over the country. Next day the Turks
counter-attacked Ali Muntar in great strength, and though our infantry, who
had suffered and were suffering great privations from want of water, put up
a magnificent resistance, they were at length driven from the positions
gained at such heavy cost. The Turks followed up this success by capturing
a ridge farther east, from which they could shell our positions at Mansura
practically with impunity, and could, moreover, prevent supplies and water
from reaching the beleaguered garrison.

The daring little band of Anzacs who had penetrated into Gaza were also cut
off and captured, though the Turks failed to retake their lost guns, which
were proudly brought in by the remnants of the brigade. The situation now
looked extremely serious, for the Turks, growing bolder, launched a most
determined attack on Mansura, and in spite of numerous counter-attacks
rapidly made the ridge untenable. The "Cameliers" again sacrificed
themselves in a gallant effort to raise the siege and played sad havoc with
the Turkish cavalry. Temporarily the advance was held, but as death from
starvation and thirst was the only alternative to ultimate capture by the
Turks, the garrison made good their escape in the second night of the
battle, and the following day all our troops were on the western bank of
the wadi.

I wish it were possible to speak here of some of the countless acts of
gallantry and self-sacrifice performed by our infantry during this three
days' battle. Most of these, however, reached me at second-hand, and it is
as well to write mainly of things seen.

The story of one may perhaps be told as being typical of many, and this
story I know to be true. A man taking part in the first assault on Ali
Muntar was shot through both legs, and for many hours lay exposed to the
heat of the sun. Succour could not reach him and his sufferings from thirst
and the pain of his wounds can faintly be imagined. His constant and
semi-delirious cries for water were heard by a comrade lying, shot through
the lungs, some thirty yards away. This man had still a little water left
in his water-bottle, and, in spite of his own intolerable agony, dragged
himself painfully across the intervening space. The exertion killed him; he
died in the act of raising the bottle to the lips of his comrade.

CHAPTER X

THE SECOND ATTEMPT

The business was to begin over again. We had failed; and if our defeat was
as proud as victo