 On 21 December , after a night march of 30 miles ( 48 km ) the Anzac Mounted Division , commanded by Chauvel , entered El Arish , which had been abandoned by the German and Turkish force who had retreated to Madghaba where the mounted force won a fierce daylong engagement against strong well constructed defences manned by determined defenders . Situated on the British right flank , the Egyptian outpost of Magdhaba was some 23 miles ( 37 km ) to the south @-@ south @-@ east into the Sinai desert , from El Arish on the Mediterranean coast . With Turkish forces on the defensive , Madghaba , along with another position at Rafa , were the last main obstacles standing in the way of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force 's advance into Palestine . Chauvel , with the agreement of Lieutenant General Philip Chetwode commanding the Desert Column who had arrived earlier that day , set out to attack the Turkish forces at Magdhaba with the Anzac Mounted Division . Leaving at about midnight on 22 December , the Anzac Mounted Division was in a position by 03 @.@ 50 am on 23 December to see enemy fires still some miles away at Magdhaba . 
