British soldiers and Senussi refugees on the desert railway, 1916

Photograph, World War One, Middle East (1914-1918), Egypt, 1916.

Image caption states: 'A roadside halt on the desert railway. A hospital van bound for Assuit. In next 2 trucks can be seen a few Senussi refugees going under escort to Alexandria'.

Construction on the desert railway began in February 1916. It eventually spanned hundreds of miles across the Sinai peninsula, providing troops and supplies to the front line.

From a collection of photographs taken by Corporal Joseph Egerton, Shropshire Yeomanry in Sinai and Palestine.