A Bristol M1C monoplane.

A type that could have delivered much had it not been the subject of official prejudice against monoplanes when introduced in 1917. The Middle East was its main area of active service. Several were used for racing after the war.

An RE8 in flight viewed from another of the same type.

My guess is, that there is another photograph in existance taken from the opposite direction. In this shot Aboukir Bay, the site of Nelson's famous victory at the Battle of the Nile in 1798 one hundred and twenty years previously, is visible in the lower background.

H.M. Land Ship Snapper.

This is a male variant of a Mark 1 heavy tank, the long barrelled Naval 6 pounder QF gun only fitted to the Mark 1 providing one clue as to identification. The problems of these guns digging in on rough terrain or catching on trees or buildings ensured that a shorter barrelled 6 pounder was fitted to later marks of tank in redesigned sponsons.

According to Regimental legend Mark IV tanks had been earmarked but due to shortages for the Western Front worn out MK 1s, which had been relegated to training, were sent to the Canal Zone.

The grease lubricant normally used on the tracks combined with the sand in this theatre to form an abrasive compound caused frequent track failure such as that shown in this photograph.

Another Mark 1 male tank, females had machine guns instead of 6 pounders.

It was the normal practice to name tanks. Other named tanks known to have been in this theatre are: Pincher, Sir Archibald, Nutty, Otazel, War Baby, Kia-Ora (female), Tiger and Ole-Luk-Oie. These tanks were manned by personnel from E battalion under the command of Maj Norman Nutt, deployed in the Canal Zone from January 1917. Three Mk IV tanks were added prior to the Third Battle of Gaza.