Primary tabs
Transcription
[page 37]
1917
secured 30 prisoners.
At 1400 the advanced troops of 1 L.H. were shelled by guns on the right; casualties by now were 22, with another officer„ Lieut. Hordern, wounded. By this time the N.Z.M.R. had got well into the enemy's rear at Hill 255, while 1 L.H. had advanced beyond the available telephone cable length, and communication was kept up by helio until one mile of wire was obtained from the Brigade Signal Officer. More S.A.A. was brought up and at 1600 rapid fire was ordered and the Regiment charged the Turks, who surrendered trench by trench, but kept up fire on our left until dark. As reinforcements were reported on the march from Shellal and Gaza, the Turkish prisoners were hurriedly formed up and marched off. Little could be done in collecting war material and as soon as the dead were buried, the Regiment marched back to Sheikh Zowaiid. Casualties, 34.
El Arish was reached on January 10, men and horses showing signs of fatigue. During the absence of the Brigade (at Rafa) the enemy had bombed the camp; his airmen had kept a few bombs to drop near the Camel Corps during the battle of Rafa. Nothing more of the enemy was seen until the 14th when we stood to arms, Turkish cavalry in the wady having been reported by an outpost. Daily visits were being made by enemy 'planes but little damage was done by their bombs.
On January 19, 11 reinforcements and 12 remounts from Kantara were taken on strength, and gifts from Australia were distributed among the nen who were always most grateful for what the people at home did for them.
All this time the railway and pipe line were being pushed on, 1 L.H. taking its turns at escorting the Royal Engineers survey party ahead. Good progress was being made by most of the wounded men, but unfortunately the following died of wounds:- 507 L/Cpl. Waller W.A., Anzac Provost Corps, attached to 1 L.H. buried by Chaplain Finnigan at Sheikh Zoweiid; 2952 Tpr. Stanton E.T., buried by Chaplain Gordon at el Arish. Two of our boys were buried by Chaplain Clarke, 3 L.H., at Rafa:- 494 Cpl. Laws J., 136 L/Cpl. Leese E.A.
The Regiment marched out on January 20 on a road reconnaissance and to find and develop water at el Burj. The Military Governor of el Arish came out to interview the Arab sheikhs from east of Rafa and to explain how they would be treated if they continued to act us spies for the