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[Page 41]
after a gallop of 5 miles at the end of the journey. Column consisted of N.Z. mounteds, 1st & 3rd Bdes, Imperial Camel Corps, two 18 pounder batteries & an Indian mountain battery. 'Planes bombing enemy positions flying only a few hundred feet up in the air in spite of anti & machine gun fire. N.Z. & 3RD Bde. on left & Big. Cox led the1st in a charge across the flat, within 500 yards of the enemy, but impossible to break their strong line. Retired to the Wadi & came in dismounted with the "camelerios". N.Z. & 1st Bde brought off some fine bayonet charges & at 5 p.m. they had [indecipherable] enough. 1200 prisoners, two batteries, hospital & staff of Armenian doctors. We were out till 10p.m. collecting wounded, our casualties being 14 killed & 270 wounded.
24: Left Magdhaba 2 a.m. reaching El Arish just as two taubes were over bombing the 3rd Bde., slight casualties. Heavy rain fell & went to bed 7 p.m.
25: Xmas Day!! Awful weather & food; biscuits, bully & cheese for dinner; worse day than the last at Lemnos.
26: Address by Gen Chetwode in pouring rain, told us we were wonders & a