 No serious fighting took place on 11 August , but von Kressenstein 's force at Bir el Abd was watched and harassed , and plans were made for an attack on 12 August . The advance of the Anzac Mounted Division began at daylight , but soon afterwards , forward patrols reported that the garrison at Bir el Abd was retiring . The mounted force followed the Austrians , Germans and Ottomans as far as Salmana , where another rearguard action delayed the mounted force , as the enemy withdrawal continued back to El Arish . 
 No serious fighting took place on 11 August , but von Kressenstein <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>force at Bir el Abd was watched and harassed , and plans <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> made for an attack on 12 August . The advance of the Anzac Mounted Division began at daylight , but soon afterwards , forward patrols reported that the garrison at Bir el Abd was retiring . The mounted force followed the Austrians , Germans and Ottomans as far as Salmana , where another rearguard action delayed the mounted force , as the enemy withdrawal continued back to El Arish . 
No serious fightin took place on 11 August , but von Kressenstein  force at Bir el Abd was watched and harassed , and plans was made fa an attack on 12 August . da advance of the Anzac Mounted Division began at daylight , but soon afterwards , forward patrols reported dat tdagarrison at Bir el Abd was retiring . The mounted force followed thdaustrians , Germans and Ottomans as far as Salmana , where anotha rearguard action delayed thedaunted force , as the damy withdrawal continued back to El Arish .