[Photo by the Author
En route to the Suez Canal.
Tel-el-Kebir is the scene of the famous battle fought by Lord Wolseley in 1882.
A glance at the map will show that the defence of Egypt from the Turk was strengthened by two great natural obstacles—natural from a military point of view—the arid wastes of the Sinai Desert, and the chain of salt lakes connected by the Suez Canal. In those days, when trained men were not plentiful, it was natural that this long ribbon of sea water—nowhere less than sixty-five yards wide—should be selected as the line of resistance, although much elaborate fortification had been made on the eastern bank, more particularly at Kantara. In the matter of heavy artillery we had the advantage, as the Turk had to bring his guns over miles of soft sand, whereas we employed ships of the Royal Navy, which, with their powerful guns, could move up and down the defence line, easily outranging the most powerful Turkish artillery.
Egypt and the Suez Canal..
This map shows how the troops defending the Suez Canal could have been quickly reinforced from the camps near Cairo.
"Kukris"
The Ghurka badge and weapon.