Australian Naval History on 22 December 1916

50 personnel from the RANBT, under CMDR L. S. Bracegirdle, RAN, landed at El Arish on the Sinai Peninsula, to build a pier to land supplies in support of the ANZAC mounted columns advance into Palestine. The Turkish forces had withdrawn to Magdahba only a few days before, leaving El Arish undefended, but the beach was still mined. These men stayed at El Arish until late March to maintain the pier and unload supplies.