ion, the second half
of the 26th Battalion, and the remainder of the 5th Brigade troops did
not arrive until about a month later. About the same time, Sergt.
Faulkner and his drivers reported to their unit (8th August). They had
been detained at Blackboy Hill a month after the departure of the
"Ascanius," finally embarking on the "Boonah" on the 12th July.
Observing instructions received, their horses had been left behind in
Western Australia and fresh teams had now to be drawn from the local
Remount Depot, in which there existed a surplus.

From the foregoing it will be seen that August had arrived before the
7th Brigade and its staff was actually mobilised and complete.[F] In
the meantime the 4th Light Horse Brigade had, for the most part, been
broken up in order to provide reinforcements for the three horseless
brigades then fighting on Gallipoli. The 13th Light Horse moved to its
own camp but retained its entity, and as such afterwards served through
the war.

After reaching Abbasia the all-important consideration was training.
This was pressed on vigorously. At the commencement the routine provided
for reveille at 4.30 a.m. and parades to be held from 6 to 9 a.m. and
4.30 to 7 p.m. Indoor (_i.e._, in huts) instruction was carried out
between 10.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. These hours were fixed in order to meet
climatic conditions, but they rendered satisfactory arrangements for
meals difficult. Three hours' work on an empty stomach in the early
morning did not induce enthusiasm or vigour in practising attack
formations and movements. Nor was the long interval between 1 o'clock
dinner and 7 o'clock tea conducive to contentment with other work of an
exhausting nature. A little was done to meet the situation by providing
an early morning cup of coffee and biscuit, but the poor quality of the
rations and the limited regimental funds prevented an entirely effective
solution. Nevertheless the discomforts were submitted to cheerfully and
the presence of the other battalions of the Brigade gradually gave rise
to a spirit of emulation, resulting in keenness and genuine progress.

The training was continued on from the stage reached at Blackboy Camp
and practical application was given to the principles inculcated in some
of the lectures of the voyage over. Bayonet fighting was assiduously
practised and knowledge obtained of recent changes born of the
experience of the war. Early in August a musketry course was fired by
the whole