THE DOG RIVER.
[To THE EDITOR or THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—AS a regular reader of your paper, and knowing your desire for accuracy, I beg to point out the following in reference to the artiele entitled " The Dog River " in your issue of July 31st, in which the author implies that the inscription put up by the 7th Indian (Meerut) Division gives the name of the first troops to enter Beirut in October, 1918. Without wishing to under-estimate the effort of the 7th Division, I would say :—(1) In October, 1918, and up to January, 1919, there was no such unit in the E.E.F. as the First Indian Army Corps; (2) the corps which occupied Beirut in October, 1918, was the XXIst Corps, under Lieut.-General Bulfin; (3) the first troops to occupy Beirut were British Yeomanry—namely, Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry and Herts Yeomanry, forming XXIst Corps Cavalry who entered the town on October 8th, 1918, and who were relieved by troops of the 28th Brigade, 7th Indian Division, on October 10th; (4) at Tripoli, which is also referred to in the article, the same Yeomanry were the first troops to occupy the town after a forced march on October 13th, and were relieved by troops of the 7th Indian Division on October 19th. No record was cut on the Dog River Rock referred to—at least, up to January, 1919—and if cne has subsequently been put up which ignores the XXIst Corps and British Yeomanry it is inaccurate. It might be pertinent to inquire whether records have been put up to perpetuate inaccuracies of this nature at such places as Gaza,
Jerusalem, or Damascus.—I am, Sir, &c., D. H. BATES. Becchenhurst, Allerton, Liverpool.
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