Our actual destination was Goz-el-Gelieb; but when we got near the
spot it was so thick with dust that we could only see about 50 yards,
and as the plain was quite featureless and all alike, we just
bivouacked for the night, and hoped we should find in the morning that
we were somewhere near the right spot.
First thing after daylight, while the dew was still able to keep down
the dust, we got our bearings and moved about three-quarters of a mile
to the correct map reference. Here we were joined during the day by
our "B" team or battle surplus, whom we had last seen a fortnight
before, and a draft of 2 officers and 126 other ranks out from home.
On 15th November Major-General E.S. Girdwood, commanding 74th
Division, at a Brigade Parade presented Military Medals, awarded for
gallantry at the Battle of Sheria, when 9 men from the Battalion
received the honour.
After a few days in the dust of this plain, we moved back in two
marches to our old area near the coast. This time we were just south
of the Wadi Ghuzzeh, on a hill which was beautifully green and fresh.
All the lower ground round it had been used for camps for the best
part of a year, but this hill had been so prominent and so fully under
observation from Ali-el-Muntar, that it could not be occupied so long
as the Turks held Gaza. Here we had a great presentation of medals by
the Corps Commander (Lieut.-General Sir Philip W.
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