The Egyptian Expeditionary Force in World War I

This military history follows the 5th Battalion of the Suffolk regiment from England to Syria and the end of World War I. Among the previously untapped primary source materials used are the author’s father’s correspondence and photographs from his 1913–1919 service with the 5th Suffolk in England, Gallipoli, Egypt, Palestine and Syria. It follows chronologically the frustrating failures, and the final victory, of the campaigns in North Africa and the Middle East and refutes the widely held misconception that cavalry played no major role in the conflict.

Michael J. Mortlock, a former archivist at the University of Richmond, contributes to film documentaries and writes fiction. He lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Michael J. Mortlock
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 312
Bibliographic Info: 98 photos, maps, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2011
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4871-5
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5797-7
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      ix
Preface      1
Introduction: The Middle Eastern Theatre      3

1. Egypt and the Suez Canal      19
2. The Sinai Peninsula and the Failures at Gaza—The Gateway to Palestine      55
3. A Change at the Top, Then Success at Beersheba and Gaza      102
4. Lloyd George’s Christmas Present      149
5. Advance, Delay, Advance: The Judean Hills and the Jordan      161
6. The Final Stroke      184
7. Backlash      227

Postscript: Back Home      235
Appendix A: Participants in the Palestine Campaign      239
Appendix B: Basic British Army Structure      241
Appendix C: Casualties      242
Appendix D: Order of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force      244
Appendix E: General Allenby’s Official Report      249
Appendix F: The Egyptian Government      250
Appendix G: Statement of Aims in Palestine      252
Appendix H: Norfolk Regiment Officers      253
Appendix I: Royal Army Service Corps Officers, 54th (East
Anglian) Division      255
Appendix J: Equipment on Company Establishment      257
Appendix K: Field Marshal Lord Allenby’s Letter      258
Chapter Notes      259
Bibliography      273
Index      291

“photos are…significant and outstanding. My hat is off to Michael Mortlock…a labor of love”—ASTENE; “a clear and interesting account of an often neglected area of WWI operations”—ARmy Rumour SErvice.