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The Tigers fought four savage battles in 1916 against resolute and
well dug-in Turkish opposition. On 7-8 January 1916 they attacked along the left bank of the Tigris, at Sheikh Saad.
One who was there was a young soldier named Walter Elliott (left). He recorded: "The fire was terrific we advanced in
short rushes hardly any cover & men were knocked out like ninepins." The next day the attack was resumed: "went
over top at 2.30pm fog had cleared & was very hot, advanced in short rushes, again under terrific fire from Turks ...
made bayonet charge & captured ... about 600 Turks & Arabs and a few Germans." The battle however had cost the
Leicesters dear, and among the casualties was the commanding officer, Major E.F.S.Henderson.
On 13 January they attacked again, this time at the position known as
the Wadi. Again the Leicesters were badly mauled. So short were they of officers that three Warrant Officers and one sergeant
fought as acting Second Lieutenants at the Battle of the Wadi. Three of the four were killed that day.
On 8 March the battalion took part in the attack on the Dujaila Redoubt,
and inspite of its successes was forced to abandon the position after 24 hours due to shortage of water. Finally, on 6 April
1916 the Kut relief force took its last throw of the dice - an allout assault on the Turkish position at Sannaiyat. Again,
it was a bloody failure. The 2nd battalion Leicestershire Regiment was reduced to five officers and 200 other ranks.
The Kut garrison surrendered at the end of April, the biggest disaster to befall a British army in more than a century.
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Above: As the Tigris provided the only source of fresh
water, any advance had to be along its banks
Below: The Soldiers' Small Book of Pte William Hyde, carried
with him in Mesopotamia until wounded in April 1916
Left: Second Lieutenant P.R.Foister DCM, killed in action on 13 January.
He was one of the three Warrant Officers commissioned in the field
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