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were made in places and wheeled transport was able to be brought forward to Units Headquarters. Parties from the local villages assisted in this work, receiving from 3 to 7 P.T. per day, according to working capacity. There was little enemy activity with the exception of occasional sniping throughout the day and night.
Dec. 29.
At 0615 10th Light Horse Regt. and 9th Light Horse Regiments moved forward to occupy maindefensive line - Khubetha Ibn Harith-Jurdeh, and were in position at 0930. B.H.Q. was established with 8th L.H. Regt. in reserve in rear of Khubetha Ibn Harith. The weather was now settled and fine. Throughout the night 29/30th Dec. there was no enemy rifle or machine gun fire.
Dec. 30.
The relief of the Brigade by the 29th Infantry Brigade commenced at 0900 but owing to the steep and rocky nature of the country was not completed until 1600.
At 2000 the Brigade was concentrated in the vicinity of Kefr Rut. Instructions were received that the withdrawal of the Bde. to Katra would commence at 1100 on 2nd January, 1918, and that the Brigade led horses would reach Bde. Headquarters at 1000 that day.
Since the 27th October, 1917, the Brigade had been engaged in continuous operations with the enemy, which period was only punctuated with 2 short periods of rest at wadi Sucerier, and Mejdel. Considering the severity and number of actions in which the Brigade had been engaged the casualties suffered, with the exceptin of those suffered from enemy aeroplane bombing, had been extremely light. The health of the troops, with the exception of the epidemic of diarrhoea in 8th Light Horse Regiment had been good throughout. All ranks had been called upon for long periods of endurance and had responded on all occasions.
The Brigade left the hills on 2nd January, and arrived at Belah on 8th January, after a cold, wet and muddy march.
From 8th January, 1918, to 1st April, the Brigade was camped at Belah. The re-organisation and re-equipping was commenced at once, and on 21st January a programme of winter training was commenced - the mounted use of the bayonet, (as a sword), receiving special attention. The afternoons were reserved for recreation, and athletic and mounted sports training, in preparation for the Brigade and Divisional Sports Meeting held on 2nd and 9th March respectively.
Several days were given to rehearsal parades for the review of the Division, mounted, by His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, which took place at Belah on 14th March.
Throughout January, February, and March, the Brigade was engaged in salvage operations in the old trenches south of Gaza.
1st April.
On 1st April, the Australian Mounted Division moved to Gaza en route Selmeh, bivouacing at Gaza, Mejdel, wadi Sucreir and Deiran, and concentrated at Selmeh, on 5th April.
Preliminary orders for the intended infantry attack and cavalry raid on the Turkish coastal positions, (Tabsor defences) were received, and all preparations by the Brigade were made. The idea was that our infantry should make a gap in the enemy's entrenched line north of Ras El Ain, and Mejdel Yaba, and that the Australian Mounted Division should push through the gap so made and get behind the enemy line and then operate against his rear, while the infantry carried on against his flank, then opened up by making of the gap. While at Belah the Division had had several rehearsals of the operation, using the old Turkish trenches near Gaza for the purpose. Practice in the rapid cutting and removal of wire, the filling in and ramping of trenches and the rapid passing of defiles by cavalry had been there practised also.
Reconnaissance by all Officers with special missions in the initial stages of the attack were carried out by day and night, but on 11th April information was received that operations were postponed indefinitely.