Sinai 1916-17: The Fight for the Suez Canal

96 pages

Mike Farquharson-Roberts PhD (Mar Hist)

National perspectives of the First World War can be very different. Most British think that the Western front was the all-important theatre, and indeed it was where the war was won. For the Australians and New Zealanders, the Gallipoli/Dardanelles campaign attracts most attention, seeing it as the theatre were they came of age as nations; they remember that campaign above their outstanding performance on the Western front when they became Haig’s shock troops, being regarded as among the best troops in the theatre. After Gallipoli, the war against the Ottoman Empire is largely seen as being peripheral to the ‘main’ war, remembered for the Arab revolt and of course, Lawrence of Arabia.

The Turkish or Ottoman Empire extended well to the south of the Dardanelles and Palestine, directly bordered on the British Empire in the Sinai Peninsula which was part of Egypt, which, while nominally an independent country was a British protectorate after December 1914. The Suez Canal which made Egypt so vital was owned by Britain; it was the vital lifeline for the British Empire.

Early in the war Turkish forces had attempted to take the canal but were pushed back. With Gallipoli over, Turkey and its German allies again looked across the Sinai Peninsula towards the Canal. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the Australian and New Zealand (ANZAC) forces went to Egypt. There they were to play a major part in the campaign by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. Components included the Australian Light Horse, the Australian Flying Corps, the New Zealand Mounted Rifles as well as various British army units supported by the Royal Navy (including the Royal Naval Air Service) and the Royal Flying Corps.

The key battle of Romani fought 4 August 1916 marked the turning point of the campaign. If the Ottoman/Germans had won, their way to the Suez Canal would have been clear. It was a crucial battle, not only in the campaign but for the war. This battle, not the Arab revolt, led directly on to the British advance into Palestine under General Allenby and the taking of Jerusalem.

Osprey has done its usual, a succinct readable account of a campaign in 96 pages, with outstanding illustrations. What is frankly amazing about Osprey is the detail it goes into, for example the differences between NZ and Australian cavalry slouch hats! As usual the maps are superb, fully coloured over two pages. As well as the actual fighting, the book looks in some detail at the personalities commanding on both sides, the logistic support, the gathering of intelligence from the air.

This book covers a largely forgotten but vitally important campaign in the First World War. It attracted little attention (by either side) at the time, indeed it was neglected, but if it had gone the other way, had the Ottoman/Germans won and taken the Suez Canal, the whole war would have been very different. The book is strongly recommended.