Online Collection

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'The Sphynx [sic]. Napoleon is reputed to have shot off his nose with a cannon-ball'

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

Newly arrived service personnel in Egypt generally spent time acclimatising in the Nile delta area before moving out into the desert. During this time they visited Cairo and the ancient monuments surrounding the city. They were joined by soldiers on leave from the front line, who were keen to visit and photograph Egypt's historic landmarks. The caption to this photograph refers to a legend that the Sphinx's nose was broken off by a cannonball fired by Napoleon's soldiers. This is a myth, the statue had lost its nose and royal ritual beard long before then, possibly in the 14th century when Moslem iconaclasts attacked the Sphinx.

From an album containing 199 photographs compiled by Major W H J Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).

NAM Accession Number

NAM. 1975-03-63-5-197

Copyright/Ownership

National Army Museum Copyright

Location

National Army Museum, Study collection

Object URL

https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1975-03-63-5-197