oints in the country now secured. As a consequence, while we
lost the advantage of surprising the enemy, we were never more than
moderately thirsty throughout the operations, for which we were duly
thankful.

At 10 p.m. on the 18th we began to take down our wire entanglements in
order to clear the ground for the advance of the 156th Brigade, and at
4 a.m. on the 19th the 7th H.L.I. took over our trenches. We were
withdrawn into the hollow behind Mansura, which was now full of guns;
"B" Company was detached to look after the gunners (remaining away from
the Battalion till the 21st) and these at 5.30 began a very creditable
bombardment of the Turkish lines. Just before this the Battalion, which
had been lent to the 155th Brigade, began its devious march across the
exposed Kurd Valley, taking advantage of the winding wadies till it
reached the el Sireh ridge and lay up in a nullah running up into Kurd
Hill, being passed by the rear waves of the K.O.S.B. and R.S.F.
advancing to their gallant but ill-fated assault on Outpost Hill. From
here we could get no idea of what was going on, but we were able to
observe the majestic though noisy and superheated advance of several
tanks. The country was too much for them, many of the nullahs being
beyond their jumping capacity, and the heat exhausting their crews and
defeating their engines. We were supposed to be in reserve to meet a
possible counter-attack from the woods to the east of Outpost Hill, but
at 10 o'clock word arrived that we were no longer needed, and we
recrossed the valley to the familiar Mansura hollow. This we found to be
a noisy spot. Several batteries of 18-pounders were cracking away and
the Turks were returning the compliment with heavier stuff. Just as we
arrived they secured a direct hit on one of our limbers, killing the two
wheelers and seriously wounding the driver--the other driver had a
miraculous escape. Under the shelter of the cliffs we had some tea and
filled our water bottles, and then listened to the noise of battle,
wondering vainly what was happening. The position of reserve brigade may
have its advantages, but it is trying not to know what you are "for."
Our role depended entirely on the success of the other brigades, and our
orders fluctuated throughout the day. This little scene would be again
and again repeated: Company commander to Platoon commanders--"We are
going to attack Friar's Hill (or Delilah's Neck or Middlesex Hill,
etc.). The company