T H E C O V E N A N T E R
ammunition. It was estimated that about engaged us at Banawi came from
200 Turks and Kurds had been engaged Rowanduz, and, when the town came to
against us on the previous day. be searched, not only was the missing
The 20th and 21st April were spent in breech-block of the gun retaken in Rania
camp at Banawi, which is distant about found, but not a house was without its rifle
sixteen miles from Rowanduz. It rained of bayonet or ammunition. The Turks had
almost the whole time. Meanwhile the completely disappeared with their machine
Levies, inspired by the advance of Koicol, guns, and it was assumed that the advance
had overcome their transport difficulties, of two columns on Rowanduz and their
and were rapidly approaching Rowanduz junction at the Bejan Pass had been rather
from the west. It was decided to join forces more than they were prepared to meet.
with them on the 22nd, and together Meanwhile the 2nd Line Transport,
attack the Bejan Pass, the key to Rowanduz. which was making its uneasy way through
We had to leave two Companies, and the the Pass under great difficulties, received
West Yorks two piquets, to hold the camp. orders to halt in it during the night, as
Accordingly, the Battalion, less ‘B’ and ‘C’ there was insufficient time to allow of
Companies, marched out of camp at 8 a.m. its arrival in camp before darkness. The
The Pack Battery had taken up a position Battalion accordingly evolved itself into
on the crest of a mountain on the right an expedition for wood, of which there
of the camp, from which to shell the Pass, was much to be found close at hand, as
and aeroplane co-operation was timed to the night was bound to be very cold. The
be carried out at 10.30. The Pass, it was hours of darkness were spent, therefore,
hoped, would be captured by mid-day. sitting round the camp-fires; for it proved
There was no disguising the fact that it to be too cold even to sleep by them. In the
was a naturally strong position and could morning, owing to the rations being with
be a distinctly nasty undertaking. The the 2nd Line, breakfast consisted solely of
Turks had been known to declare it was some sugarless tea; but what did anyone
impregnable. The event, however, showed care when he remembered that he was one
that they had reconsidered their words, of the first body of British troops to have
for by mid-day the Sikhs had established a marched to Rowanduz!
piquet on the top of the mountain without The 23rd was spent in camp, when the
opposition. The West Yorks being used first really warm day was experienced, and
up entirely in piquets we went through most of the men then managed to make up
them. The Pass proved to be a piece de for the lack of sleep on the preceding night.
resistance even for the most hardened On the following day the march back was
of mountaineers. In some places, on the begun by way of the gorge. The scenery
reverse slope of the mountain, the rocks here was more than magnificent, it was
overshadowed and encompassed the track stupendous. Everything seemed to have
so much that it was even found necessary been carved by a giant hand. There was a
to unload the mules and pass their loads gigantic waterfall, issuing from sheer rock
through by hand. The laboriousness of the about two hundred feet up the mountain,
advance under these conditions can only which crashed and rolled its way down
be vaguely imagined. Added to this there with thundering roar into the river below.
were intermittent showers, which made The gorge itself wound through heights
the track extremely slippery. Mountain about a quarter of a mile apart, the path
streams swelled into torrents constantly (two yards broad) running along the side
and recrossed the track, and we waded up of the mountain, which was sheer on the
to the thighs to get through. Eventually, one side while on the other was a drop of
however we reached level ground and a some hundreds of feet to where the torrent
fair track through cultivated fields, arriving rushed impetuously below. The return
in camp at Rowanduz about four in the march to Banawi was an exhausting one of
afternoon. Owing to political motives no 22 miles in considerable heat, and all were
one was allowed into the town, in order glad to get into camp that evening. Here
that the inhabitants, who had one and all we found that aeroplanes had dropped
fled, should regard us as friends rather that rations and a welcome mail, and also heard
enemies, and return to their homes. This that on the 23rd three dead Kurds had been
appeared to be a magnanimous attitude found on the hillside with the food they
from our point of view, for it was known had hurriedly managed to bring from their
that some seventy of the enemy who had
33
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