Such a scheme required careful preparation. It depended very largely on
secrecy for its success, and, to get all the material necessary for the
bridges down to the river bank in readiness for the night, required
careful management. Again, with so many units carrying out almost
independent actions on a dark night, a very small error in the time
table or routes of the various battalions might have led to disaster.

All was ready for the night of 20th December, and the night before, we
left our bivouac area at Selmeh, and moved to a concentration area near
Summeil. Here in the orange groves the whole Brigade was to be assembled
in readiness for the following night. For its purpose the position
chosen was ideal, but it could hardly be called the acme of comfort. Our
job for the next 24 hours was to crouch beneath the trees in case of
disclosing our presence to any inquisitive enemy plane. As it was, it
rained heavily on the 19th and, after a very heavy march in the dark, we
reached our new quarters about ten o'clock. The groves were separated by
a narrow lane, and here the entire transport of the Brigade had
contrived to get itself into the most inextricable confusion. There was
no room for two limbers to pass abreast, and they could be turned only
by separating the two halves and turning one at a time.

The Battalion was quickly stowed away, but it was 4.30 a.m., just at
dawn, before the last limber was unloaded and sent away. The scene of
limbers hopelessly locked, plunging mules, serenely indifferent camels,
cursing transport drivers, and dripping unloading parties who could not
find the limbers they were to unload, will not be soon forgotten by
those who were there.

It cleared on the morning of the 20th, but our lot was not enviable. We
were all soaked to the skin, and it was quite impossible to light a fire
or get anything hot to eat or drink. We could only sit beneath the
dripping trees and shiver. Even the best oranges we had yet come across
did not appeal to us, they seemed so cold. Blankets, packs and bivouac
sheets were dumped in the morning, and the rest of the day was spent in
cleaning rifles and ammunition and trying to get warm.

Our role in the evening's work was that of Brigade reserve. "A" and "D"
Companies, under Captain Morrison, were told off to act as immediate
support to the 7th H.L.I., if they found any difficulty in getting their
objectives, and these two companies moved off at 8 p.m., followed