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operation as the pursuit up the maritime plain in November 1917, but the army service corps did wonders in keeping food up to the column, while a certain amount of stores was captured from the Turks. At Beersheba, tinned meat, peas raisins, rice, grain and tibbin were taken and each halt yielded something. Tobacco was very scarce and for a time men were reduced to smoking tea.
On the morning of November 9 "C" Squadron rejoined from detached duty with 2 A.L.H. Brigade; 1 L.H. received orders to move from the bivouac area at 0545. "A" Squadron escorted the Inverness Battery; and N.C.O. and 12 men were detailed as escort to the G.O.C.; the remainder of the Regiment, with 3 L.H. on its left and 2 A.L.H. Brigade on its right, advanced on Simsim which was reached at midday without opposition; the Regiment then moved to el Mejdel where water was found. Two prisoners were taken and we left el Mejdel at 1600 for el Tina where the advance troops got in touch with the enemy at sundown. We bivouacked for the night and the unit found its own outposts; next morning we pushed on to Esdud at 1100, "C" Squadron sending forward two troops to hold the wady towards Burka. The wady was "made good" and the outpost line was held during the night by "A" and "C" squadrons, with the assistance of two machine guns. Lieut. Dowling and a troop escorted engineers to the beach to develop water which could be found all along the coast a short distance inland at a shallow depth.
Next day we marched north, with 2 L.H. covering the right flank, to reconnoitre the wadi in the vicinity of Tel el Murre. A magnificent stream of water was discovered, ten feet deep and thirty feet wide, running from the tel to the sea and quite fresh. After watering the horses and filling all waterbottles, the Regiment left one squadron and two machines guns behind to assist the 2nd Regiment with the outpost line and returned to camp.
On November 12 the Regiment attacked Burka in conjunction with the infantry, who were on the right; R.H.Q. was established hald a mile south of Sukereir at 1300 and the Regiment established a strong firing line in Wady el Khubb. Yeodiv arrived at 1630 and took over the line at 1830. While in Wady el Khubb we were heavily shelled, the casualties being Capt. E.S. Kater, M.C., Lieut. F.H. Otton, and 11 men wounded. We withdrew to Esdud and, after feeding and watering the horses, marched