there except the
native villagers. So "the stunt was a wash-out," the bird had flown.

The 42nd marched back on December 21st to El Mazar, and faint rumours
began to drift about that day that we were to leave Egypt. General
Douglas commiserated with us for not having had the pleasure of a good
scrap! "But," he said, "never mind lads, you will get more than you want
very soon." Now, what did that mean? Profound speculation as to the
probabilities can easily be imagined. France, Salonica, trouble in
India, Mesopotamia and even an advance into Palestine (scouted as absurd
by most people) were freely discussed. The main consideration just at
present, however, was that the Christmas of 1916 was going to be spent
under much pleasanter conditions than the previous one on Gallipoli, and
concurrent with rumours about fighting there were more substantial
rumours about turkeys, plum puddings and beer. I am glad to say all
three materialised, and these together with Christmas Carols by the
divisional band contrived to produce a Yuletide feeling. In fact
everyone had as good a time as could possibly have been expected in the
desert. Luckily the parcels from home, including comforts from various
institutions, etc., also arrived in time. El Mazar was our abode for
more than three weeks, and we heartily wished a cleaner piece of ground
could have been selected to live upon. In past days the Turk had been
stationed here in force, and he, not being of a sanitary disposition,
had bequeathed to us a store of body lice of new and large dimensions. I
don't think the fighting strength of the 7th, including all live stock,
had ever been so large in its history. A delousing apparatus made from
an old engine and truck was sent up on the railway to cope with the
problem, and perhaps it had some little effect--in helping the young
ones to grow quicker. Most men were agreed that there was nothing to
equal the double thumb action for certain results. Another scourge here,
probably also due to the filthy sand, was the alarming development of
septic sores. These unpleasant things did not require a wound or scratch
to start them, but they broke out themselves as a small blister on any
part of the body. In the case of a good many men it took the form of
impetigo, an extremely uncomfortable sore rash on the face, and both
officers and men appeared day after day on parade with appallingly
unshaven sore chins, and bandages visible on arms or knees, etc.