ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF TEL-EL-KEBIR, January, 1916.
Captain Rowan-Hamilton, Lt.-Col. J. Walker, Brig.-General J. Paton,
Lt.-Cols. W. Dollman, G. A. Ferguson, and H. B. Collett.[ToList]
At Tel-el-Kebir camp visits were exchanged between the various W.A. units. Members of the newly-arrived 32nd Battalion also called in on their way to Cairo. Brig.-General, J. J. T. Hobbs, from the 1st Division, found time to look in on his fellow-countrymen.
Leave to visit Cairo was now granted to a percentage of all ranks. As the majority of the pay accounts were substantially in credit this privilege was made use of freely, and a very pleasant and well-earned holiday of two or three days' duration spent in the city. Some men could not wait for their turn. They evaded the police for the time being, only to return later on, perhaps under escort, and face "Orderly room." There they usually pleaded guilty to the charge against them—convinced that in this instance the game had been worth the candle.
For some months past many complaints had been made at the front, and in Australia, in regard to the parcel post. Parcels intended for soldiers or their relatives had failed to reach their destinations. Where the leakage was occurring it was impossible to say. However, about the beginning of 1916 a change and reorganisation took place in the Army Postal Service and a tremendous improvement resulted. That this change was not viewed altogether without apprehension may be gathered from the remark attributed to some individual—"Everybody but the rightful owners has now been supplied with woollen underclothing, socks, pipes, tobacco, and cigarettes for the next twelve months, as well as with cigarette holders and wristlet watches. Why should we again have to go without whilst a new lot of people are being equipped?"
Training was resumed immediately the Battalion had settled down into its new camp. The General Staff still, apparently, held the opinion that the Turk, reinforced by the German, would advance on Egypt. In consequence, exercises in defence and in desert and night operations were constantly practised. The Battalion also studied those portions of the textbooks relating to savage warfare, to movements in echelon of companies, to the formation of squares to resist hordes of barbarian cavalry, and to suitable dispositions to counter the effects of artillery fire. During the dark hours movements on astral and compass bearings were tried and met with uniform success. Once a route march to an oasis some six miles to the north-east was attempted, and the hard smooth gravel in the desert in these parts made the "going" comparatively easy. Usually the training was carried out on the scene of the battle of 1882 and the feet, or inquisitive entrenching implement, of the soldier displaced many relics of that engagement which was sometimes referred to in short talks given when resting.
On the 22nd and 30th January, the whole Battalion, under Major Davies, crossed the neighbouring canal and the Wady Tumilat and, in conjunction with the 27th Battalion, engaged in a tactical exercise in which ball ammunition was used. The enemy was represented by tiles suitably arranged in the desert to the south.
Shortly after its arrival at Tel-el-Kebir the Battalion was notified that volunteers were required for a new unit—the Imperial Camel Corps—which was to be formed for operations in the desert. A number of names were given in, and a few days later Lieuts. T. D. Graham, H. R. Denson, and J. F. Quilty, with a goodly party of men, took train to Abbasia to report to the I.C.C. Depôt. Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant R. G. Sexty was promoted to fill the vacancy caused by Lieut. Graham's transfer.
Inquiries in regard to reinforcements revealed that several hundred men, intended for the 28th, were in Zeitun Camp, where they were being trained on a system intended to fit them to take their place in the ranks of the parent unit. Sir Archibald Murray had promised that these should be sent to join the Battalion. On the 19th January 281 men arrived. This number included 53 sick and wounded returned to duty.
The 27th January brought the news that Colonel Paton, for his services during the Evacuation, had been rewarded with the rank of Brigadier-General. This promotion, apart from being popular, brought additional prestige to the 7th Brigade.