 By the end of March or early in April 1916 , the British presence in the Sinai was growing ; 16 miles ( 26 km ) of track , including sidings , had been laid . Between 21 March and 11 April , the water sources at Wady Um Muksheib , Moya Harab and Jifjafa along the central Sinai route from southern Palestine were destroyed . In 1915 , they had been used by the central group of about 6 @,@ 000 or 7 @,@ 000 Ottoman soldiers who moved across the Sinai Desert to attack the Suez Canal at Ismailia . Without these wells and cisterns , the central route could no longer be used by large forces . 
 By the end of March or early in April 1916 , the British presence in the Sinai was growing ; 16 miles ( 26 km ) of track , including sidings , <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>had</mark></a> been laid . Between 21 March and 11 April , the water sources at Wady Um Muksheib , Moya Harab and Jifjafa along the central Sinai route from southern Palestine <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> destroyed . In 1915 , they <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>had</mark></a> been used by the central group of about 6 @,@ 000 or 7 @,@ 000 Ottoman soldiers <a href='null_relcl' title='4'><mark>who</mark></a>moved across the Sinai Desert to attack the Suez Canal at Ismailia . Without these wells and cisterns , the central route could no longer be used by large forces . 
By the end of March or early in April 1916 , the British presence in da Sinai was growing ; 16 miles ( 26 km ) of track , including sidings , done been laid . Between 21 March and 11 April , the water sources at Wady Um Muksheib , Moya Harab and Jifjafa along the central Sinai route from southern Palestine was destroyed . In 1915 , they done been used by the central group of bou 6 @,@ 000 or 7 @,@ 000 Ottoman soldiers moved across the Sinai Desert to attack the Suez Canal at Ismailia . Without these wells and cisterns , the central route could no longer b used by large forces .