Without any notice the regiment, and brigade, was ordered to Kantara, thirty-two miles (51 km) away on the Suez Canal, at 20:00 on 23 April.
The reason was not then known by the troopers, but it later transpired that a Turkish force in the Sinai Desert had attacked British yeomanry positions at Katia and Oghratina.
They reached Kantara at 07:00 and an hour later moved into the desert, camping at Hill 70 for the night.
They sent reconnaissance patrols out into the desert, and manned observation posts.
On 10 May the regiment was ordered to Romani and the next day to El Maler.
Patrol activity was kept up, most of the time at troop strength, but sometimes involving the complete brigade.
On 15 May the regiment carried out a reconnaissance of Oghratina and Bir el Abd, and for the first time sighted a hostile force in the desert; they did not manage to engage them.
The next day several men had to be evacuated, suffering from heat exhaustion, as temperatures reached 129 °F (72 °C).
This convinced Findlay to cut their patrol short, and travelling overnight they arrived back at Maler early on 17 May. Over the next weeks their patrols continued, to acclimatise the men to desert travel and conditions.
Early in July, the regiment lost its machine-gun section when it was transferred to form the brigade Machine-Gun Squadron.
On 19 July reconnaissance aircraft spotted a large Turkish force moving west across the desert.
Without any notice the regiment, and brigade, was ordered to Kantara, thirty-two miles (51 km) away on the Suez Canal, at 20:00 on 23 April. The reason was not then known by the troopers, but it later transpired that a Turkish force in the Sinai Desert had attacked British yeomanry positions at Katia and Oghratina. They reached Kantara at 07:00 and an hour later moved into the desert, camping at Hill 70 for the night. They sent reconnaissance patrols out into the desert, and manned observation posts. On 10 May the regiment was ordered to Romani and the next day to El Maler. Patrol activity was kept up, most of the time at troop strength, but sometimes involving the complete brigade. On 15 May the regiment carried out a reconnaissance of Oghratina and Bir el Abd, and for the first time sighted a hostile force in the desert; they did not manage to engage them. The next day several men had to be evacuated, suffering from heat exhaustion, as temperatures reached 129 °F (72 °C). This convinced Findlay to cut their patrol short, and travelling overnight they arrived back at Maler early on 17 May. Over the next weeks their patrols continued, to acclimatise the men to desert travel and conditions. Early in July, the regiment lost its machine-gun section when it was transferred to form the brigade Machine-Gun Squadron. On 19 July reconnaissance aircraft spotted a large Turkish force moving west across the desert.
Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment