Desert Life.
On August 14th the 42nd Division moved back to Romani, a further advance
across the Sinai Desert being deemed inadvisable until the railway and
water pipe, which stopped a few kilometres beyond Romani, had been
pushed further ahead. A system of training was started, but as the men
had not recovered from the fatigue of the Katia operations, and the
weather was very trying, vigorous forms of exercise were given up. A
number of men went to hospital with a weakening form of diarrhoea
almost akin to dysentery, while the medical authorities were in a highly
nervous state about cholera of which a few cases had been reported. It
was presumed that this had been contracted from the Turkish prisoners
and their old camping grounds.
The battalion was augmented slightly at this stage by a draft from
England, while 2nd-Lt's. W. H. Barratt and W. Thorp returned from leave.
Lt. H. C. Franklin, M.C., one-time R.S.M., went into hospital and was
invalided to England, and his place as Adjutant was taken by Capt. J. R.
Creagh, a position he filled admirably for more than two years. Captains
C. Norbury and B. Norbury left the battalion about this time to obtain
appointments in England and France and this entailed a change in Company
Commanders. Captains Tinker and Higham continued to command "A" and "D"
Companies, Lt. H. H. Nidd was given "B" Company, and Captain Chadwick
"C" Company. 2nd-Lt. G. W. Franklin assisted the Adjutant in the Orderly
Room, while 2nd-Lt. F. Grey Burn was employed as "Camel Officer;" new
work brought about by the substitution of camel for wheeled transport.
The bulk of the latter remained at Kantara under 2nd-Lt. M. Norbury,
with Capt. Ward Jones in charge of the Brigade transport; their duties
consisting chiefly in bringing rations, etc., across the canal from the
main station on the E.S.R. and loading them on the trains which ran over
the desert. Wheeled transport could not be employed in the desert
stations as roads had not been constructed.
We came to know the camel fairly well during the succeeding months, and
he proved a study, perhaps more interesting than his caretaker, a member
of the Egyptian Camel Corps' distinctive in his long blue garrabea. When
a company was on duty at a distant outpost the time for the arrival of
the ration camels was also the signal for the ration fatigue to fall in.
Then the string of animals would leisurely wend their way through the
gaps in the barb wire, their noses held high in an aristocratic leer,
each led with a head rope by a blue smocked Gyppie. The Q.M.S. would
appear: "'Tala Henna, Walad. Barrac Henna'" and so forth. A wonderful
flow of British-Arabic, grinningly comprehended by the natives, always
produces the desired result. The camel gets down in a series of bumps
and not without cautious glances at his head, the men unfasten the
complication of ropes and commence the work of unloading. Somebody
shouts: "Mail up!" and this brings out a number of interested faces from
the entrances to "bivvies." After the rations have been sorted out, word
quickly goes round, "Six to a loaf again, and no fresh meat to-day," so
everyone looks gloomily ahead to the prospect of swallowing quantities
of bully beef and biscuits. Other camels have carried up trench and
wiring materials, and when all are off-loaded they get up wearily and
solemnly depart leaving the outpost to its solitary existence. If there
is only one officer he feels his solitude very much, for in spite of the
camaraderie with the men and particularly the senior N.C.O's. there is a
feeling of restraint due to the requirements of military discipline, and
he misses the value of perfectly free intercourse.[1]
[Footnote 1: Quoted from an Officer's Diary]
[Illustration: _PLATE III_
1. Bivouac Shelters on the Desert
2. Making the Railway over the Desert
3. At El Mazar
4. Digging a Well]
It soon became apparent that an advance across the desert in the
direction of El Arish was contemplated, and that the speed of such an
advance would depend upon the rate at which the railway and water pipe
line could be constructed. The function of the troops was to protect it
from raiders so that work could proceed in comfort, a duty shared by the
mounted troops and the 52nd and 42nd Divisions. In September, therefore,
the 7th Manchesters left Romani for garrison duty at Negiliat, about
twenty kilos. further east. About this time Capt. Chadwick, who along
with Lt.-Col. Cronshaw, had been decorated with the Serbian Order of the
White Eagle in long delayed recognition of their magnificent work in
Gallipoli, left the battalion to join the R.F.C. in England and France.
Capt. Townson succeeded him in the command of "C" Company.
As the health of the desert troops was not good after their long strain
under the tropical sun, a system of rest and holiday cure, suggested by
the medical authorities, was begun. Batches of men and officers were
sent off to Alexandria and encamped at Sidi Bishr, just outside the town
for a week, during which time they were free to do more or less as they
pleased, a concession highly relished by everyone. The sight of
civilisation alone was in itself almost a cure, but the change of the
surroundings, the lack of military duties, the sea bathing, and the
enjoyment of everything that dear old "Alex." could offer worked
wonders. Further, the hot season was drawing to a close and men began to
feel more normal, so that by the end of October the troops were as fit
as they had ever been in their lives. The 127th Brigade were withdrawn
to Romani whilst this work of recuperation was in progress, and the
beginning of November saw us back again at Negiliat.
Meanwhile, the mounted troops, closely supported by the infantry, kept
constant touch with the Turk. When the railhead reached the outpost line
it was necessary to move the enemy by force and to this end engagements
were fought at Bir el Abd, and at El Mazar, both of which resulted in
the Turk withdrawing upon El Arish. His aircraft was always busy, but
the bombing was not often effective. Even the natives in the E.L.C.
(Egyptian Labour Corps) began to grow accustomed to these raids and
steadily resisted their impulse to dash back along the line when a taube
was sighted.
The return from hospital of 2nd-Lt. Jimmy Baker and of 2nd-Lt. Joe
Chatterton at this time was greeted with pleasure by the battalion, and
all were interested in the arrival of the new Padre, the Rev. E. C.
Hoskyns. It was not long, however, before he had made himself thoroughly
well-known to every man who wore the Fleur de Lys, and his cheery face
was eagerly welcomed in every "bivvy." During unbroken service with us
until July, 1918, he maintained a proud record of spontaneous popularity
with all ranks, and especially with his brother officers.
On the night of November 3rd the eastern climate displayed a side to its
character not often revealed. During the previous twenty-four hours we
had witnessed extraordinary flashes of lightning, and this was followed
by a distinct coldness and a few showers of rain in the afternoon, a new
experience which caused much amusement amongst the men. In the evening,
however, matters ripened, and after a joyous display of heavenly
pyrotechnics and thunder all round the blackening, heavy sky, we were
subjected to a violent downpour, accompanied by lurid lightning flashes.
Tremendous hailstones came down, smashing through the few remaining
flimsy blanket shelters that were still standing, so that we were left
in our nakedness to bear the full fury of the storm. We felt that God's
spectacular display on the mountains for Elijah's benefit had been at
least emulated, but it was the still, small voice that was best
appreciated again, when it remarked that it was a good job the cooks had
just finished making "gunfire" or we should never have had a dixie of
hot tea to cheer us up in our discomfort. Although the men had to stand
all night on sentry in the outposts in their wet things they took it
very good-humouredly.
A fortnight later the battalion moved forward again a few kilometres and
constructed new outpost positions at Khirba, covering a cavalry post
some distance to the south. This was necessitated by the fact that the
Turk was still holding Nekhl in the heart of the Sinai, from whence a
raiding party could easily strike north to cut our communications, for
the railway Was now well beyond Bir el Abd. When not actually on the
outpost line we did a good deal of training, and a range having been
constructed, some useful field firing was accomplished. An exciting
football competition resulted in "C" Company defeating the Sergeants'
team and carrying off the battalion championship.
A more elaborate forward move commenced about this time, the railway
having reached El Mazar, and when a Brigade of the 53rd Division arrived
to relieve us, we began to gird up our loins and prepare for a stiff
march. We knew, however, that endurance would not be tested as in the
"Katia Stunt" for the weather was so much more favourable. On the
morning of December 3rd, having reduced our stores to mobile column
dimensions, we loaded up the long suffering, but grousing camels, and
marched forth to the cheery strains of a drum and fife band, kindly
provided by the 10th Middlesex. We plugged steadily on through the soft
sand and finally camped for the night inside the outpost line in front
of Bir el Abd. Next day the march continued and we reached Salmana. We
enjoyed nothing better than this new activity, and possibly the most
delightful part of it was the construction of temporary shelters at the
end of the day's work. Perhaps the most trying part was the provision of
the usual protection for a column such as we were, that is the advance,
rear, and flank guards, for this often entailed covering a greater
distance and enjoying less frequent halts. The day following provided a
new interest. We proceeded through a region of sabkhets, which are large
flat stretches of hard ground, the remains of dried up lagoons, for by
this time we were marching almost along the coast. These sabkhets were a
very welcome change from the difficult soft desert sand. Tillul was
our destination and we settled down amongst Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders of the 52nd Division, who had arrived a few days previously.
Next morning they played us out of the camp with their bagpipes and we
had a good stiff march to El Mazar, and there we fell in with elements
of the other two Brigades. After two days' rest we marched out again and
occupied a position just inside the defensive line, which was then being
held by the 6th and 8th.
[Illustration: THE SINAI DESERT.]
The battalion remained a few days in this district, and when not
actually in the outpost line and digging trenches, we were taken out in
front, a company at a time, to act as a protection to the E.L.C. who
were engaged upon railway construction. Whilst on this work we got our
first glimpse of El Arish, the goal to be gained after this heavy
striving across the desert. The Turks were supposed to be holding a
strong position between ourselves and the town, and the idea seemed to
be to push the railway as far as possible, and then eject the enemy so
that work could proceed. Our men were thoroughly impressed with the
wonderful rapidity with which these "Gyppies" accomplished their task.
They were divided up into gangs, each in charge of another native who
had been raised to the dignity of two stripes and a stick. The stick he
used freely on the men who failed to keep up his standard of work. Using
their curious adze-like shovels they pulled the sand into baskets and
ran away with it to where it was required, and whilst they toiled a
simple but noisy refrain was sung to the leadership of the "Ganger." The
whole spectacle presented a seething mass of rapidly-moving, blue
smocked, brown figures, busily working on the bright yellow sand. The
result of four hours of this sort of thing would produce about 500 yards
of good level track including shallow cuttings and embankments. Then the
train would arrive with more sleepers and rails and these would be
carefully but quickly laid in position.
Another job we had to do in this neighbourhood was digging wells. When
"C" Company went off for a couple of days to do this they discovered
what a formidable business it was. It was necessary to go down to a
depth of about twenty feet, and as the well was sited in very soft sand
the task can be imagined. A huge hole, about forty feet square had to be
made to allow for the slope of the sand, and the deeper we went, the
higher grew the mountains of sand all round the hole, so that the men
had to be arranged on tiers above one another. In this way a shovel full
of sand from the bottom travelled up through various pairs of hands
before it was finally thrown clear. This tedious business continued
until water was struck, and then a corrugated iron frame was sunk at the
bottom, and the tall sides of the well built upon it. After this all the
sand that had been so laboriously chucked out, was heaved back again. A
pump was fixed by the R.E. and troughs made along side, to be filled as
often as the well could furnish sufficient water (in this case twice a
day) for the use of camels or horses.
At El Maadan an important railhead was being constructed for the storage
of water, which was kept in large and small canvas tanks. We took a
great personal interest in those tanks with our thoughts resting
securely on Katia. Matters were gradually developing towards an
engagement of some magnitude, and it was now known that the general
scheme was for the mounted troops to make a detour in order to turn the
enemy's left flank, whilst the 42nd and 52nd Divisions would make an
advance parallel to the coast. That is to say in effect the infantry
would deliver a frontal attack upon the Turkish troops covering El
Arish.
It had been further decided that the 127th Brigade together with the 5th
East Lancashires would execute the first shock of the 42nd's effort, so
we had a feeling that once again the Fleur de Lys would be "in the
limelight." During the evening of December 29th there was a rapid and
wonderful concentration of troops of all arms in the hollow ground near
the railhead. The two infantry Divisions were there in force, whilst the
Australian L.H., and N.Z.M.R., together with the Yeomanry were simply
waiting for dusk to move off to their appointed stations. Behind all
this preparation there was a curious feeling that there was no enemy to
fight at all, and betting ran high as to whether we should find any
Turks near El Arish or not. It was suspected in high quarters that the
enemy had got quietly away a few hours before. However, we slept
peacefully until 3 a.m. and then Company Commanders were summoned to a
Conference with the C.O. to receive orders to get ready at once to
march--backwards not forwards! The Anzacs carefully reconnoitring in the
night had finally entered El Arish, and saw no one there except the
native villagers. So "the stunt was a wash-out," the bird had flown.
The 42nd marched back on December 21st to El Mazar, and faint rumours
began to drift about that day that we were to leave Egypt. General
Douglas commiserated with us for not having had the pleasure of a good
scrap! "But," he said, "never mind lads, you will get more than you want
very soon." Now, what did that mean? Profound speculation as to the
probabilities can easily be imagined. France, Salonica, trouble in
India, Mesopotamia and even an advance into Palestine (scouted as absurd
by most people) were freely discussed. The main consideration just at
present, however, was that the Christmas of 1916 was going to be spent
under much pleasanter conditions than the previous one on Gallipoli, and
concurrent with rumours about fighting there were more substantial
rumours about turkeys, plum puddings and beer. I am glad to say all
three materialised, and these together with Christmas Carols by the
divisional band contrived to produce a Yuletide feeling. In fact
everyone had as good a time as could possibly have been expected in the
desert. Luckily the parcels from home, including comforts from various
institutions, etc., also arrived in time. El Mazar was our abode for
more than three weeks, and we heartily wished a cleaner piece of ground
could have been selected to live upon. In past days the Turk had been
stationed here in force, and he, not being of a sanitary disposition,
had bequeathed to us a store of body lice of new and large dimensions. I
don't think the fighting strength of the 7th, including all live stock,
had ever been so large in its history. A delousing apparatus made from
an old engine and truck was sent up on the railway to cope with the
problem, and perhaps it had some little effect--in helping the young
ones to grow quicker. Most men were agreed that there was nothing to
equal the double thumb action for certain results. Another scourge here,
probably also due to the filthy sand, was the alarming development of
septic sores. These unpleasant things did not require a wound or scratch
to start them, but they broke out themselves as a small blister on any
part of the body. In the case of a good many men it took the form of
impetigo, an extremely uncomfortable sore rash on the face, and both
officers and men appeared day after day on parade with appallingly
unshaven sore chins, and bandages visible on arms or knees, etc.
During our stay here the news continued to be good. On Christmas Eve the
mounted troops, not satisfied with the Turkish escape from El Arish,
suddenly pounced upon Maghdaba, about twelve miles further south, up the
Wadi, and after a short fierce fight destroyed the garrison, only a few
making their way out of Africa. A more brilliant affair, however, was
the lightning raid upon Rafa, on the border between Sinai and Palestine,
and about thirty miles beyond El Arish, the starting point of the raid.
In a few hours a large mounted column, consisting chiefly of Anzacs had
covered this distance and had taken the Turk completely by surprise. The
enemy put up a stern fight, however, and after his reinforcements had
been destroyed on the road from Gaza he gave in. The prisoners from
these engagements continued to have the desired effect upon the
dissaffected natives in Cairo on their arrival there.
Less was heard about our leaving Egypt after the New Year, and rumours
received a mortal wound when the Division turned its face to the east
once more and marched up, a Brigade at a time, to El Arish. The 7th
accomplished this march in three easy stages, the first day taking us to
Maadan, and the next to Bitia. A few days' stay here helped us to
appreciate its natural advantages, and as far as the desert went, it
almost had pretensions to beauty. There were glorious palm groves,
bright clean sand to live in, hard flat stretches for football (greatly
appreciated), and a roaring sea close at hand on a wonderful beach for
bathing. If El Arish were in Belgium, Bitia would be "El Arish Bains."
The return of British power to this corner of the earth was epitomised
one day in the sight of a Bedouin caravan pursuing its peaceful purpose.
The old sheik stalked proudly in front, while his family and goods were
disposed on various camels, and a small flock of pretty black goats
pattered along behind in charge of a sturdy brown lad. Surely they at
least had witnessed the Turkish retirement with satisfaction.
EL ARISH AND AFTER.
On January 22nd, 1917, the 7th Manchesters reached their "farthest east"
in the final stage of the march to El Arish. Most of the day's labours
had to be accomplished in a blinding sandstorm, which fortunately had
subsided when we arrived at our destination. As we reached El Arish one
had a curious feeling that the canal zone was being left well behind,
and as far as mileage was concerned it certainly was, since the Suez was
one hundred miles away. Nevertheless, up to now one had felt that really
we were on canal defence, and however far we went out there had been
little change in the country so that one hardly seemed to progress. Now,
all that had been left behind, and we were amongst new scenes.
This growing impression was completed on our arrival. We pitched camp on
a hill north-west of the town and about six hundred yards from it, so
that we had a perfect view of the place, which resembled a picture out
of the Bible, and was not quite like anything seen in Egypt. It was
obvious we were in a new country--in fact we were knocking at the gates
of Palestine, but no one amongst us knew that an entry was to be made
into that country. The affair at Rafa, for instance, had only been a
raid, and the Turks had once more strengthened the place. British
territory had been cleared of the enemy and it was felt that a system of
frontier defence would be constructed, and small garrisons left to
maintain the boundary.
Eight months had passed since the battalion left the vicinity of
peaceful civilisation, so to meet it again, crude though it was amidst
the mud huts of El Arish, filled our men with extreme curiosity. The
town was placed out of bounds because of the fear of cholera, small pox,
etc., but there was much of interest to be seen. Groves of fig trees
surrounded the place on the edge of the Wadi, and it was a matter for
speculation as to where they obtained their sustenance for it was
apparently just bare desert. Vines and date palms were also grown, and I
presume these, with fishing, constitute the main source of life to the
inhabitants. The natives, incidentally, had a most pleasing appearance,
and their older men reminded one forcibly of the patriarchs. They had a
strikingly manly and independent carriage, quite different from the lack
of respectability of the lower class Egyptian. There is probably a good
deal of Arab blood in them, which may account for the fearless manner
with which they look the foreigner straight in the face.
We were not surprised when definite orders arrived to prepare ourselves
for a return to the canal. The transport started first for they were to
trek the distance, while the personnel were to have the pleasure of
riding on a train. The men accepted this statement rather warily for
such a thing had seldom been known during their experience with the
battalion. On January 30th all the animals in the Division assembled
near our camp preparatory to commencing the trek when the aircraft alarm
was sounded. This was immediately followed by eight bombs in quick
succession. One of these unfortunately dropped amidst our transport
column killing two favourite riders, "Bighead" and "Jester" and
destroying two or three mules. Fortunately only one man was injured, and
more luckily still, no bombs dropped in the camp, although they were
near enough to be unpleasant. The day's excitement was later heightened
by a camel going "macknoon" in the middle of the camp. Attacking his
native keeper he broke loose and our men had to "run for it." By an
ingenious manipulation of ropes round his legs, and a well-aimed blow
behind his ear from a tent mallet flung by one of the men, he was
subdued and brought to earth, but not before he had destroyed a "bivvy"
and some tents. Even this did not complete the incidents of the day, for
evening found us clinging with might and main to tent poles, tent
curtains, "bivvy" shelters, etc., while a furious sand storm did its
utmost to fling them down.
The next day something of a sensation was caused by a sudden order to
furnish one officer and two N.C.O's. per company as advance party to
journey at once to Port Said, there to embark on February 2nd for an
unknown destination. Two days later the battalion entrained in "trucks
de luxe," and after a nine hours' extremely lumpy journey we reached
Kantara. There was a feeling that having helped to escort the railway to
its present destination we had really earned that ride. On the journey
down we met elements of the 53rd Division marching up to take our places
at El Arish, and we shouted greetings and expressions of goodwill to
them. At Kantara a draft from England with 2nd-Lt. G. Norbury in command
joined the battalion. A pleasing feature about this draft was that it
was largely composed of old members of the original 7th who had been
wounded or invalided from Gallipoli, such men as C.S.M. Lyth, Sergeant
McHugh, Q.M.S's. Andrews and Houghton, being amongst its numbers.
The 42nd Division crossed the Suez Canal for the last time on February
5th, twelve months to the day after the 7th Manchesters had crossed over
to the east side at Shallufa for the first time. The first days march
ended at El Ferdan, very much to the relief of everyone. We had been,
all the way, on a good hard road--a new experience after the life on the
desert--and this brought into play muscles of the leg, not used on the
soft sand. Everyone suffered badly from aching shins and thighs and
very sore feet, so that next day, when the trek was completed to
Ismailia on hot, dusty roads many men fell out, and we were a weary crew
on arrival at Moascar Camp.
Our three weeks' stay here was occupied chiefly in preparing for our new
scene of activities, now definitely known to be France. Eastern kit was
handed in--helmets, shorts and drill tunics--and the battalion seemed to
have been exchanged for a new one dressed in khaki serge and caps. With
our helmets we lost our flashes, or at least the characteristic Fleur de
Lys, but they were replaced by a divisional flash to be worn on the
upper arm of the sleeve of the jacket. This was a diamond in shape, each
Brigade having its own colour, the Manchesters being orange yellow, with
the number of the battalion indicated on it by a red figure. Being close
to Lake Timsa, we frequently indulged in bathing parades under ideal
conditions, for after all Ismailia is really one of the beauty spots of
Egypt. Complimentary farewell parades were held, one on the occasion of
the visit of General Dobell, and the other a march past the C.-in-C, Sir
Archibald Murray, down the Quai Mehemet Ali in the town. Altogether the
7th enjoyed themselves during these days and made the most of the end of
their long sojourn in the East. We were seasoned troops and were well
conversant with the customs of the country. A few pangs of regret at
leaving these things behind can easily be understood, although an
important consideration, and one that weighed heavily with the men, was
the possibility of getting leave from France, a thing unknown in this
place. Hence it was with mixed feelings that the battalion boarded the
train at Ismailia on the evening of March 1st for a rapid journey to
Alexandria. No time was lost here for we detrained on the quay side and
embarked at once.