‘A FRIENDLY INVASION ?’

Soldiering in Egypt c.1914 - 1918

Sarah ShepherdMA, Military History

AANS sisters possibly of No 3 Australian General Hospital on top of the Great Pyramid. The nurse seated at right has a camera case beside her, c.1915

The presentation will focus, in particular, on the visual and material record of this encounter through the analysis of the rich collection of soldiers’ sketches, engravings , art work and photographs, as well as the visual vocabulary through which the Commonwealth-Egyptian encounter was represented.

Presentation Scope

Conflict Archaeology is a developing area within the sphere of

‘Egyptology’ and my research is the first step of an endeavour to

embark on a comprehensive study surrounding the shared

experiences of soldiers serving in Egypt during the period 1914 –

1918 and their apparent interest in the heritage of Egypt. This

project will look at the following areas:

The concept of ‘a friendly invasion’ – the clash of cultures

Official Military policies on social and cultural interactions

Soldiers and their interactions with the surrounding heritage

- archaeology

- photography

- narrative

- graffiti

- Iconography

- Material culture - Antiquities, souvenirs and curiosities (inc.

trench art

Egyptology’s view on ‘colonialist ‘ related heritage material,

graffiti and damage to sites

Conclusions and opportunities for further study Bombardier Maxfield (left), Driver Rich (Sitting on the Sarcophagus), and Gunner Shields (right) A section, 7th F.A.B, Australian Field Artillery, c.1915

‘Alexandria is a very large but dirty and uninteresting town.

The people are mixed French, Arabs, Copts, Jews and all manner of divers races. The poor are a pest and the buildings unpretentious’

‘The people are disgusting in their mixture of East and West. Saw some fine Egyptians but the majority do not appear at all well to the Western eye. I have heard that Alex was this kind of town’

‘Alex improves greatly upon acquaintance though there is still a lot to be desired’

Second Lieutenant Leonard Leader Brereton3 / 5th Bedfordshire RegimentSaturday 27th January 1917

An early panorama of Mena Camp and the Pyramids taken byCaptain Alfred McKenna, 16TH Dec 1914 Museum of Victoria, MM050634 refers

‘A big water scheme was

under construction for reticulation to the camp and during excavations a old jar of gold coins was found –they were soon disposed off’

Captain Walter C Belford MA11TH Battalion AIF

Captain Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean A.I.F War Correspondent and Historian

Climbing the Great Pyramid on New Years Day, 1915The Australian War Memorial, G01658 refers

‘Will try and send a few things from Egypt, curio’s and the like that might be of interest to you. Haven't any as yet except a stone from the top of the biggest pyramid but ought to be able to get some’

1175 Corporal Herbert Andrew SmytheAustralian Infantry, AIFMena Camp, Giza, Jan 1915

'I am doing fine and having the time of my life. I go out for motor drives and sight-seeing every day and I can tell you. It is a real treat.‘

1285 Sergeant David Roberts

Sister Mary Theresa Martin 2nd Australian General Hospital Mena House Hotel / Ghezireh Palace, Cairo

Enlisted 18th August 1914

Embarked from Sydney on HMAT A19 Afric on 18 October 1914 with No 2 Company, 1 Divisional Train, Australian Army Service Corps

Served at Gallipoli

Promoted to Lieutenant and later Captain

Awarded the Military Cross "for gallantry and distinguished service in the field" on 9 November 1917 and the Bar to the Military Cross "for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty" on 22 March 1918.622 Cpl Norman Rutledge Plomley

(622 Captain Norman Rutledge Plomley MC & Bar)

‘During a fortnight’s leave – I went to Cairo. Whilst there I visited the Great Pyramid and went on top and also inside the Great Pyramid. The camel journey was from the town of Cairo itself to the pyramids and it was advisable to go by camel actually because of the road, or part, was mainly loose sand. I also went to the Sphinx and had a walk all over the Sphinx. Seeing them as I did, one could not but be impressed with the fact that they’re fantastic constructions’

Edgar Wooley, Wireless Operator The Royal Flying Corps, Egypt, c.1917

Church Parade at Giza in the shadow of the Sphinx

Giza, Egypt, 1916

66 Pte John BrownPanel 26, Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli

2019 Pte Neil WellsChatby War Memorial

Cemetery, Egypt

51 Pte Herbert Robertshaw

Panel 51, Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli

Lt T.H Boyd M.CPasschendale New British Cemetery

Members of the A.I.F visiting the Tomb of Ty atSaqqara c. 1915

The Australian War Memorial, J02174 refers

Members of the A.I.F Nursing Service visiting the Step Pyramid, c. 1915Museum of Victoria, MM107474 refers

Sightseeing in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, c. 1915

Luxor and the Valley of the Kings remained a popular leave destination for many troops, c.1915

British and Australian Nurses visiting the Ramasseum in 1915

The ‘Bric-a-Brac’ of War Authentic and faux Archaeological Artefacts collected by Servicemen and Women

Scarabs

Statuettes

Statuary

Canopic Jar lids

Jewellery

Coinage

Amulets

Thank you for your kind attention