December 21st brought a draft of 18 good fellows; the N.C.O.’s included Lance-Corpls.  Gage, Laycock, Peach, Prior and Salter.

December 22nd saw the return of six old members of the Squadron who had gone to hospital during the last days of the “stunt,” including Corpl.  Franklin; he, however, had only been away a fortnight.  Lieut.  Millman and the personnel of “F” Section who went to Gamli from Amr, and afterwards to Belah, re-joined the Squadron at Esdud.

The Officer Commanding now grouped the Sub-sections together to form three sections.  “No. 1” Section (consisting of “A” and “C” Sub-sections), under Lieut.  Cazalet and Lieut.  Oakley; “No. 2” Section ("B” and “D” Sub-sections) under Lieut.  Hibbert and Sec.-Lieut.  Kindell (now returned from hospital); “No. 3” Section ("E” and “F” Sub-sections) under Lieut.  Millman ("F” Sub-section was still without horses).  Sergt.  Fleet, M.M., of “D” Sub-section had been promoted S.S.M., after S.S.M.  Larwood had been wounded.  Sergt.  Knowles took his place in “D” on arrival.  Reinforcements, and the Belah party, brought the five Sub-sections up to a reasonable strength:  such was the position of affairs when Xmas drew near.

FOOTNOTES: 

[9] Esdud = Ashdod of the Bible, one of the Philistine cities:  See Joshua xiii, 3; I Samuel v; II Chron. xxvi, 6; Isaiah xx, 1; Neh. xiii, 23; Jeremiah xxv, 20; Amos i, 8, iii, 9; Zeph. ii, 4; Zech. ix, 6.  In New Testament called Azotus, Acts viii, 40.

A “MERRY” XMAS, 1917.

Everyone had been hoping to have a real good time this Christmas, to make up for the hardships endured through the “stunt”.  Puddings, beer and other good things, it was known, were on the way up, but, owing to difficulties with the bridge over the Wadi Ghuzze which interrupted railway traffic, when the day arrived, nothing had reached camp!  The “goods” eventually turned up in time for the New Year but, there being a not very large percentage of Scotsmen in the Squadron, this did not make up for the disappointment at Xmas.  Further, the weather on the day itself was certainly about the worst of the whole winter; blowing hard and raining incessantly, it was scarcely with a feeling of contentment that the men “turned in” that night—­all doubtless thinking of brighter surroundings in the old country!

A BAD START IN 1918—­BETTER TIMES FOLLOW!

The first thing to happen in 1918 was a MOVE to Belah; nights being spent at Medjel and Gaza on the way.  The animals in the Brigade had not yet recovered from their previous exertions, and many a horse, unable to go further, had unfortunately to be led away and shot.  Crossing the railway at Belah and turning to the west towards the fresh-water lake, the Brigade went round the north-end of the latter, right on to the low cliffs at the sea-shore, where the camp was to be located.  There seemed to be promise of better times here than had been experienced at Esdud.  The water for the horses was fairly close at hand and there was no mud.