkish commander
had four divisions, and was much stronger in artillery.

The Turkish commander, who was well informed as to the strength