Fortnightly reconnaissances towards Beersheba, carried out by Desert Column (subsequently Desert Mounted Corps), were conducted in force.
They were seen to be valuable opportunities to become familiar with the "somewhat intricate ground towards Beersheba," on the basis of which strategies could be developed for a future attack.
It was also thought that these regular, repetitious reconnaissances in force, would make the Ottoman defenders slow to recognise the real thing, when it came.
The enemy press was especially credulous: Preston writes, "the enemy made a determined attack on Beersheba with about seventy squadrons supported by artillery.
After heavy fighting, the hostile forces were defeated and driven right back to their original positions, having suffered important losses."

These major operations, of 36 hours duration, would begin in the afternoon, continue all the first night and following day, and would be completed during the following night.
A division would ride out in the afternoon, arriving at dawn the next morning, to occupy a line of outposts on high ground west of Beersheba.
Behind this screen or outpost line, corps and divisional commanders in motor cars or on horseback, familiarised themselves with the ground.
Major Hampton, commanding a squadron of Worcestershire Yeomanry, (5th Mounted Brigade, Imperial/Australian Mounted Division), noted: "It fell to the lot of my Squadron, among others, to provide protection and to act generally in the capacity of Messrs. Cook & Son."

During the day hostile shells and aerial bombing were often fired at this screen, often causing casualties from carefully registered, or pre-aimed, light guns.
These Ottoman guns targeted the narrow wadi crossings, where it was necessary for the troopers to move in single file, before establishing the screen on the high ground, which was also carefully targeted and registered.
The majority of the local population was also hostile, and took every opportunity to fire on the EEF, with arms supplied by the Ottoman Empire.
Lieutenant C.H. Perkins, Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars (6th Mounted Brigade, Imperial/Australian Mounted Division) commented, "The lack of anti-aircraft guns was also unpleasant when the dust of the cavalry moved into 'no man's land' prompted the appearance of Fritz in his German Taube planes."

Once the commanders had completed their work and withdrawn, the division rode back during the night to water the horses at Esani, on the way to Shellal.
The mounted regiments often covered 70 miles (110 km) or more, during 36 sleepless hours when daytime temperatures of 110 °F (43 °C) (in the shade) were common, while riding through dusty, rough and rocky, desert country infested with flies.

During these long reconnaissances sappers, attached to the mounted division, surveyed the whole area of No-Man's-Land, marking and improving many of the Wadi Ghazza crossings, and developing the water supply at Esani in the Wadi Ghazza.
They also reconnoitred the water sources at Khalasa and Asluj, subsequently repairing the damaged wells before the planned main offensive.
Fortnightly reconnaissances towards Beersheba, carried out by Desert Column (subsequently Desert Mounted Corps), were conducted in force. They were seen to be valuable opportunities to become familiar with the "somewhat intricate ground towards Beersheba," on the basis of which strategies could be developed for a future attack. It was also thought that these regular, repetitious reconnaissances in force, would make the Ottoman defenders slow to recognise the real thing, when it came. The enemy press was especially credulous: Preston writes, "the enemy made a determined attack on Beersheba with about seventy squadrons supported by artillery. After heavy fighting, the hostile forces were defeated and driven right back to their original positions, having suffered important losses."
These major operations, of 36 hours duration, would begin in the afternoon, continue all the first night and following day, and would be completed during the following night. A division would ride out in the afternoon, arriving at dawn the next morning, to occupy a line of outposts on high ground west of Beersheba. Behind this screen or outpost line, corps and divisional commanders in motor cars or on horseback, familiarised themselves with the ground. Major Hampton, commanding a squadron of Worcestershire Yeomanry, (5th Mounted Brigade, Imperial/Australian Mounted Division), noted: "It fell to the lot of my Squadron, among others, to provide protection and to act generally in the capacity of Messrs. Cook & Son."
During the day hostile shells and aerial bombing were often fired at this screen, often causing casualties from carefully registered, or pre-aimed, light guns. These Ottoman guns targeted the narrow wadi crossings, where it was necessary for the troopers to move in single file, before establishing the screen on the high ground, which was also carefully targeted and registered. The majority of the local population was also hostile, and took every opportunity to fire on the EEF, with arms supplied by the Ottoman Empire. Lieutenant C.H. Perkins, Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars (6th Mounted Brigade, Imperial/Australian Mounted Division) commented, "The lack of anti-aircraft guns was also unpleasant when the dust of the cavalry moved into 'no man's land' prompted the appearance of Fritz in his German Taube planes."
Once the commanders had completed their work and withdrawn, the division rode back during the night to water the horses at Esani, on the way to Shellal. The mounted regiments often covered 70 miles (110 km) or more, during 36 sleepless hours when daytime temperatures of 110 °F (43 °C) (in the shade) were common, while riding through dusty, rough and rocky, desert country infested with flies.
During these long reconnaissances sappers, attached to the mounted division, surveyed the whole area of No-Man's-Land, marking and improving many of the Wadi Ghazza crossings, and developing the water supply at Esani in the Wadi Ghazza. They also reconnoitred the water sources at Khalasa and Asluj, subsequently repairing the damaged wells before the planned main offensive.
Stalemate in Southern Palestine