War in the Garden of Eden

In Short

This personal memoir records a young officer’s service in two main theaters of the First World War. Joining the British forces in Mesopotamia, the narrator maneuvers armored cars and river transport through dust storms, ruined cities, and sharp skirmishes against Ottoman forces along the Tigris, Euphrates, and Kurdish fronts. After transferring to the American Expeditionary Forces, he serves as an artillery officer during the push across France and into the German Rhineland. The book endures as a vivid, eyewitness record of a wide-ranging global conflict, marked by keen observation of local populations, historical landscapes, and daily military routines.

The Story

The narrative opens as the author journeys up the Tigris River to join the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force. Navigating past date-palm groves, marshy wastes, and holy sites like Ezra’s tomb, he enters a theater defined by extreme climate and treacherous terrain. Moving among British and Indian troops, he witnesses the relentless strain of the climate, where heat-stroke and sand-fly fever inflict heavy casualties before specialized camps and ice machines bring measureable relief. Operating with motor machine-gun units and armored cars, he participates in reconnaissances, feints, and sudden skirmishes against Turkish forces around Samarra, Tekrit, and the Kurdish foot-hills. Along the way, the campaign moves past historic landmarks, from the excavated brick ruins and stone lion of ancient Babylon to the vibrant bazaars and shrines of Kerbela, Kizil Robat, and Khanikin.

As the British advance along the Euphrates and push toward Ana, the author acts as an interpreter, securing strategic points, photographing destroyed ammunition dumps under lingering fire, and observing the complex interactions among British officers, Indian regiments, local Kurdish chieftains, and displaced civilians. The retreat of Turkish forces and the surrender of prisoners highlight the human cost of the regional struggle, which leaves whole villages impoverished and starving.

With the Mesopotamian campaign drawing toward its close, the author travels by sea through the Persian Gulf and Red Sea to Egypt, briefly visiting Palestine and Jerusalem before crossing the Mediterranean under submarine threat with a escort of Japanese destroyers. Upon arrival in Europe, he transfers to the American Expeditionary Forces as a field artillery captain. After rigorous training at the artillery school in Saumur, France, he moves to the Western Front, advancing through ruined French towns gutted by heavy shelling, wire entanglements, and abandoned German strongholds. Following the Armistice, his unit marches across the Moselle into Germany, taking up occupation duties near Treves and the Rhine bridgeheads. The narrative closes with the quiet routines of garrison life, horse care, and local Christmas preparations for the troops as they await eventual repatriation.

How It Unfolds

Off for Mesopotamia The journey begins aboard light-draft river vessels traveling up the Tigris past marsh Arabs, ancient tombs, and military outposts. The author introduces the diverse personnel of the Inland Water Transport and the hazards of river transit.

The Tigris front Moving toward Samarra and Tekrit, the narrative details dusty encampments, heat-stroke casualties, and minor engagements with enemy forces. A brief truce is even proposed to deal with local raiders attacking both sides.

Patrolling the ruins of Babylon Stationed near ancient sites, the author reflects on the crumbling brick walls of Belshazzar's palace and the stone Lion of Babylon. Daily routines mix with observations of local shrines, Persian pilgrims, and regional administration.

Skirmishes along the Kurdish front Operating armored cars through towns like Kizil Robat and Khanikin, the forces encounter Kurdish chieftains, retreating Cossack contingents, and displaced populations suffering from severe famine and illness.

The advance on the Euphrates A rapid forward push toward Khan Baghdadi and Ana leads to the capture of Turkish positions, the destruction of enemy supply dumps, and delicate negotiations with local town leaders.

Through Palestine and the Mediterranean Departing Mesopotamia by sea, the author travels through Suez to Palestine, observing military infrastructure around Jerusalem before taking a transport across the Mediterranean under anti-submarine escort.

With the First Division in France and Germany After attending the artillery school at Saumur, the author joins the American advance across shattered French battlefields. Following the Armistice, the regiment marches into the German Rhineland to establish occupation garrison posts.

The People

• Kermit Roosevelt: The author and narrator, serving first as a captain in the British Motor Machine-Gun Corps and later in the American Field Artillery. He seeks to serve effectively on active fronts, navigating logistics, language barriers, and combat assignments while observing the people and history around him.
• Finch Hatton: A fellow officer during the early Mesopotamian journey who explores local riverside towns alongside the author, encountering rigid sentries and informal camp life.
• Jameel Bey: A Kurdish chieftain and mayor of Kizil Robat who maintains fine town gardens and local baths, working alongside British political officers to manage his district.
• Harry Bowen: A political officer at Kizil Robat who speaks fluent Arabic, maintains order, and offers hospitality and conversation to visiting officers.
• Major E.B. Soane: An adventurer and political officer stationed at Khanikin who understands Kurdish language and customs, establishing relief houses to feed starving refugees.
• General Cassels: A cavalry brigade commander who leads the rapid advance along the Euphrates and inspects captured enemy supply dumps.

In Its Own Voice

"Standing alone in its majesty in the midst of ruin and desolation amid the black tents of a people totally unable to construct or even appreciate anything of a like nature, it gave one much to think over and moralize about."

The author reflects on the enduring stone lion standing among the unexcavated mounds of ancient Babylon.

"The desert Arabs hovered like vultures in the distance waiting for nightfall to cover them in their looting."

During the fast-paced drive toward Ana, the narrative notes the opportunistic local groups watching the conflict from the sidelines.

"Quick as a flash the Japanese were after it--swerving in and out like terriers chasing a rat, and letting drive as long as it was visible."

The text describes the swift counterattack by Japanese naval escorts against a hostile submarine in the Mediterranean.

What It's Really About

Beneath its chronological travelogue and campaign notes, the book explores the collision between ancient history and modern industrial warfare. It contrasts the fleeting presence of twentieth-century armies—equipped with armored cars, radio wireless, and high explosives—against the enduring physical remnants of past empires along the Tigris and Euphrates. The narrative continuously weighs the professional obligations of military service against the human suffering inflicted on local populations. It demonstrates how global conflict uproots civilian communities, dismantles local economies, and forces disparate cultures, from British and Indian regulars to Kurdish tribesmen and German prisoners, into uneasy, temporary contact.

Why Read It Today

This account appeals to readers interested in military history, historical travelogues, and the Middle Eastern theater of the First World War. It offers an immediate, firsthand perspective on operations that are often overshadowed by the Western Front, delivering detailed descriptions of logistics, armored car operations, and harsh environmental conditions. The reading experience feels observant, calm, and grounded, characterized by straightforward prose that balances tactical details with sincere curiosity about local geography and culture.

Readers should note the presence of period attitudes, archaic transliterations of regional names, and Eurocentric observations regarding local populations. The narrative shifts abruptly in its final section from the deserts of Mesopotamia to the destroyed towns of northern France and the Rhine, reflecting the author's personal military reassignment. Despite these transitions, the text remains an engaging historical document that captures the broad, global scope of early twentieth-century warfare.