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24
quintinshill rail disaster
END TO THE CAMPAIGN IN PALESTINE
For the first six months of 1916, 1/7RS were employed guarding the Suez
Canal. They trained hard; in particular they got used to marching long
distances in the desert sand and observing strict water discipline.
In July a Turkish force advanced across the desert and attacked the
British positions. 1/7RS were in a rest camp near Alexandria when the
Turks were first spotted and were quickly moved forward by rail. The
Battalion experienced little close fighting, however, and theTurkish attack
was halted by mounted counter-attack.
In October the British advanced to the north-east but were halted,
at the end of the year, after a failed attempt to capture the town of Gaza.
The Battalion was involved in a second, again unsuccessful, assault in
March 1917. The town eventually fell to a third assault in early November
in which the Battalion distinguished itself but at a cost of almost 100
casualties. The capture of Gaza was followed by a rapid advance, although
with some tough actions,first north and then turning east to Nebi Samwil
and towards Jerusalem,which fell on 9 December. 1/7RS, however, by then
had swung back north-west towards Jaffa,which fell on 22 December. This
marked the end of the campaign in Palestine,the only majorAllied success
of 1917.