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.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50