Hell in the Holy Land

This compelling WWI history reveals the harsh realities of the British Army’s Middle East campaign through the firsthand accounts of soldiers.

The massive flow of British troops and equipment to Egypt made that country host to the largest British military base outside of Britain and France. Though many soldiers found the atmosphere in Cairo exotic, the desert countryside made operations extremely difficult. The intense heat frequently sickened soldiers, and unruly camels were the only practical means of transport across the soft sands of the Sinai. The constant shortage of potable water was a persistent problem for the troops.

Drawing on the diaries, letters, and memoirs of British soldiers who fought in Egypt and Palestine, David R. Woodward paints a vivid picture of the mayhem, terror, boredom, filth, and sacrifice they endured. The voices of these soldiers offer a forgotten perspective of the Great War, describing not only the physical and psychological toll of combat but the daily struggles of soldiers who were stationed in an unfamiliar environment that often proved just as antagonistic as the enemy.