With our army in Palestine

A former artillery officer recounts the early days of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, offering a ground‑level view of the long, cramped voyage to the Middle East and the first months of desert warfare. He avoids technical jargon, instead focusing on the everyday lives of the soldiers—how they ate, slept, and coped with the relentless heat while the war’s distant headlines painted a far more glamorous picture. The narrative captures the raw reality of a campaign that began far from the celebrated battles for Jerusalem.

The memoir brings the harsh Egyptian landscape to life, describing camel convoys winding through the Wadi Ghuzzee, makeshift camps camouflaged with scrub, and the tense encounters with the Senussi tribe. Vivid photographs and sketches punctuate the text, giving listeners a visual sense of bustling native markets, water convoys, and the chaotic valleys that framed the struggle. Through these details, the author conveys both the logistical challenges and the fierce camaraderie forged in the sand.

Beyond the battlefield, the book reveals the delicate balance between military objectives and the political unrest simmering in Egypt, from Al‑Azhar student agitation to Turkish‑German intrigue. By the end of the first act, listeners will have a clear picture of the grit required to turn a distant, unfamiliar desert into a stage for one of the First World War’s most demanding operations.