down where we were, ready to move at a
moment's notice. The ground was a ploughed field, very hard and lumpy,
but we were soon asleep, save for those unfortunates who spent the
remainder of the night searching for lost camels on which were all their
household goods.

[Illustration: BEDOUINS, KHAN YUNIS.]

We were not allowed to sleep it off but had an early reveille on the
27th and breakfasts were over soon after six. We then got orders to be
ready to move at once and loaded the camels, but nothing came of it. We
were now some way north of Deir el Bela, in a long valley running
parallel with the coast line, whose sand dunes we could see a mile or
two away to the west. In front and on our right were grass covered
hills which cut off all view of what was going on towards Gaza, but we
could still hear a good deal of firing. It was a very hot day with a
khamsin blowing, and as we lay by our arms, kits made up ready for the
order to fall in, we were soon extremely thirsty, though we dared not
touch our water bottles, having no idea when they would be replenished,
nor of course could we rig up any kind of sun-shelter. About 9 o'clock
Colonel Morrison returned with the news that the 155th Brigade were
moving into position to counter-attack an enemy force threatening the
right flank of the 54th Division, and that we might be required to
support the counter-attack or prolong it to the right. At ten we moved
forward about a mile, and again piled arms, remaining in readiness to
move. At two, half the horses were sent back to water; and we should all
of us have been very glad to accompany them. Soon after some empty
fantassies were sent off on camels in the hope of getting some water,
but before they returned, at about six o'clock, we moved forward to take
up an outpost position overlooking the Wadi Ghuzzeh, previously
reconnoitred by the C.O. and Major Neilson. The country was extremely
difficult, precipitous cliffs and narrow gullies, besides being
completely unknown to us, and it was a really wonderful feat on the part
of Colonel Morrison to indicate to each company its exact position in
the dark on a wide front, seeing that he had only been once over it
himself and that in a great hurry. Companies were all in position by 9
p.m. and were busy digging themselves in to very hard soil, sometimes
almost rock. The Brigadier visited us and told us that the 54th Division
would retire through us during the night, and that we must be p