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Egypt

What do you want here? Turkish and British child soldiers on the Suez Canal. After crossing the Sinai Peninsula during January, 1915, a Turkish army of approximately 12,000 soldiers reached the Suez Canal on February 2, and tried to cross after nightfall, but were driven back. On the 3rd, the British crossed the canal, and struck the Turkish left flank, driving them back. By February 10, the Turks had evacuated the Peninsula. 
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Suez-Kanal
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A.R. & C.i.B. No. 718/4

What do you want here? Turkish and British child soldiers on the Suez Canal. After crossing the Sinai Peninsula during January, 1915, a Turkish army of approximately 12,000 soldiers reached the Suez Canal on February 2, and tried to cross after nightfall, but were driven back. On the 3rd, the British crossed the canal, and struck the Turkish left flank, driving them back. By February 10, the Turks had evacuated the Peninsula.

Image text

Was willst Du hier?



What do you want here?



Suez-Kanal



Reverse:

A.R. & C.i.B. No. 718/4

Other views: Larger

To secure the Suez Canal, Great Britain, which had controlled the country for decades, formalized Egypt as a British protectorate on December 19, 1914, deposing Khedive Abbas II in favor of his uncle Hussein Kamel. Britain gave Hussein Kamel the title of Sultan to emphasize the break with Egypt's Ottoman past.

The action followed a skirmish with a force of 2,000 Bedouins on November 21, 1914. At the same time, the British strengthened their Suez Canal defenses, positioning their primary defense line on the west bank with crossing points covered by outposts on the east. Four British gunboats patrolled the Canal. At the northern end, two French warships were stationed at Port Said, and the dyke was cut to flood the land to the east.

In January 1915, Britain had 70,000 troops in Egypt, most of them Indian or ANZAC. During the month, a Turkish Expeditionary Force of 12,000 crossed from Palestine, reaching El Arish in Egypt. After skirmishes on January 28, the Turks attempted to cross the Canal the night of February 2, but were driven back with heavy losses from British machine gun fire. British troops crossed the Canal the next day, and attacked the Turkish left flank. By the end of the 3rd, the Turks retreated having suffered heavy casualties. The British took 500 prisoners. Within a week, the Turks had evacuated Sinai.

Egypt was a major staging area the troops of the Dardanelles and Gallipoli Campaigns.

In April 1916 Turkey forces failed in their attempt to cross the Suez Canal. They did not threaten it again.

The Senussi, a political and religious movement that originated in Libya, threatened the British in Egypt with an offensive begun in November 1915, tying down troops for over one year.

Egypt was the base of operations for the British campaign on the Syria/Palestine Front.

Egypt is a country in Africa.

A sample pie chart graphic

Statistics for Egypt (1)

Type Statistic
Population 11,287,350

Some places in Egypt (2)

Click to View Location Type
Cairo City
Suez Canal Canal

Some books about Egypt (2)

Title Author Last Name Author First Name
Setting the Desert on Fire Barr James
King's Complete History of the World War King W.C.