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of a party. Casualties were light and 1 L.H. withdrew to Ameidat, taking up an outpost line with 3 L.H. on our right and 2 A.L.H. Brigade on our left. Next morning the Regiment stood to arms at 0400 and the dawn patrols reported all clear for two miles ahead, east and north-east. Nejila was again occupied by 1000, 11 prisoners being taken and about 50 tons of cord wood found unburnt at the railway station. The railway line was a tactical one, of narrow guage, built between Beersheba and Gaza. The enemy withdrew and 1 L.H. was ordered to report to Brigade H.Q. on the left fland of the 2nd. Brigade to which "C" Squadron was attached. On reaching B.H.Q. at Jemmana we bivouacked for the night. By night time the horses had been fifty hours without water, and the only feed carried was a quantity of grain. "A" Echelon transport reached R.H.Q. by midnight.
The following were awarded the Military Medal in connection with the action at Khuweife:- 2467 Tpr. Dowling E., 3065 Tpr Kelleher C.E., 2649 Tpr. West W. (later commissioned), 1088 Tpr. Cross S., 50 Sgt. Hamilton R. In addition, Capt. E.S. Kater was awarded the military Cross for the same action, the news of this award being receiced later when we were at Esdud.
In addition to three days' rations for man and horse, each squadron carried flags and groundsheets for communicating with aeroplanes, extra S.A.A., bombs and pioneer tools such as picks and shovels. The following was the official scale of food per man:- 1lb. of bread or 14 ozs. of biscuits per diem, 12 oz. fresh meat or 9 oz. bully beef, 3 oz. jam or treacle, 1/2 oz. tea, 1/8th oz. milk, 3 oz. sugar, 4oz. potatoes, 4 oz. other vegetables, 3 oz. bacon, 1/36th oz. pepper. Also 4 oz. oatmeal or rice weekly and 4o z. flour twice weekly. The following foregoing were the quantities on paper, but they were reduced by 5% for all men behind the front line and north of Wady Ghuzze, and by 10% for all those south of Wadt Ghuzze. Smokes:- 2 oz. tobacco or 2 packets of cigarettes per week, 2 boxes of matches for three men.
The horse ration on paper was as follows:- 10 lb. of barley bran and scrap hail (a mixture of molasses and millers' waste), 12 lb. of tibbin. Two pounds more grain was issued for draught horses; mules received the same as riding horses.
Of course it was impossible to maintain these scales in such an