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