The following are a few descriptive terms which occur in the following pages, with place-names, and the abbreviations used:—
| ABU | Father. |
| AIN | Spring. |
| BEIT | House. |
| BIRKETT | Pool. |
| BIR | Well. |
| DEIR | Monastery. |
| ED, EL, ER, ES, EZ | The definite article THE |
| JEBEL | Mountain. |
| JISR | Bridge. |
| KEFR | Village. |
| KAHN | Inn. |
| KHURBET (abbrev. KH.) | Ruin. |
| MAKHADET | Ford. |
| NAHR | River. |
| NEBY | A Prophet. |
| RAS | Head, cape, top. |
| SHEIKH (abbrev. SH.) | Chief, elder, saint. |
| TEL | Mound (especially one covering ruins). |
| WADI | A watercourse (normally dry). |
TIME.
The following table shows the military method of stating the time which is used throughout this book:—
| 1 | a.m. | 01.00 |
| 2 | " | 02.00 |
| 3.15 | " | 03.15 |
| 6.45 | " | 06.45 |
| 12 | midday | 12.00 |
| 1 | p.m. | 13.00 |
| 2.35 | " | 14.35 |
| 3.50 | " | 15.50 |
| 8 | p.m. | 20.00 |
| 10 | " | 22.00 |
| 12 | midnight | 24.00 |
| 12.15 | a.m. | 00.15 |
PART I.
Formation of the Squadron.
It was on the 4th July 1917 that authority was given to the 7th Mounted Brigade (then at Ferry-Post, Ismailia), for the formation of a Machine-Gun Squadron to be known as the "20th." It was to consist of "Headquarters" and only three sub-sections, there being but two regiments (instead of the usual three) in the 7th Brigade.