Research Guides: World War I and Australia: Middle East Campaign

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Middle East Campaign

After the Gallipoli campaign most of the Australian Imperial Force were sent to the Western Front.

The rest of the troops, including the Australian Light Horse, were sent to the Middle East to defend the Suez Canal and the Sinai peninsula. In 1917 Australian and Allied troops advanced into Palestine capturing Gaza and Jerusalem. By the following year they had occupied Lebanon and Syria. On 30 October 1918 Turkey surrendered.

Watering horses at Elisha’s Fountain, Jericho, from The pictorial panorama of the Great War: embracing Egypt, Gallipoli, Palestine Colart's Studio
Diaries and letters

In our World War I collection we have many diaries and letters from soldiers who fought in the Middle East Campaign including:

The Australian Light Horse in the Great War. A short history of the Desert Mounted Corps, 1919
William Bradbury diary, 1915-1917
Bradbury served with the 12th Australian Light Horse Regiment at Gallipoli and in Egypt. He was killed in action in Palestine on 31 October 1917.
Evans war diaries, August 1914-December 1918
Maurice Cann Evans served with the 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance in Egypt and Palestine until 31 October 1918.
Macrae war diaries, 12 November 1914-18 April 1918
Gordon Macrae was a sergeant with the 6th Australian Light Horse at Gallipoli in 1915, Egypt between 1915-1918 and Palestine in 1917.
Peterson diaries and sketches, 1 January 1916-3 May 1917
William Peterson served with the 2nd Light Horse Brigade in Egypt and Gallipoli, 1915 and in the Romani Campaign in the Sinai Peninsular, 1916-1917. He was wounded in the Battle of Rafa.

Search our catalogue to find more diaries and letters about the Middle East Campaign. Here are some keywords and subject terms to use in your search:

ebooks

Photographs

New Zealanders & Australians before Sphinx with Pyramids in Egypt, 1914-15 (Image 13)
Maps

Attack which resulted in the capture of Beersheeba 31. 10. 17, Sketch by F. R. Massie Lieut Adjut 12th L.H. Regt
This map shows the position of 4th and 12th Regiments, 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade 5000 metres south-east of Beersheba. It was produced by Lieut. Abbott and Frank Raymond Massie of the 12th Light Horse Regiment who were part of the cavalry charge at Beersheba.
World War I map of the northern Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, Arabia, Palestine and the the Mediterranean Sea: showing the Turkish main advance, and Turkish advances on Kantara and Nakhl-Suez
A map of northern Sinai Peninsula region, showing Turkish advances in World War 1.
Composite map east of Jordan, reproduced by the Survey of Egypt

4th Brigade. A.L.H. amongst the ruins of Gaza. January 1918

Newspapers

Various units within the Australian Imperial Force produced their own newspapers.

The Imperial Camel Corps' own newspaper was called Barrak: the Camel Corps review. The Australian Field Ambulance posted to the Middle East published The Cacolet: journal of the Australian Camel Field Ambulance. These newspapers were filled with humorous stories, poetry and photographs.

Letter written on German officer's cuff, 1917. This is a man's shirt cuff which was retrieved by an Australian serviceman from a German officer's belongings 'Somewhere in Palestine', November 1917.

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