on assembled
near our camp preparatory to commencing the trek when the aircraft alarm
was sounded. This was immediately followed by eight bombs in quick
succession. One of these unfortunately dropped amidst our transport
column killing two favourite riders, "Bighead" and "Jester" and
destroying two or three mules. Fortunately only one man was injured, and
more luckily still, no bombs dropped in the camp, although they were
near enough to be unpleasant. The day's excitement was later heightened
by a camel going "macknoon" in the middle of the camp. Attacking his
native keeper he broke loose and our men had to "run for it." By an
ingenious manipulation of ropes round his legs, and a well-aimed blow
behind his ear from a tent mallet flung by one of the men, he was
subdued and brought to earth, but not before he had destroyed a "bivvy"
and some tents. Even this did not complete the incidents of the day, for
evening found us clinging with might and main to tent poles, tent
curtains, "bivvy" shelters, etc., while a furious sand storm did its
utmost to fling them down.

The next day something of a sensation was caused by a sudden order to
furnish one officer and two N.C.O's. per company as advance party to
journey at once to Port Said, there to embark on February 2nd for an
unknown destination. Two days later the battalion entrained in "trucks
de luxe," and after a nine hours' extremely lumpy journey we reached
Kantara. There was a feeling that having helped to escort the railway to
its present destination we had really earned that ride. On the journey
down we met elements of the 53rd Division marching up to take our places
at El Arish, and we shouted greetings and expressions of goodwill to
them. At Kantara a draft from England with 2nd-Lt. G. Norbury in command
joined the battalion. A pleasing feature about this draft was that it
was largely composed of old members of the original 7th who had been
wounded or invalided from Gallipoli, such men as C.S.M. Lyth, Sergeant
McHugh, Q.M.S's. Andrews and Houghton, being amongst its numbers.

The 42nd Division crossed the Suez Canal for the last time on February
5th, twelve months to the day after the 7th Manchesters had crossed over
to the east side at Shallufa for the first time. The first days march
ended at El Ferdan, very much to the relief of everyone. We had been,
all the way, on a good hard road--a new experience after the life on the
desert--and this brought into play muscle