result of four hours of this sort of thing would produce about 500 yards
of good level track including shallow cuttings and embankments. Then the
train would arrive with more sleepers and rails and these would be
carefully but quickly laid in position.

Another job we had to do in this neighbourhood was digging wells. When
"C" Company went off for a couple of days to do this they discovered
what a formidable business it was. It was necessary to go down to a
depth of about twenty feet, and as the well was sited in very soft sand
the task can be imagined. A huge hole, about forty feet square had to be
made to allow for the slope of the sand, and the deeper we went, the
higher grew the mountains of sand all round the hole, so that the men
had to be arranged on tiers above one another. In this way a shovel full
of sand from the bottom travelled up through various pairs of hands
before it was finally thrown clear. This tedious business continued
until water was struck, and then a corrugated iron frame was sunk at the
bottom, and the tall sides of the well built upon it. After this all the
sand that had been so laboriously chucked out, was heaved back again. A
pump was fixed by the R.E. and troughs made along side, to be filled as
often as the well could furnish sufficient water (in this case twice a
day) for the use of camels or horses.

At El Maadan an important railhead was being constructed for the storage
of water, which was kept in large and small canvas tanks. We took a
great personal interest in those tanks with our thoughts resting
securely on Katia. Matters were gradually developing towards an
engagement of some magnitude, and it was now known that the general
scheme was for the mounted troops to make a detour in order to turn the
enemy's left flank, whilst the 42nd and 52nd Divisions would make an
advance parallel to the coast. That is to say in effect the infantry