Lieutenant General Philip Chetwode, commanding the Desert Column, rode out of El Arish at 16:00 on 8 January towards Rafa where a 2,000-strong Ottoman garrison was based.
Generalløjtnant Philip Chetwode, som var chef for ørkenkolonnen, red ud af al-Arish kl. 16 den 8. januar i retning af Rafah, hvor en 2.000 mand stærk osmannisk garnison havde base.