fact remains that they
appear to have been in complete ignorance of our proximity until made
painfully aware of it the next morning. The Battalion had left camp at 8
p.m. on the 16th, and passed the Wadi Ghuzzeh by crossing 23. It then
found the rest of the Brigade and formed up in two columns of companies
and thirty-two camels (fourteen with S.A.A., sixteen with water and one
each with medical and signalling stores), together with the limbers with
tools in rear. About nine the Brigade moved off. After a mile,
battalions were instructed to proceed independently. The assembly at the
Brigade rendezvous and the advance to Burjaliye was an exceedingly
difficult manoeuvre. Each battalion had to form up on a given frontage
marked with stakes in a field of standing barley, and as the stakes were
not visible in the darkness to locate them was not easy. The forward
movement was directed by the Brigade Major marching on a compass bearing
in front of the left flank of the left battalion and direction was
maintained by frequent halts and accurate dressing. To add to the
difficulties of darkness and unknown ground, the line of advance ran
diagonally across a ridge running from the Turkish position to the Wadi
Ghuzzeh. That the Brigade arrived at its destination without a hitch
reflects great credit on the Staff work and is evidence of the benefit
we had obtained from night training at el Arish. Soon after ten there
was a halt, during which the men were given a drink from the water the
camels carried, in order to ensure that their bottles should be full on
the morrow. On arrival behind Burjaliye, companies changed their
formation so as to be ready to move forward at dawn, "B" and "D"
Companies taking the front line, and the men lay down to try and get a
few hours' sleep--no easy task considering the cold and the heavy dew.
The 6th H.L.I. prolonged the outpost line to the right of "A" Company,
who were now pleasantly conscious of the near presence of their friends,
but considered them a very noisy crowd. In point of fact the whole
operation was carried out with surprising quietness considering its
difficulties, but ears strained to catch the faintest sound from the
front naturally magnified the disturbance from the rear.

Stand-to was at 3.45 a.m., and there followed one of those "dreary,
doubtful, waiting hours"--which to some temperaments seem more
unbearable than anything that follows zero hour. There was no rum and of
course no p