T H E C O V E N A N T E R
‘Been there got the T-Shirt’
under the now grass-covered walls of
Nineveh. These were plainly discernible in
Editors Note - In the light of current debate the
rectangular form.
Regiments involvement in what is known as
During the night the camp was flooded
Iraq this extract from the Covenanter September
by torrents of rain, which came down so
1923 makes interesting reading.
heavily that the column was unable to
move the next day owing to the state of the
roads. The march was continued, however,
A Spring Jaunt in Kurdistan
on the day following, though the going
From Mosul to baghdad, via
was pretty heavy for the first few miles. We
Rownaduz
marched eighteen that day, and covered
March 18th - May 16th
fourteen on the next, bringing us opposite
Quvair, on the Greater Zhab river. This had
The 2nd Bn., by March well accustomed
to be crossed by about 20 barges, and made
to interminable travel, was not surprised
a very lengthy business. Each barge could
at being ordered to join a column leaving
take about 25 men or 4 mules and 8 men,
Mosul on the 18th March for an expedition
and took ten minutes to cross and forty
into Kurdistan. Sheik Mahmoud, who had
to return. The length of the whole process
given considerable trouble during the 1920
can, therefore, be imagined. Words are
rebellion in and around Sulaimania, was
powerless to describe the scene involved
once more making mischief, despite his
when mules embarked - never of their own
promises to us when he was reinstated. The
volition! The West Yorks, who were leading,
ostensible object of the expedition was to
had most of their Battalion across the same
march into Mahmoud’s country and put a
evening, and we started to cross early next
definite end to any trouble from him. The
morning.
column commander, Colonel-Commandant
By six o’clock the whole of the Battalion
Vincent, C.B., C.M.G., in a speech made
and transport was across. The column
to the officers and senior N.C.O.’s of the
therefore, took some days to get all its
Battalion when he inspected it, said we
impedimenta across, and had to wait till it
should be under active service conditions,
was assured of its supplies before moving,
but whether we should actually see any
which it did on March 29th. The march that
fighting he was unable to say. He foretold a
day was one of nineteen miles, followed
certain amount of hardship, and expressed
by one of fourteen on the next day which
his belief that any men who were not yet
brought us to Erbil. This is a picturesque,
pretty well hardened would certainly be so
if evil-smelling, old town, surmounted
when the column returned.
by a Turkish fort, built in circular fashion
After a few days of hurried preparation
on an enormous mound, below which
on the part of the Battalion, which had
houses straggle, in-discriminately mixed
not had very much time in which to take
with graveyards, after the indolent and
over from the 2nd Norfolks nor to make
unsanitary habitat so common to the
up deficiencies, the column left Mosul
towns of Northern Mesopotamia. Eight
on the 18th of March. The force, briefly
miles more on the following day brought
described as ‘Koicol,’ consisted of the
us to camp on high ground above a stream
2nd West Yorkshires, 2/11th Sikhs (old
of the purest mountain water, in which one
15th), 120th Pack Battery, 40th C.F.A., a
was able to enjoy a delightful bathe. Here
Company of Sappers and Miners, a Signal
we halted for Easter Day.
Section, and ourselves. There were other
The next three days initiated everyone
fragments, too, not the least of which were
into the real meaning of a mountain track,
the canteen contractors. Transport of every
as we now started marching to a large
sort was used, and was therefore somewhat
extent in single file over difficult and stony
nondescript: almost the only transport
ground, and were constantly confronted
animal that was not seen was the elephant.
with the stereotyped situation in the blood-
The actual Battalion transport was done
curdling Eastern novel, where one meets
by mules, except for four G.S. wagons for
with towering rock on the one side and
blankets and tents.
staring precipice on the other. The pace was
The first day’s march was a short one,
necessarily very slow, and not more than 10
the object being to assemble the force as a
or 12 miles could be covered each day.
whole in camp across the Tigris. The actual
site of the camp was interesting, being
29
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