This is one of a series of paintings depicting the saving of sixty-eight Turks; it shows the compassion of the Light horsemen as they raise the near dead Turks from the burning sand and give them their own water- the most precious commodity in the desert. Here is the true story related in the book ‘CHAUVEL OF THE LIGHT HORSE’ by Alec Hill p 84
“An incident of the days immediately after the Romani operations throws an interesting light on the chivalrous attitude of Chauvel’s Light Horsemen towards their enemy. On August 19, 5th regiment was sent out to investigate an air report of a party of men with camels. It looked like another wild goose chase when an alert youngster reported movement about four miles away. They rode over and came upon sixty-eight Turks half dead from thirst. They were given water and a message was sent back asking for sand carts or other means of getting the prisoners in but , as the regiment was now fifteen miles from camp, it would be long before help came. So the men and the C.O. himself helped the amazed Turks into their saddles and led the Turks back for five miles through deep sand uny transport.”This was a very queer sight’ wrote the troop leader with soldierly understatement’ and worthy of a moving picture’. He expressed his pleasure at having saved ‘these poor sacrifices of the Huns’ and gave credit to his sharp-eyed soldier. Not a bad end to a twenty-two hour day. “
Here is another account from HISTORY OF THE 5TH LIGHT HORSE REGIMENT . p82, 83
“At 1.30 p.m., a message was received from Lieutenant Boyd that his Squadron had captured 68 Turkish soldiers, who were in a very exhausted condition for want of water. These prisoners were brought to Salmana. It appears they were reinforcements discharged from hospital at El-Arish, that they had marched from that place with the intention of reporting to the 31st Regiment at Mazar. They had no guides, however, and missed that place and over marched it by some 16 miles. They were in a very bad condition when our squadron met them, and showed no fight. Owing to their weak condition, the members of the Regiment dismounted from their own horses and gave them a lift for three miles, where we met ambulance wagons which, in the meantime, we had sent for.”
