War chronicle · 3 December · Suez Canal, Egypt
Kiwi troops arrive in Egypt
Frustrated Kiwi soldiers must guard the Suez Canal – instead of going to the Western Front.
After months of training and travel, it is a time of excitement for many troops when the first NZEF convoy arrives on Egyptian shores. On 3 December, the troops establish Zeitoun camp on the outskirts of Cairo. Famous for its tourist attractions and stunning desert, Egypt is an adventurer’s paradise – or so it seems.
The New Zealanders are supposed to complete their training in Egypt before being sent to the Western Front. But the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) joined the war in early November on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary – that means Egypt and the strategically important Suez Canal are now under direct threat of Ottoman attack.
Frustrated Kiwi soldiers have had enough of the heat and sand, the routine of camp life, and even the tourist attractions . And it looks like they will be staying in Egypt to help guard the canal even after they finish training.
The Kiwis finally come face to face with the war when the Ottomans raid the Suez Canal on the night of 2–3 February. Private Billy Ham, a 22-year-old country boy from Motueka, becomes the first NZEF soldier to die as a result of enemy action. The war has suddenly become very real for New Zealanders.
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