The handwritten manuscript called The 4th Brigade Trek from the Canal to Khan Yunis and the 2nd Gaza Battle was produced by 666 Sergeant David Woodward HARRIS of the 12th Light Horse Regiment.
David Woodward HARRIS was a 24 year old Overseer from Turramurra, New South Wales. He enlisted on 30 December 1914 and was allotted to the 12th Australian Light Horse Regiment, AIF, Machine Gun Section, which embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A29 Suevic 13 June 1915.; and at the conclusion of the war Returned to Australia, 20 July 1919.
For further information, see:
4th Australian Light Horse Brigade, AIF
and:
The 4th Brigade's Trek from the Canal to Khanyunus and the 2nd Gaza battle
The 11th and 12th Australian Light Horse Regiments were broken up, to reinforce six other Light Horse Regiments, on their arrival on Gallipoli 28.8.15; while the 13th Light Horse Regiment, which with the 11th and 12th LH made up the 4th LH Brigade, became Divisional Supporting Troops, on landing on the Peninsular early in September 1915. After the Evacuation, the 13th LH Regiment was sent to France. In March 1916 the 11th and 12th LH Regiments were re-formed, and on active service again east of the Suez Canal by May '16, operating inland from the Canal Bases of Ballah, El Ferdan, Ferrys Post, and Serapeum.
The work of defending and patrolling this quiet Southern Section was a necessary, though bitter duty, for the four Anzac Mounted Brigades to the north were fighting continually at this time. The