Item 02: From Australia to Gallipoli, ca. 1916 / Dudley V. Walford - Page 70

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[Page 70]

Defending the Suez Canal

and furious, it was considered advisable to erect a new firing line, well out in the Sinai peninsular, and thus protect the canal from artillery fire which would hinder and probably curtail the shipping through this most valuable highway.

This meant additional hardships and energy, as the transportation of supplies over such loose and heavy sand was very troublesome and the intense heat of the sun added to this difficulty.

Suez, Serapeum, Ismailia, Romani and the Katia district were the most vital points open to attack, and it was at these places that the defences were strengthened by all possible means.

At Serapeum, as at all other positions, the water supply afforded much difficulty and anxiety.

Our engineers overcame this by purifying the water from the Sweet Water Canal which ran in the direction of Suez. The water was pumped up & filtered in two huge cylindrical shaped concrete filter beds from which pipes ran underneath the canal, transferring the water to tank reservoirs on the east side. From these tanks the water was pumped to huge tank reservoirs which were at the rail head. These were under the leadership of "Jhonnie" of the Indian Transport Corps or Egyptians, the water was taken to the

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