by 17.00 the Battalion was at the Wadi Hesi, twelve miles north of
Gaza, where the B.G.C. gave orders to secure the ridges on the other
side of the wadi. It was an interesting situation. The Battalion had
halted on the shore, on which it had been marching all day, half a mile
or so south of the Wadi Hesi. Darkness was falling; the two leading
companies ("A" and "B") received orders to move at once across the wadi,
turn inland and secure certain small heights which could with difficulty
be seen. They were informed that the 7th H.L.I. would be following to
occupy other heights on the left. The companies moved and almost
immediately met a cavalry picquet which reported having been driven off
our objective, with the loss of their officer, by a large body of Turks.
The companies got across the wadi and turned inland just off the shore
facing their objective, which was just sufficiently visible for a
compass bearing to be taken. The company commanders having got this
bearing felt a load taken off their minds and as it was now quite dark
made sure of the disposition of their companies. Soon the advance
continued, a hill was reached, but firing from the front indicated that
this was not the objective. A patrol moved out under Lieut. Gilchrist,
who reported another hill in front held by the enemy. This hill was
charged, a deep trench being found a little below the summit; a wounded
Turkish officer was captured and one Turk bayoneted, the rest bolted and
got clear. Our casualties in this charge were six. The hill was
consolidated; a picquet going into position in front captured a Turk
with a rifle almost red-hot. The night was fairly quiet, though
continuous rifle and machine-gun fire went on all night, but as the
bullets were nearly all going beyond our left we surmised the Turks'
next position did not face us. The 7th H.L.I. were now on our left. In
the trenches rushed were found bags of oranges and a pot of hot soup,
which looked as if we had effected a surprise.

With the first suggestions of light on the morning of the 8th our
glasses disclosed some Turks in a trench which seemed to run away from
us and face obliquely to our left. No. 1 and 2 platoons of "A" Company
under Lieuts. Sweet and Parr were despatched to rush this trench,
keeping it on their left as they advanced. This was successfully done
and the trench entered from the back and the garrison of nine brought
back with their arms and equipment and one very hot machi