The Jifjafa raid The Jifjafa Raid ( 11 – 14 April 1916 ) was a long range pre - emptive operation by a composite formation of the British Empire against Ottoman Turkish Empire forces at the Jifjafa well in the Sinai Desert . During the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War . The Jifkafa well ( Bir el Jifjafa ) is located in the Sinai Desert to the east of Ismalia on the Suez Canal . The raid was carried out by men from the 3rd Light Horse Brigade , supported by small detachments of other corps and a larger group from the Egyptian Camel Transport Corps . Although some of the Australians had seen action in the Gallipoli Campaign , this was the first offensive operation , conducted by any Australian force , during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign . The raid was a complete success . For the cost of one man killed , the first light horse casualty of the campaign , they killed six men captured another thirty - six and destroyed the wells infrastructure . The raiders returned safely to their own lines . In recognition of their achievement Major William Henry Scott the commander of the raid was invested as a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order . Background . Bir el Jifjafa or the Jifjafa well is located on the central of three traditional routes crossing the Sinai Desert . Its east of Ismalia on the Suez Canal , about midway between there and Magdhaba , which is near the Egyptian - Palestine border . The central crossing which winds its way across the mountains , to the well which is at an altitude of , was the most likely route used in antiquity to cross the desert . In January 1916 , British agents reported there was a Turkish force of around 25 , 000 in the Sinai . Which reinforced the British high command belief that a Turkish attempt to attack the Suez Canal was imminent . Aerial reconnaissance seemed to confirm the information , reporting Beersheba was a large encampment . Where the Turkish Army was already digging trenches and other defences . Following reports from the Royal Flying Corps ( RFC ) and agents of a Turkish post being established at the Jifjafa well Brigadier - General John Antill commanding the 3rd Light Horse Brigade was ordered to send a unit to verify the information . They were tasked to destroy the two wells , which were believed to be defended by heavy guns , and if possible capture the position . Secondary they were to report on any other wells or water in the region . Any defensive works established or being built . Any other information of military value and finally capture if possible enemy personnel or inhabitants . The force would be commanded by Major William Henry Scott , the second - in - command of the 9th Light Horse Regiment ( 9th LHR ) . With him in the forces headquarters was Captain Macaulay , a General Staff Officer belonging to the 2nd Australian Division . Captain Albert Ernest Wearne , of the 8th Light Horse Regiment ( 8th LHR ) , Captain Ayris , from the Headquarters 3rd Light Horse Brigade . The 9th LHR and 8th LHR provided the fighting component , of another eight officers and 122 men . Supporting them the ANZAC Mounted Division provided the engineers , one officer and eight men . The Royal Flying Corps , provided a ground signals unit of two officers and two men . Radio communications were provided by a Royal Engineers Wireless Section of one officer and eight men . Medical support was from the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance , one officer and eight men . Additional transport capacity came from the Egyptian Camel Transport Corps ( ECTC ) , one officer , thirty - one Light Horseman drivers and ninety - five Egyptian drivers . The Australian Army Service Corps provided an officer to assist with supply . To protect the ECTC the Bikanir Camel Corps provided one officer and twenty - four men . There was also two guides and an Arabic interpreter . Comprising a total force of eighteen officers , 302 men , 175 horses and 261 camels . The Australians and New Zealanders had carried out some reconnaissance patrols in the desert , but this would be their first offensice action . A second RFC reconnaissance , on 9 April , reported that Jifjafa may have been evacuated , as no men were seen but tents and equipment were still in place . Further intelligence reported Turkish garrisons in that area as 900 men at Hassana , fifty men at Bir el Hamma , and 200 men at Nekhel . The raid . Approach . Scott ' s force left the on the raid just after 14 : 00 11 April 1916 . Adopting the normal cavalry or mounted force procedure they rode for fifty minutes then , to rest their mounts , walked for the next ten minutes every hour . They rested at 17 : 00 to feed the animals , starting out again at 19 : 30 , they eventually halted that night at the Wady um Muksheib at 22 : 30 . The next day the force started out at 07 : 30 heading for a known water source , reconnoitred earlier in the year by a patrol from the ANZAC Mounted Division . The horse mounted troops arrived there at 11 : 20 , but the slower camels did not arrive for another two hours . While waiting for the camels , patrols were sent out to look for signs of any Bedouin activity and water sources . The force set out again this time on a bearing of north - north - east , until coming to a halt at 02 : 30 13 April from the well . This camp would be their forward operating base where the Royal Engineers Wireless Section and the camel transport would wait , while the light - horsemen carried out the attack . The raiding force left three hours later reaching Hill 1082 at 07 : 30 . Here they halted waiting for a RFC reconnaissance aircraft to check the well . The aircraft appeared thirty minutes later and dropped a message saying the way ahead was clear . During this period the force also , in connection with the secondary part of their orders located several sources of water , in the region of . Setting out again the raiding force established their base at Hill 1080 , just out of view of the Jifjafa well . The RFC reconnaissance had reported that the wells inhabitants took cover whenever a aircraft appeared . So it was believed a hostile force still occupied the well and the attack was planned for the next day , 13 April at 09 : 00 . Assault . This position allowed Scott to carry out a close reconnaissance of the Turkish positions using field glasses and he was able to plan his assault . One troop would move to a position north - west of the well . Another troop would move around to the south - west of the well . A third troop would position itself to the south of the well , While the fourth troop would carry out a frontal assault , supported by a machine - gun section , from their present position . Four men of the assault troop were detached to protect the engineers and another four for the machine - gun section . When the assault began a Turkish sentry on seeing them , withdrew back to the well . the rest of the wells defenders evacuated the position , some headed for the hills and others south - east away from the well . Those that headed to the hills were cut of by the troop positioned there , and all the fighting took place . During which six Turkish soldiers were killed , and five wounded . Afterwards several prisoner were taken , which included an Austrian Engineer officer and thirty - four soldiers . The Austrian officer revealed that the Turkish garrison consisted of one Turkish officer , twenty - five soldiers and fifteen men from the Turkish labour corps . The soldiers belonging to the 2nd Company , 4th Battalion , 79th Regiment . So the attack had dealt with the entire garrison less two men who were observed to have ridden off towards the east . Casualties for the raiding force were one man and a horse killed . The first light horse casualty in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign . The well consisted of three bore holes , and water abstraction equipment , which was destroyed . As well as other equipment and supplies stored around the camp . Including 4 , 000 rounds of small arms ammunition . When the raiding force examined the Turkish defences , they located three trench systems , which had not yet been finished and a concrete emplacement designed for an anti - aircraft gun . At 12 : 00 the raiding force , covered by a rear guard , started back toward the Suez Canal . Making frequent stops to accommodate the camels they halted for the night at 22 : 30 . The next day , 14 April , the raiding force returned safely to their own lines . < ref name = appendix22 / 23 > < / ref > Aftermath . Several men who participated on the raid were mentioned in dispatches in Scott ' s report . For his own leadership skills Scott became a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order . The citation reading " For conspicuous ability and good work . He led a small column to reconnoitre a distant enemy post , attacked it , killed several of the enemy , and brought in thirty - eight prisoners , including the officer in command . His plans were so well laid that he effected this with the loss of only one man and one horse " . The details of the raid , although for the time a minor event , was also published In the London Times , and the New York Times .