Statue of King Fuad I of Egypt and Cairo Opera House, Zamalek, Egypt, 1942 (c)

Photograph by Major Wilfred Herbert James Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), World War Two, North Africa, 1942 (c).

Fuad I (1868-1936) became Sultan of Egypt in 1917 but, with Egyptian independence, re-titled himself King of Egypt in 1922.

The Khedivial Opera House in Cairo was designed by Italian architects for Khedive Ismail (1830-1895) and was constructed on Gezira Island in 1869 to coincide with the opening of the Suez Canal. The opera house's first performance was of Verdi's 'Rigoletto'. In 1871 the opera house hosted the premiere of Verdi's 'Aida'. A century later, in October 1971, the opera house was destroyed by fire.

The Sharpshooters arrived in Egypt in late 1941 and took part in the successful campaign to oust German and Italian forces from North Africa. The unit moved on to Sicily and mainland Italy, returning to the United Kingdom in time to participate in the Normandy Landings in June 1944.

From an album containing 182 photographs compiled by Major W H J Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).