# Force in Egypt

The Force in Egypt was a British Army formation established in August 1914 to administer garrisoning armed forces in Egypt at the beginning of the First World War. The force had the objective of protecting the Suez Canal and was originally commanded by Major General Julian Byng, but he was replaced by General John Maxwell, who took command on 8 September 1914. Initially, the main threat to the Suez came from Germany and throughout the early months several of the force's elements were sent to Europe to take part in the fighting on the Western Front. On 5 November 1914, Britain and France declared war on the Ottoman Empire, after which the Force in Egypt faced a direct threat from Ottoman forces, which was realised in February 1915 with a raid on the Suez Canal. This threat remained until 1916 when the British forces went on the offensive.
The composition of the force changed several times due to the varying availability forces. By the end of 1914, the forces deployed in defence of the Suez Canal under Maxwell totaled approximately 30,000 troops. The main elements of this force were the 10th Indian Division (Major General A. Wilson), the 11th Indian Division, the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade, and the Bikaner Camel Corps, as well as elements from the Indian Mountain Artillery and the Egyptian Army Artillery. In addition, several British and French warships in the canal served as floating batteries and there were several aircraft available for reconnaissance. Following the opening of the Gallipoli Campaign, the Force in Egypt was reduced mainly to a training and reinforcement camp until forces were withdrawn from the Gallipoli Peninsula and returned to Egypt in December 1915.
In 1916, the Force in Egypt was merged with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force to form the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF). General Sir Archibald Murray was given command and additional resources and the mission of the EEF changed from the defence of the Suez to an invasion of Palestine.

## August 1914

    3rd Dragoon Guards
    T Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
    7th Mountain Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
    2nd Field Company, Royal Engineers
    2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
    1st Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment
    2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
    2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders and auxiliary services.

## September 1914

In addition to the above, two units from the 3rd (Lahore) Division were added:
    9th (Sirhind) Brigade
    III Mountain Artillery Brigade
Shortly afterwards, as a result of the Sinai frontier being crossed, Lord Kitchener ordered additional forces in the form of the East Lancashire Division (Territorial Force) with two Yeomanry regiments to follow, although several elements that were assigned to the Force in Egypt in August 1914 were shipped to France.
By October 1914, the 9th (Sirhind) Brigade was under orders to deploy to France but was retained until the 22nd (Lucknow) Brigade arrived.
The following forces were promised and on their way to Egypt in October 1914:
    Bikaner Camel Corps
    Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade
    32nd (Imperial Service) Brigade
       33rd Punjabis battalion (regular British Indian Army)
       Alwar, Gwalior and Patiala Infantry battalions
    eight Indian battalions
    three more Indian brigades.

## January 1915

(total force 70,000)
    10th Indian Division
    11th Indian Division
    Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade
    Bikaner Camel Corps
    Indian Mountain Artillery (three batteries)
    Egyptian Army Artillery (one battery)
    Royal Flying Corps detachment
    French naval seaplanes
In training
    Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC)
    42nd (East Lancashire) Division

## Suez Canal Defences: 15 January 1915

    Advanced Ordnance Depot Zagazig
       one battalion from the 32nd (Imperial Service) Brigade
    Garrison railway and Sweetwater Canal
       one troop of Imperial Service Cavalry
       a half company from the Bikaner Camel Corps
       a half company of Indian infantry
    General Reserve Camp, Moascar
       31st Indian Brigade
          2nd Queen Victoria's Own Rajput Light Infantry
          27th Punjabis
          93rd Burma Infantry
          128th Pioneers
       32nd (Imperial Service) Brigade
          33rd Punjabis
          Alwar, Gwalior and Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade less three squadrons and one troop
       one Egyptian RE Section (camels)
       one Egyptian Mountain Battery
       two sections of field artillery with the Cavalry Brigade
       Indian field ambulances.

### Sector I: Port Tewfik to Geneffee

    Headquarters at Suez
    30th Indian Brigade
       24th Punjabis
       76th Punjabis
       126th Baluchistan Infantry
       2/7th Gurkha Rifles
    one squadron of Imperial Service Cavalry
    one company from the Bikaner Camel Corps
    half company of Sappers and Miners
    one battery from the Royal Field Artillery (Territorial)
    one Indian field ambulance

### Sector II: Deversoir to El Ferdan

    Headquarters at Ismailia Old Camp
    22nd (Lucknow) Brigade
       62nd Punjabis
       92nd Punjabis
       2/10th Gurkha Rifles
    28th Indian Brigade
       51st Sikhs
       53rd Sikhs
       56th Punjabis
       1/5th Gurkha Rifles
    one squadron Imperial Service Cavalry
    the Bikaner Camel Corps (less three and a half companies)
    a machine gun section from the Egyptian Camel Transport Corps
    one battery from the Royal Field Artillery (Territorial)
    one battery from the Indian Mountain Artillery
    two Indian field ambulances

### Sector III: El Ferdan to Port Said

    Headquarters El-Qantarah
    29th Indian Brigade
       14th Sikhs
       69th Punjabis
       89th Punjabis
       1/6th Gurkha Rifles
    one battalion from the 22nd (Lucknow) Brigade
    one squadron from the Imperial Service Cavalry
    two companies from the Bikaner Camel Corps
    half company of sappers and miners
    two batteries from the Royal Field Artillery (Territorial)
    26th Battery, Indian Mountain Artillery
    armoured train with a half company of Indian infantry
    wireless section (Territorial)
    Indian field ambulance
    Detachment Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorial)

## April 1915

During April the 29th Indian Brigade and the East Lancashire Division were sent to Gallipoli. The 2nd Mounted (Yeomanry) Division arrived to take their place by 29 April.
Sent to Gallipoli as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
    Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
    42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division
    one Indian brigade (incomplete)
Sent to Basra
    one Indian brigade
Sent to Aden (to defend Yemen against a possible attack)
    Aden Brigade

## 9 July 1915

The total force of 69,765 personnel consisted of:
    one Yeomanry brigade: 1,054 personnel
    2nd Mounted Division: 8,242 personnel
    Indian Expeditionary Force "E" (under orders for Aden): 15,940 personnel
    5th, 6th, 7th Australian Brigades in process of arriving: 5,212 personnel
    ANZAC: 10,243 personnel
    29th Divisional Supply Column: 312 personnel
    regulars, details, depot: 829 personnel
    Mediterranean Expeditionary Force base: 28,134 personnel
By November 1915, the Force in Egypt had been reduced largely to a training and reinforcement camp. Although there were 60,000 troops in Egypt, these were mainly details of formations fighting at Gallipoli and ANZACs in training.

## November 1915

Western Frontier Force (Major General A. Wallace)
    Composite mounted brigade
       Three composite regiments of Yeomanry
       One composite regiment of Australian Light Horse
    1/1st Nottinghamshire Royal Horse Artillery
    Composite infantry brigade
       Three territorial battalions.
       One battalion Indian infantry (15th Sikhs).
Some South African troops and a New Zealand battalion were added after November 1915.
On 10 March 1916, the Force in Egypt was merged with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force to form the Egyptian Expeditionary Force.