World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Turkey -- Gallipoli Peninsula; World War, 1914-1918 -- New Zealand
[Illustration: "ORINGIES!"]
Egypt was nominally a province of Turkey, but the Khedive, Abbas
Hilma Pasha, having gone over to the Central Powers with Turkey, it
was notified on December 18, 1914, that Egypt was placed under the
protection of His Majesty the King. The suzerainty of Turkey over Egypt
thus terminated. The person appointed to the place of the late Khedive
was His Highness Prince Hussein Kamel Pasha, the eldest living prince
of the family of Mohammed Ali. His Highness was to be proclaimed Sultan
of Egypt at the Abdin Palace, Cairo, on the morning of December 20. The
Australians and New Zealanders furnished representatives to line the
streets--the Otago and Wellington Infantry Battalions with their bands
doing duty for New Zealand. The detachment of Ceylon Planters' Rifles
Corps also assisted in guard duty and were posted in the Abdin Square.
The streets and buildings were gaily decorated--many Italian and Greek
and French flags being displayed, but principally Union Jacks and
ensigns and the new Egyptian flag, red with three white crescents and
stars.
[Illustration: THE MARCH THROUGH CAIRO.
The Field Troop of New Zealand Engineers passing Shepheard's Hotel.]
The authorities entrusted with holding Egypt and the Suez Canal were
sorely troubled in early December in reference to the Turks proclaiming
a Holy War. The Nationalists were active, but with the arrival of the
colonial troops the anxiety of those responsible was greatly relieved.
The suspected civilians and Turkish officers holding high command in
the Egyptian Army were deported to Malta. The Egyptian understands
armed strength and despises weakness. Being aware of this, it was
deemed advisable to parade the troops as strong as possible and march
through the most populous parts of the city.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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