The things that befell the
battalion during this long period have been admirably described in Major
Hurst's book _With Manchesters in the East_, and this short history will
attempt to continue the narrative from the point where it left off.
At the end of June, 1916, the 7th Manchesters made a short trip by rail
along the Suez Canal, the last railway journey they were to make as a
battalion for many a long day. The 42nd Division left the defence of the
southern half of the Canal in the able hands of the East Anglian
Territorials, and journeyed north to the Kantara region. It was not
definitely known why we made this move, but there were persistent
rumours that we were destined for France, where events were speeding
towards a big battle. However, the 7th detrained at Kantara and there
met, for the first time since Gallipoli, the 52nd (Lowland Scottish)
Division. We knew very little of this coastal region of the desert.
Occasional stories had floated down to us to supplement the very meagre
official communiques as to events there, but it was recognised as a
place where opportunities of getting in touch with our invisible enemy
were rather better than in the south. So it was felt that, even if we
did not go to France, life would lose a certain amount of that deadly
monotony which we had experienced for six months.
It transpired that the 127th Brigade were to relieve detachments of the
11th Division, who, it was openly whispered, were definitely to sail for
France to try their luck in the more vigorous scene of this great
adventure.
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