The year 1916 opened, as the last had closed, without any exciting event for the Indian Cavalry Corps. There was heavy fighting for the Infantry and guns, and the more hopeful spirits in the Thirteenth Hussars still believed, or tried to believe, that their chance would come sooner or later, but there seemed to be no immediate prospect of it.

Meanwhile the old routine went on.

Captain W. H. Eve—February 6, 1916.—“We are still busy, though rather dull, at our ordinary training, ... but the men get a lot of games, &c., too—football, running, and so on. We have been having pretty good weather, much drier, and nothing to complain of. It has been a wonderfully fine winter so far, but it isn’t over yet. Things are very forward—too forward, I am afraid.

“All the land is under crops, which interferes terribly with our field-work.

“Oakes (2nd in command, ‘D’ Squadron) is at present in hospital with a kick on the shin (football), but otherwise we are all very well and flourishing.”

March 19.—“There is little or no news from here except that our proposed move is, I think, postponed for a time. I am sending another digging party away to-day and one comes back. I expect we shall always have a certain number of men away now, digging in second line. We are all very fit and flourishing.”

It was a necessary measure of precaution to have lines of trench behind the fighting line. All hoped to go forward, but in case of overwhelming German attacks, strong intrenched positions on which troops could fall back were an obvious need. The letter goes on:—

“I attended a trench-warfare class for a week about a fortnight ago, which was a change, but taught me very little.

“The weather is all in our favour for work, but it means that in this closely cultivated country it is almost impossible to find ground to work over, now that they are so busy with the spring work on the land.”

“During this time,” writes Lance-Corporal Bowie, “we had many inspections, the chief one being by General Remington, commanding the Indian Cavalry Corps in the new year.... The Regiment not being required in the actual firing line at this time, many men were sent on various courses of instruction, such as M.M.P.’s, signalling, pigeon-flying, intelligence, &c. On January 31st a party left by motor-buses for the village of ——, to construct trenches, &c., being relieved on March 14th by another party. On March 26th we proceeded to FeuquiÈres-en-Vimes. From here the Regiment left for St Riquier on April the 4th to commence Divisional training, after which we returned to FeuquiÈres on the 18th, meanwhile continuing to relieve our parties in trench-digging.... Later we again proceeded to St Riquier to take part in the Corps training, after which we again returned to FeuquiÈres. The remainder of our stay here was occupied by sports, horse-shows, &c., the chief event being an International Horse Show held at Oisemont in May. This event was marked by the attendance of many noted French Generals and the 3rd French Army Corps from Verdun. Immediately afterwards we again proceeded to St Riquier to take part in the Grand Manoeuvres.”

It all reads more like peace-time than the middle of the greatest of wars. But such was the condition of things for the Cavalry of the Allied and enemy armies on the Western Front. The extension of the front from the sea to Switzerland, and the development of the great line of trenches which covered it, had put an end to all open warfare. The contending hosts were locked in a desperate struggle, which swayed backwards and forwards over a few miles of devastated and blood-soaked ground, giving no opening for the sweeping movements of horsemen. Month by month it became more and more evident that there was no immediate likelihood of this state of things being changed. Neither side seemed strong enough to tear a gap in the opposing line and let through a flood of horsemen into its rear. Till that could be done there could be no chance for the Cavalry as Cavalry.

Meanwhile the war was developing all over the world, especially in Africa and Asia, and in some quarters the conditions were very different from those obtaining in the densely-peopled districts of the main front, where the colossal armies stood face to face. On two other fronts especially, where Great Britain was opposed to the Turks, horsemen had room to move and were badly needed. In Egypt and Palestine, and in Mesopotamia and Persia, the armies engaged were not in such numbers as to cover the whole ground and reduce the war to the likeness of a gigantic siege. Even there, on the broad plains of Asia, trenches and aeroplanes were to some extent in use, and did much to limit the operations of Cavalry; but they were not all-important. There was still room for open warfare and turning movements and surprise. And for service in those countries, with their comparatively dry climates and hard soil and great heat, the Indian soldier was specially fitted—much better fitted, to tell the truth, than for the cold and mud of Europe. It was therefore decided in the early part of 1916, when trained white troops were beginning to pour out of England in great numbers, that the work of the Indian Army on the European front was done, and that for the future, with its numerous and excellent Cavalry, it could be more usefully employed in other theatres of war.13

It has always been the custom to send on service with Indian troops a certain proportion of white men, and much as the white troops were needed in Europe, it was felt that the custom must be maintained in this case. The Indian Regiments now sent to fight in Africa and Asia were therefore mixed as usual with British Regiments. The officers of the Indian Regiments had every confidence in the troops they led; but it would have been a tremendous test to send Indian soldiers unsupported by British troops to face the renowned fighting men of Turkey, organised and directed by Germans, and equipped with all the latest appliances of modern war. The strain would have been increased by the fact that the number of British officers serving with an Indian Regiment is always small—probably not half the number serving with a British Regiment.

As to the Thirteenth, they were warned in the middle of June to prepare for service in the East, and there were persistent rumours that the destination of the Brigade would be Mesopotamia, where a serious reverse had lately been inflicted upon British arms by the capture of General Townshend and ten thousand men at Kut.

These rumours were well founded, for the nation rightly felt that such a humiliation must be wiped out, and the Meerut Brigade, including the Thirteenth Hussars, was among the troops selected to retrieve the position.

“It was on the 17th day of June,” writes Private C. T. Massey, “that my Regiment, the Thirteenth Hussars, who were at that time digging trenches for cables behind the lines in France, received orders to get ready to return to their billets at Chessy, a little village a few miles distant from the town of Abbeville. We heard that the Regiment was under orders for leaving the country, and rumours were flying all over the place: some said Salonika, others said India, whilst others said Basra, a modern town of 10,000 inhabitants on the right bank of the river Tigris in Mesopotamia, and the last one proved to be correct.... On arriving in billets we found great excitement prevailed, and every one said we were leaving for Mesopotamia. Every one was in the best of spirits and glad to be leaving France, where Cavalry were inactive.”

That was the right spirit in which to take the move; and though no doubt there had been much disappointment among officers and men with the fact that in France “Cavalry were inactive,” it would not be easy to find among all their letters and diaries bearing on this time a word of murmuring or regret at the prospect of turning their backs on England again, and entering upon another term of distant Eastern service. The universal feeling was one of satisfaction at being sent to some other theatre of war where Cavalry would come into its own.

Private Massey’s diary goes on to describe the voyage out.

“On the 19th we were officially informed that the Regiment was leaving France for Mesopotamia, and the same day we left for the railhead at Pont RÉmy, a fairly large station.... Whilst waiting, a train-load of Belgian soldiers passed through and we gave them a rousing cheer.... All was soon ready, and at 6 the train moved off. We were travelling all day the 20th and the 21st, and on the morning of the 22nd we arrived at Marseilles, and after detraining with our horses, limber, and equipment, proceeded towards La Valentine Camp. We remained in the camp until the 27th, which we left at 7.30 that day, and proceeded to the docks at Marseilles.”

It appears from the Regimental Diary that the Regiment embarked 30 officers and 582 other ranks. Private Massey goes on:—

“We handed over our horses to a native regiment. I gave my old horse (No. 62) a few pats on the neck, as he had been a good old horse, and he had carried me hundreds of miles, and I was sorry to lose him. We afterwards went on board the Kalyan, and I was put on guard over the steps leading to the bridge; others were put on submarine guard, and every precaution was taken to prevent the ship being torpedoed.... On the 31st we were issued out with Indian khaki, as it was getting very hot the farther we went south. The next few days the sea became very rough, and on 2nd July I was sick after tea.

“On the 3rd we arrived at Port Said after a very uneventful voyage. On the voyage across we received the news by wireless every day, so we knew that the great offensive had begun. We watched the coaling of the boat, during the afternoon of the 3rd, and it struck me as a mild form of slavery, to see the natives coaling the ship: they work like devils, and all for a few annas a day. Native boys swim round the ship, diving for pennies which we threw them from the deck.

“When we woke at rÉveillÉ on the following morning the boat was already on the move down the Canal.... Towards night we sailed past Port Suez, but we could not see much of it; but it looked magnificent with the streets lighted up, and it seemed to stretch a long way along the coast.

“After sailing down the Red Sea for several days we entered the Indian Ocean. We saw large shoals of flying-fish in the Red Sea, also other big fish.

“We had an uneventful voyage across the Indian Ocean, and arrived outside Bombay at about 9 A.M. on the 15th of July. On the 16th we went into dock soon after rÉveillÉ, disembarked, and marched to Colaba Camp, about four miles from the docks. I went with several others to the swimming-baths, and for the first time in my life managed to swim a few yards. I was so fond of the salt water that I was in it again that night, aided by the light of the moon.”

Lance-Corporal Bowie, already quoted, strikes the same note about the horses. “Here” (at Marseilles), he writes in his diary, “our horses were taken from us, many of us being very sorry to part with some splendid horses which we had brought with us from India, and which had carried us so well all the time in France.” In that respect the officers were more fortunate than the men. Though it was not thought desirable to send the troop-horses back again to the East, the officers were allowed to take their chargers—about 100 in all,—a great boon.

June 26, 1916.—“All has gone well,” writes the officer commanding “D” Squadron, “and I am taking all my three children with me.” And later from Marseilles he mentions “the glad news that we are taking our own children with us.... We have handed over a certain number of the best of the walers and country-breds to the 30th, including, I am sorry to say, ‘Jean,’ and the remainder all go to the depot to-morrow when we depart.... All the Regiment will be together, and the ‘children’ with us too. It could hardly be better, all things considered.”

From Port Said again: “All is well. It’s the usual dull routine, but better than I remember it before in these parts. The great mercy for me is having the children with us. They give me an interest and are most comfortable—tons of room, two or three stalls for each, and very flourishing so far. ‘Caprice’ was off her feed and with a temperature yesterday afternoon, but only for a little while, and is as fit as anything to-day.”

It is satisfactory to know that for the most part they arrived safely in India, and, though none the better for their voyage, were able to do good service afterwards.

In spite of all it was not an exhilarating voyage. Very little was known to the Regiment about the prospect before them, and not much about what was going on in France.

Captain Eve—Suez.—“As soon as we arrived yesterday we heard the push had started and that we had got through on a front of twenty-five miles, but we didn’t get the telegrams with any details till the afternoon: let us only pray we may do as well as we hope.”

Alas! it was a vain prayer. There were to be many “pushes” before the final one two years later.

July 14.—“We get to the end of our march to-morrow. I needn’t tell you how glad we shall be. It has seemed desperately long—very different to when going the other way. We are all very fit and flourishing.”

A later letter describes the voyage in more detail, and may be worth quoting as an example of war-time voyages. “We went by ourselves, but had various kinds of escorts through the Mediterranean: sometimes a destroyer, sometimes a sham tramp steamer, really of course armed with guns, and sometimes with no visible escort at all; and we went the most peculiar way, all round the west and south sides of Corsica and Sardinia, south of Malta, north of Crete, then south and zigzagged about a lot before making Port Said. I believe a ship was sunk off the north-east corner of Crete not long before us. I think our sham tramp steamers are the most lovely things. Of course we had all lights out, ports closed, no smoking after dark, and great discomfort, and heaps of guards and submarine look-outs, and it was very hot but mostly very calm. However, all this ended at Port Said, where also they took off our gun and gunners.... We left at 10 P.M. and went through the Canal very slowly, stopping a long time in the lakes. The camps and trenches had increased enormously, the most perfect trenches now, and huge camps. It is quite a sight, very strong, and there must be a large force in Egypt now. They looked wonderfully fit, and yelled to us to know where we were going, but we would not say.”

Arrived at Bombay, the Regiment was informed that it was definitely for Mesopotamia, and the news was received with the greatest pleasure, as doubtful rumours had been in circulation. They had, in fact, been better founded than most rumours, for shortly before the arrival of the Thirteenth, it had been decided that the Brigade was not to leave the country again. The Thirteenth were to return to Meerut, and the Seventh Hussars were to take their place with the Mesopotamia force. Why this decision was altered does not appear, but report said that the Seventh were wanted on the North-West Frontier, where trouble was brewing, and the Thirteenth were taken for Mesopotamia after all. Nevertheless, the old Meerut Brigade was broken up, the 3rd Skinner’s Horse and 30th Cavalry being retained in India, to their intense disappointment. The 3rd and the Thirteenth Hussars had lain alongside one another for five years, and it was with special regret that they said good-bye to each other. The place of the two native regiments was taken by the 13th and 14th Indian Lancers. The Meerut Brigade now became the 7th Cavalry Brigade of the Mesopotamia Field Force. It retained with it V Battery of Horse Artillery, which had suffered so severely in France.

Meanwhile the Regiment had lost the services of some officers from illness. Second-Lieutenant Guy Pedder writes on the 4th of July, evidently from the Suez Canal, though after the manner of the time his letter is dated only “on ship going out”:—

“Four officers have fallen out now—Covell in France, Kennedy at Marseilles, Munster at Port Said, and Wingfield at the next stop.... I wonder where we will get our first letters, &c.; it will be rather interesting. We travel very slowly along here, and stop at each lake as far as I can make out! There are no more submarine guards to be done, thank goodness. I was on eight hours each day, four by day and four by night. Saw a paper yesterday which said we had got the first-line trenches over sixteen mile frontage—wonder if the push is going on as well as was expected.”

July 14.—“I expect the first news you will have got of me will be the cable I sent from Port Said; we haven’t put into harbour since then, but were able to drop some letters to a small boat just opposite Suez, but I don’t know whether you will get that letter. We hope to reach Bombay to-morrow; if so, this letter will just catch the mail, and I will cable to you to-morrow.

“Of course we got out of the danger zone when we got to Port Said. It was very hot, but very interesting in the Canal. Then followed the Gulf, which was calm and dull for four days. Then we got into the Sea, and the so-called terrible monsoon; but it wasn’t a bit terrible, although the ship rolled like anything for four days; lots of fellows were sick, and felt very bad, but I was as fit as anything all the time, and smoked cigars and pipes, &c.

“No one knows our final destination up to date, but I fancy we will be in India for a couple of months at least, and then go on. I am looking forward to seeing India awfully, and hope we stay there for a short time at any rate.... I have enjoyed the voyage very much, but am just getting bored with it to-day, and want to see a paper and hear the war news: of course we have had none for over a week. This is a topping ship, but we have come along very slowly to save coal. They feed us very well. We had to run for it once in the Mediterranean, but we did not know it at the time, only guessed. It has been very much too rough to play cricket, but to-day it is much calmer. We’ve had two frightfully heavy rainstorms. Only two horses have died, and both mine are all right. I sang several times after dinner, and on the whole I think the time has flown. I am longing to hear about the Western Front. There is an excellent library on board, and I must have read twenty books, &c.”

Bombay, Royal Bombay Yacht Club—July 17.—“This is an extraordinary place, and awfully pretty by night; Daniell (the Staff Captain) gave a large dinner-party here last night, and very nice it was too. I went to the Cathedral yesterday evening after a very busy day, and this morning I have been rushing round shopping. You hardly see two people dressed alike here. This is a ripping Club, and we are all honorary members, Indian Expeditionary Force (D). To-day’s paper tells us a little about the part played by what would have been us in the West!”

The hope of staying a short time and seeing India was not to be fulfilled. The state of affairs in Mesopotamia admitted of no delay, and it was soon known that the Regiment was to embark at once for Basra. It was to be carried in two vessels, the Islanda and Chilka, the former taking “A” and “D” Squadrons, less one troop of “D,” under Captain Eve, and the latter the Headquarters and remainder of the Regiment under Colonel Richardson.

By the 19th of July both ships had sailed.