 No major ground operations were carried out during these midsummer months , the Ottoman garrisons in the Sinai being scattered and out of reach of the British forces . But constant patrolling and reconnaissance were carried out from Romani to Ogratina , to Bir el Abd and on 16 May to Bir Bayud , 19 miles ( 31 km ) south @-@ east of Romani , on 31 May to Bir Salmana 22 miles ( 35 km ) east north @-@ east of Romani by the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade , when they covered 100 kilometres ( 62 mi ) in 36 hours . These patrols concentrated on an area of great strategic importance to large military formations wishing to move across the Sinai along the northern route . Here water was freely available in a large area of oases which extends from Dueidar , 15 miles ( 24 km ) from Kantara on the Suez Canal , along the Darb es Sultani ( the old caravan route ) , to Salmana 52 miles ( 84 km ) away . 
 No major ground operations <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> carried out during these midsummer months , the Ottoman garrisons in the Sinai being scattered and out of reach of the British forces . But constant patrolling and reconnaissance <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> carried out from Romani to Ogratina , to Bir el Abd and on 16 May to Bir Bayud , 19 miles ( 31 km ) south @-@ east of Romani , on 31 May to Bir Salmana 22 miles ( 35 km ) east north @-@ east of Romani by the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade , when they covered 100 kilometres ( 62 mi ) in 36 hours . These patrols concentrated on an area of great strategic importance to large military formations wishing to move across the Sinai along the northern route . Here water<a href='been_done' title='3'><mark></mark></a> was freely available in a large area of oases which <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>extends</mark></a> from Dueidar , 15 miles ( 24 km ) from Kantara on the Suez Canal , along the Darb es Sultani ( the old caravan route ) , to Salmana 52 miles ( 84 km ) away . 
No major ground operations was carried out during dem midsummer months , the Ottoman garrisons in the Sinai bein scattered and out of reach of da British forces . But constant patrolling and reconnaissance was carried outt from Romani to Ogratina , to Bir el Abd and on 16 May to Bir Bayud , 19 miles ( 31 km ) south @-@ east of Romani , on 31 May to Bir Salmana 22 miles ( 35 km ) east north @-@ east of Romani by tdaNew Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade , when they covered 100 kilometres ( 62 mi ) in 36 hours . These patrols concentrated on an area of great strategic importance to bigass military formations wishin to move across the Sinai along the northern route . hea water been was freely available in abigasse area of oases which extend from Dueidar , 15 miles ( 24 km ) from Kantara on thdauez Canal , along thedarb es Sultani ( the da caravan route ) , to Salmana 52 miles ( 84 km ) away .