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[Page 49]
the gun down the barrel, not knowing how to fire them & shells bursting 100 yds in front of gun when it was fired. The 53rd. Welsh division failed miserably & left 400 wounded on the field. Our casualties were 600 killed & 2000 odd wounded, nearly all of them infantry. This was a fearful bungle, as the mounted men were on the beach holding the town, when they had to gallop away owing to the failure at Ali Muntar of our infantry. Everybody who took part in it say the infantry never stood a chance owing to enemy's strong position & we attacked with a very small chance, backed up with seven batteries against about 40 used by the enemy. Murray never left Arish during the whole action, we being with him as reserve Brigade, yet were not called upon in spite of the way things went with our troops. Wounded going down all day in cattle & goods trucks, the medical arrangements were disgraceful, many wounded being out in the open on the sand for 12 hours, owing to lack of hospital accommodation.
31: Things normal again; unit sports at Marsaaid – second in 100 yds & relay race.
April
2: Rugby v 1st reg. being another scoreless draw, though we played an extra 10 minutes either way.