few on
camel-back, while the remainder were actually carried in stretchers by
their unwounded comrades. That these men with their heavy loads ever
managed to lift their feet out of the mud was a miracle. I do not know what
system of reliefs was adopted, but by the time the wounded were safely
brought in, a whole battalion must have taken its turn merely to carry its
own few casualties.

It was a magnificent example of devotion and dogged fortitude; and withal,
the outstanding feature of the whole affair was the incorrigible
cheerfulness of everybody, rising superior to all discomforts.

It may be thought that undue prominence has been given to an affair which
after all was one in which a few thousands only took part--little more than
a skirmish, perhaps, judged by European standards. It has been done partly
because this was the first time most of us had been under fire, but chiefly
because the battle was so typical of many in the subsequent desert
fighting.

As will be seen later, the cumulative effect of these minor victories was
out of all proportion to the numbers engaged. Moreover, this particular
action again rammed home the lesson that native guerilla troops cannot
hope to tackle with success, well-armed, well-disciplined white troops
supported by artillery.

Well, we had been blooded--lightly, it is true--and we were ready for the
next job. We had learnt one or two lessons, for no one goes into his first
action and comes out exactly the same man. He is rather like the good, but
young and untried cricketer nervously going in to bat. The bowler looks
about seven feet high and the stumps seem absurdly large; but the moment he
is in the crease the mist clears away from his eyes and he is ready to set
about his business. So it is with war: it is the fear of showing fear that
makes many a good man unhappy in his first action; until he finds that he
is not there merely to be shot at but to do a little shooting on his own
account. After that he has little time to think about himself; he is too
busy.

A plethora of fatigues occupied the next few weeks. A column started on a
sweeping drive towards Sollum, but for us, beyond dropping a few shells
into a native village, there was no further artillery action. Life resolved
itself into an affair of G.S. waggons and patrol-duty, which latter chiefly
concerned the cavalry.

There were lines of communication to be formed, contact with the railhead
at Dabaa to be establishe