On January 8, 1916, in El Arish,  British General Sir Archibald Murray assigned the Mounted Division to go and oversee how the British armies would mobilize. The Ottomans, set 25 miles east of El Arish near Rafa in El Magruntein, had constructed a defensive position made up of several raised altitudes known as redoubts. This area was surrounded by clear land 2,000 yards wide. 

On the morning of January 9, the New Zealand Horse Brigades, led by Lt. General Chetwode, cut the telegraph lines to Gaza and isolated Rafa from help. Afterwards, the New Zealand Horse Brigades split and headed to the Ottoman defensive spots, in the north, east, and south, while another brigade, Yeomanry brigade, moved in from the west. When they all arrived, the British Horse artillery batteries opened fire on the Turkish redoubts.

The military technology and forms of combat used in the battle of Rafa included both horse and camel mounted infantry, cars with mounted machine guns, and single fire rifles with bayonets. This made a more close quarters battle where soldiers were forced to fight face to face with each other. A British soldier who witnessed the battle states, "At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened a man - they were an awe inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze - knee to knee and horse to horse - the dying sun glinting on bayonet points..." Trooper Ion Idriess

The soldiers experience in this battle was emotionally draining, mainly because at the start of the battle it seemed obvious that the British were not going to take Rafa due to ammunition shortages. The battle was also very physically draining for all soldiers as it was fought in a desert, where water was scarce, the air was dry, and the ground was covered in rocks and sand.

Towards the end of the battle the British ordered a retreat because of slow progress. However before the retreat took place a final effort broke the Ottoman defenses and the British had won. German Chief of Staff Kress Von Kressenstein recounts what had happened, "Despite their heavy numeric superiority the British could advance over the area very slowly. Once the ammunition ran out for the German controlled machine gun lines, the New Zealanders succeeded in taking the Turkish redoubt by storm. The other redoubts held out for a little time but by 5pm the whole garrison was in the hands of the British. Only a few of the courageous crew could escape from the capture; the total captured came to about 1200 men - including the regiment commander.The British paid for their success with 71 dead and 415 wounded."

The conquest of Rafa ended the Sinai Campaign, led to neighboring territories, and eventually aided the capture of Jerusalem by British forces. By the end of the battle there were 71 dead, 415 wounded on British forces, and 200 dead, 1635 captured, and 168 wounded on the Ottoman forces.