117-794: The Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train was a unique unit of the Royal Australian Navy . It was active only during the First World War , where it served in the Gallipoli and the Sinai and Palestine Campaigns . The Train was formed in February 1915 and stood down in May 1917. Throughout its existence, it was composed of Royal Australian Naval Reservists under the command of Lieutenant Commander Leighton Bracegirdle . Normally under
234-501: A cosmopolitan community. Referring to this fact Rudyard Kipling once said "If you truly wish to find someone you have known and who travels, there are two points on the globe you have but to sit and wait, sooner or later your man will come there: the docks of London and Port Said". Port Said is an important city in Egypt for trade and business, due to its location on the coastal region. The name of Port Said first appeared in 1855. It
351-550: A large number of civilian-crewed vessels under contract to the Australian Defence Force. RAN personnel utilise the following small arms: There are currently several major projects underway that will see upgrades to RAN capabilities. The RAN currently has forces deployed on seven major operations: Port Said Port Said ( / s aɪ d / , Egyptian Arabic : بورسعيد , romanized: Bōrsaʿīd , pronounced [boɾsæˈʕiːd, poɾ-] )
468-675: A Naval contingent would be acceptable, as the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division , consisting of Royal Marines and Naval Reservists, was preparing to join the Western Front. Naval Board was quick to move of these reports, making this recommendation to the Minister for Defence: The Naval Board, having consulted the Chief of the General Staff as to most suitable method by which services of RANR officers and men can be made use of in
585-461: A Serapeum halfway between Lake Tismah and Bitter Lakes, Sub-Lieutenant Charles Hicks with 65 men at the northern approach to Lake Tismah, a place known as Ferry Point. Lt Commander Bracegirdle had joined up with the Train again on 30 January, and was in command at the main camp on Lake Tismah. Duties at the main camp were light, mainly consisting of experimenting with new iron pontoons, and assisting at
702-772: A commission by the Governor-General as Commander-in-Chief on behalf of His Majesty King Charles III. Naval officers are trained at the Royal Australian Naval College (HMAS Creswell ) in Jervis Bay as well as the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra. Royal Australian Navy Other Ranks wear "right arm rates" insignia, called "Category Insignia" to indicate specialty training qualifications. This
819-654: A fleet unit within a larger imperial force, controlled centrally by the British Admiralty . In 1908–09, a compromise solution was pursued, with the Australian government agreeing to establish a force for local defence but that would be capable of forming a fleet unit within the Royal Navy, albeit without central control. As a result, the navy's force structure was set at "one battlecruiser, three light cruisers, six destroyers and three submarines". The first of
936-521: A lower scale. Among speakers of Egyptian Arabic , the Port Saidi accent is unique. Port Said is a main summer resort and tourist attraction , due to its public and private beaches, cosmopolitan heritage, museums , and duty-free port, beside the other landmarks like Port Said Lighthouse , Port Said Martyrs Memorial that has the shape of the Pharaonic ancient obelisks , and the building of
1053-564: A population of 680,375 people. The city was established in 1859 during the building of the Suez Canal. There are numerous old houses with grand balconies on all floors, giving the city a distinctive look. Port Said's twin city is Port Fuad , which lies on the eastern bank of the Suez Canal. The two cities coexist, to the extent that there is hardly any town centre in Port Fuad. The cities are connected by free ferries running all through
1170-501: A significant role in Egyptian history. The British entered Egypt through the city in 1882, starting their occupation of Egypt. At the start of the twentieth century, two things happened to change Port Said: in 1902, Egyptian cotton from Mataria started to be exported via Port Said; and in 1904 a standard gauge railway opened to Cairo . The result was to attract a large commercial community and to raise its social status. In particular
1287-473: A sizable Greek community grew up. In 1907, the quickly growing city had about 50,000 inhabitants, among whom were 11,000 Europeans "of all nations". During the First World War, Port Said became home to an important Allied hospital. Due to the strategic location of Port Said intersecting Europe, Africa and Asia, thousands of men were sent to this hospital. This included soldiers wounded as a result from
SECTION 10
#17327733167131404-911: A troublesome German coastal raider. The SMS Emden and HMAS Sydney met in the Battle of Cocos, the Emden was destroyed in Australia's first naval victory. Following the almost complete destruction of the East Asia Squadron in the Battle of the Falklands by the Royal Navy, the RAN became able to be reassigned to other naval theatres of the war. On 28 February 1915, the Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train (RANBT)
1521-574: A wooden wharf, it served as a mooring berth for the boats. Soon after, a wooden jetty was built, connecting the departure islet, as it quickly became known, to the beach. This rock could be considered the heart of the developing city, and it was on this highly symbolic site, forty years later, that a monument to de Lesseps was erected. There were no local resources here. Everything Port Said needed had to be imported: wood, stone, supplies, machinery, equipment, housing, food and even water. Giant water storage containers were erected to supply fresh water until
1638-574: Is football , as is the case in the rest of Egypt and Africa, and Port Saidis are known for their enthusiasm in supporting the local team Al Masry SC . Al Masry Club Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Port Said. Built in 1954, it currently seats 17,988 and is used mostly for football matches, including the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship , 2006 African Cup of Nations , and 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup . The 2012 Port Said Stadium riot took place there. The second most popular sport in Port Said
1755-643: Is handball . The city is known for their local handball team Port Said SC that won three Egyptian Handball League titles and also was the champion of the African Handball Champions League in 1990 . Port Said Hall is an indoor hall located in the Sports City in Port Said . It hosts competitions of handball, basketball, and volleyball, and was used for the 1999 World Men's Handball Championship . It holds 5000 people. Hockey , swimming, and other sports are also practiced on
1872-579: Is a holdover from the Royal Navy. The Warrant Officer of the Navy (WO-N) is an appointment held by the most senior sailor in the RAN and holds the rank of warrant officer (WO). However, the WO-N does not wear the WO rank insignia; instead, they wear the special insignia of the appointment. The WO-N appointment has similar equivalent appointments in the other services, each holding the rank of warrant officer, each being
1989-830: Is a part of the Australian Public Service , administers the ADF, and ergo, the Royal Australian Navy. In 2023, the Surface Fleet Review was introduced to outline the future of the Navy. The navy was formed in 1901 as the Commonwealth Naval Forces ( CNF ) through the amalgamation of the colonial navies of Australia following the federation of Australia . Although it was originally intended for local defence, it became increasingly responsible for regional defence as
2106-592: Is a port city that lies in the northeast Egypt extending about 30 km (19 mi) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea , straddling the west bank of the northern mouth of the Suez Canal . The city is the capital of the Port Said governorate and it forms the majority of the governorate, where its seven districts comprise seven of the governorate's eight regions. At the beginning of 2023 had
2223-486: Is a public university that follows the Egyptian system of higher education. The most notable faculties of the university are the faculty of engineering and the faculty of science. In addition, the Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime Transport is a semi-private educational institution that offers courses for high school, undergraduate level students, postgraduate. Sadat Academy for Management Sciences
2340-749: Is a summary of munitions and stores discharged from the storeship Perdsto during the month of September. In November 1915, the British military hero Field Marshal Lord Kitchener toured the Dardanelles as part of his review of the Middle Eastern theatre of operations . After two hours at Anzac Cove, he instructed Lt General Birdwood, the Commander of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force to begin planning to evacuate
2457-599: Is about four hours while the Alexandria – Port Said route can be covered in about six hours. Intercity passenger service is operated by Egyptian National Railways . Tickets can be reserved online using the Egyptian National Railways website. Port Said is linked by ferry to its twin city Port Fouad which is considered the Asian part of this Afro-Asian governorate "Port Said" on the eastern bank of
SECTION 20
#17327733167132574-507: Is an Egyptian Public Academy under the authorization of the Ministry of higher education. Port Said contains about 349 schools in all different educational stages between governmental, experimental, private language schools beside French historical schools. The port of Port Said is the 28th-busiest seaport for container transport, the second-busiest in the Arab world (narrowly behind
2691-500: Is drier. January and February are the coolest months while the hottest are July and August. The highest record temperature was 44 °C (111 °F), recorded on June 20, 1988, while the lowest record temperature was 0 °C (32 °F), recorded on December 25, 1979. Port Said, Kosseir , Ras El Bar , Baltim , Damietta and Alexandria have the least temperature variation in Egypt , additionally, Mersa Matruh and Port Said have
2808-437: Is formed. The CDTs have two primary roles: As of June 2023, the RAN has 14,745 permanent full-time personnel, 172 gap-year personnel, and 4,607 reserve personnel. The permanent full-time trained force consists of 3,070 commissioned officers, and 9,695 enlisted personnel. While male personnel made up 75.9% of the permanent full-time force, while female personnel made up 24%. The RAN has the second-highest percentage of women in
2925-714: Is located at HMAS Kuttabul , Sydney and the second, Fleet Base West , is located at HMAS Stirling , near Perth. In addition, three other bases are home to the majority of the RAN's minor war vessels: HMAS Cairns , in Cairns, HMAS Coonawarra , in Darwin, and HMAS Waterhen , in Sydney. The Clearance Diving Branch is composed of two Clearance Diving Teams (CDT) that serve as parent units for naval clearance divers: When clearance divers are sent into combat, Clearance Diving Team Three (AUSCDT THREE)
3042-627: Is one of the largest and most sophisticated naval forces in the South Pacific region , with a significant presence in the Indian Ocean and worldwide operations in support of military campaigns and peacekeeping missions. The Commonwealth Naval Forces were established on 1 March 1901, with the amalgamation of the six separate colonial naval forces , following the Federation of Australia . The Royal Australian Navy initially consisted of
3159-735: The British Admiralty continued to provide blue-water defence capability in the Pacific and Indian Oceans up to the early years of the Second World War. During its history, the Royal Australian Navy has participated in a number of major wars, including the First and Second World Wars, Korean War, Malayan Emergency, Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation and the Vietnam War. As of 2024, the RAN consists of over 52 commissioned vessels, 11 non-commissioned vessels and over 16,000 personnel. The navy
3276-687: The Egyptian labourers . Word of this eventually reached the Defence Department who soon wrote to the Commonwealth Naval Board , which said that the men of the train "would be unsuitable for use aboard HMA Ships ; if no longer required as a Bridging Train, the unit should be disbanded, and its members either sent as reinforcements to the Australian Engineers or Artillery, or brought back to Australia." Next,
3393-480: The Imperial Camel Corps and Australian Light Horse under General Sir Harry Chauvel were both involved in the Battle. However, this was the last real action that the Train saw before being disbanded. By the end of 1916, when Lieutenant Cameron was appointed First Lieutenant, new members who had not served under fire started to complain that they were being used for simple work that could be done by
3510-561: The Ismaïlia Canal Works. The two detachments on the other hand were used to operate the small vessels crossing the Canal at all hours of the day and night, and also forming and breaking the pontoon bridges several times each day. Come March, the Train was in high demand. Admiral Wemyss, now in command of East Indies & Egyptian Squadron , who wanted to use the Train to operate river transports and work as gun crews supporting
3627-635: The Lighthouse of Port Said (the first building in the world built from reinforced concrete ). Due to its excellent geographic location, Port Said is designed to attract logistics start ups along with import and export businesses. In 2019, the city witnessed the construction of the New Suez Canal, led by the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi . The government provides a number of incentives to investors in
Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train - Misplaced Pages Continue
3744-909: The Mediterranean , the Red Sea , the Persian Gulf , the Indian Ocean , and off the West African coast . Following the outbreak of the Pacific War and the virtual destruction of Allied naval forces in Southeast Asia , the RAN operated more independently, defending against Axis naval activity in Australian waters , or participating in United States Navy offensives. As the navy took on an even greater role, it
3861-728: The Mesopotamian campaign . General Sir Julian Byng , who had taken command of IX Corps at Suvla Bay when the elderly General Frederick Stopford was relieved for incompetence, wanted to bring the Train south to No. 4 Section, Suez Canal, which included all of the Canal south of Small Bitter Lake. Also in March, Lieutenant Bond was transferred to the Naval Intelligence detachment in Alexandria , with Lt Clarence Read taking his place as First Lieutenant. Byng got his way, and
3978-584: The Solomon Islands . The high demand for personnel in the Second World War led to the establishment of the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) branch in 1942, where over 3,000 women served in shore-based positions. The WRANS was disbanded in 1947, but then re-established in 1951 during the Cold War. It was given permanent status in 1959, and the RAN was the final branch to integrate women in
4095-557: The Suez Canal in 1951. The Egyptian Revolution of 1952 occurred. Then on 26 July 1956, President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal Company. The nationalisation escalated tensions with Britain and France, who colluded with Israel to invade Egypt, the invasion known in Egypt as the tripartite aggression or the Suez Crisis . On 6 November 1956, British troops violently landed in Port Said while firing on
4212-474: The Sweet Water Canal could be completed. One of the most pressing problems was the lack of stone. Early buildings were often imported in kit form and made great use of wood. A newly developed technique was used to construct the jetties called conglomerate concrete or "Beton Coignet", which was named after its inventor François Coignet. Blocks of concrete were sunk into the sea to be the foundations of
4329-485: The 1920s and early 1930s, the RAN was drastically reduced in size due to a variety of factors including political apathy and economic hardship as a result of the Great Depression . In this time the focus of Australia's naval policy shifted from defence against invasion to trade protection, and several fleet units were sunk as targets or scrapped. By 1923, the size of the navy had fallen to eight vessels, and by
4446-420: The ANMEF departed Sydney for training in Townsville before the rendezvous with other RAN vessels in Port Moresby . On 29 August, four cruisers and HMAS Australia assisted New Zealand's Samoa Expeditionary Force in landing at Apia , and committing a bloodless takeover of German Samoa. Additionally, the RAN captured German merchant vessels, disrupting German merchant shipping in the Pacific. On 7 September,
4563-412: The ANMEF, now including HMAS Australia , three destroyers, and two each of cruisers and submarines, departed for Rabaul. A few days later, on 9 September, HMAS Melbourne landed a party to destroy the island's wireless station, though the German administration promptly surrendered. Between 11 and 12 September, landings were put ashore at Kabakaul, Rabaul and Herbertshohe; it was during this period that
4680-407: The Asia-Pacific region and operated alongside the Royal Navy and United States Navy off Korea, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Since the end of the Cold War, the RAN has been part of Coalition forces in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean, operating in support of Operation Slipper and undertaking counter piracy operations. It was also deployed in support of Australian peacekeeping operations in East Timor and
4797-438: The Australian Government accepted the War Office 's recommendation. On the same day, Lt Commander Bracegirdle was relieved of command and appointed Officer Commanding Troops aboard the transport SS Willochra , 5 March 1917. On 20 March, the Train was informed that they were being disbanded and were asked to make a choice as to their next assignment. The results were very clear, the vast majority of members choosing to remain with
Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train - Misplaced Pages Continue
4914-466: The Australian military in 1985. The strategic command structure of the RAN was overhauled during the New Generation Navy changes. The RAN is commanded through Naval Headquarters (NHQ) in Canberra . NHQ is responsible for implementing policy decisions handed down from the Department of Defence and for overseeing tactical and operational issues that are the purview of the subordinate commands. Beneath NHQ are two subordinate commands: Fleet Command
5031-426: The British Empire started to diminish its influence in the South Pacific. The Royal Australian Navy was initially a green-water navy , as the Royal Navy provided a blue-water force to the Australian Squadron , which the Australian and New Zealand governments helped to fund; the squadron was assigned to the Australia Station . This period lasted until 1913, when naval ships purchased from Britain arrived, although
5148-419: The British; they are scarcely army and scarcely navy. Who it is that looks after their special interests, and which is the authority that has the power of recognising any good work that they have done, I do not know. If you want to see the work, you have only to go to Kangaroo Beach, Suvla Bay, and look about you. They have made a harbour. The supplies landed and distributed by the Train were many and varied. This
5265-436: The Canal Quarantine Station, on the Gulf of Suez . At this time, Allied forces were working to push the Ottoman Troops back from the Canal and deep into the desert. To get their supplies in, it was decided that a railway would be built by the engineers. There was however a slight problem. There was no way to get the locomotives needed onto these rails. The Bridging Train was therefore tasked with building new wharves to unload
5382-505: The Defence Department took the matter to the War Office , where General Archibald Murray , the General Officer Commanding Egypt made his opinion that the Train was engaged in "work of an important military nature". Lt Commander Bracegirdle was informed at the start of January 1917 that the Train would be relieved of it duties on the Canal and get back into the War, heading deeper into Palestine. The Train then spent January preparing for their new mission, only to be informed that only part of
5499-398: The Egyptian government to prepare for the Yom Kippur War (1973). The city was re-inhabited after the war and the reopening of the Canal. In 1976, Port Said was declared a duty-free port, attracting people from all over Egypt. Now the population of the city is 794,720. Port Said has been ranked the second among the Egyptian cities according to the Human Development Index in 2009 and 2010;
5616-568: The Egyptian military. Port Said next was bombed by the British, to terrorise the civilians, of whom hundreds died. There was also heavy fighting in the streets with again many civilian casualties, and the resulting fires destroyed much of the city. The withdrawal of the last soldier of foreign troops was on 23 December 1956. Since then, this day was chosen as Port Said's national day. It is widely celebrated annually in Port Said. The French-speaking European community had begun to emigrate to Europe, Australia, South Africa and elsewhere in 1946 and most of
5733-482: The First World War, with more than 20 decorations awarded to its sailors. By 1915, with the prompt seizure of Germany's Pacific possessions , it was becoming apparent that there would be very little for the Royal Australian Naval Brigade to do beyond securing Australia's ports. It was also becoming obvious that trench warfare was going to be the main feature of the Western Front , and that engineering units were in strong demand. Reports reached Australia that even
5850-445: The Gallipoli campaign in 1915. Following the end of the World War I , the directors of the Suez Canal Company decided to create a new city on the Asian bank, building 300 houses for its labourers and functionaries. Port Fouad was designed by the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris . The houses follow the French model. The new city was founded in December 1926. Since its foundation people of all nationalities and religions had been moving to
5967-442: The Government made the offer to the Imperial Government to provide one Bridging Train, in accordance with "Imperial War Establishments." Within a week, the offer was accepted. Command of the Train was given to Lieutenant Commander Bracegirdle , with Lieutenant (later, Commander) Thomas Bond DSO VD RANR as his First Lieutenant . Both officers had been involved in the surrender of German New Guinea , Bond had led
SECTION 50
#17327733167136084-511: The North convoy to transit the Suez Canal to carry out stevedoring operations or to be supplied with provisions and bunkers. The dwelling area is divided into two sections: The Northern Area is allocated for vessels with deep drafts. The Southern Area is for all vessel types. Port Said is served by Port Said Airport located about 6 km (3.7 mi) away from city centre. The airport was reopened in February 2011 after being modernised to be fit for international flights. Scheduled flights from
6201-572: The Peninsula. Winter was coming and already too many soldiers were being taken sick and even dying of hypothermia and frostbite, while the Turks had been stubbornly holding their ground. Retreat made sense, aside from just one problem: once the Turks figured out the troops were pulling back, the retreat would very quickly become a bloodbath. Once the official decision was made by the War Cabinet, preparations were made, carefully disguised to make it seem as though units that could be would be withdrawn to Mudros safely would be, leaving enough troops to defend
6318-700: The RAN at the Royal Australian Naval College, HMAS Creswell. From July 2020, Maritime Spiritual Wellbeing Officers (MSWOs) were introduced to the Navy Chaplaincy Branch, designed to give Navy people and their families with professional, non-religious pastoral care and spiritual support. In the Royal Australian Navy, Chaplains and MSWOs are commissioned officers without rank. For reasons of protocol, ceremonial occasions and for saluting purposes, they are, where appropriate, normally grouped with Commanders (O-5). . The more senior Division 4 Senior Chaplains are grouped with Captains (O-6) and Division 5 Principal Chaplains are grouped with Commodores (O-7), but their rank slide remains
6435-476: The RAN submarine HMAS AE1 became the first ever vessel of the new navy to be sunk. The Australian Squadron was placed under control of the British Admiralty , and was moreover tasked with protecting Australian shipping. On 1 November, the RAN escorted the First Australian Imperial Force convoy from Albany, WA and set for the Khedivate of Egypt , which was soon to become the Sultanate of Egypt . On 9 November, HMAS Sydney began hunting for SMS Emden ,
6552-425: The RAN's new vessels, the destroyer HMAS Yarra , was completed in September 1910, and by the outbreak of the First World War the majority of the planned fleet had been realised. On 10 July 1911, the CNF was granted "Royal" status by King George V . Following the British Empire's declaration of war on Germany , the British War Office tasked the capture of German New Guinea to the Australian Government . This
6669-499: The Royal Australian Navy by the Federal Government on 10 August 1914, to the British Army and attaching it to IX Army Corps under Lt. General Stopford which was to land at Suvla Bay on 7 August. While at Imbros, the Train received a grand total of five days of instruction on the use of their pontoons, a task which needed six days worth of unloading and reloading the equipment. After this minimal training, they were considered ready to land under enemy fire. At 5am on 6 August 1915,
6786-432: The Royal Australian Navy. Despite the results of this poll, 194 officers and ratings embarked on the troopship HMAT A45 Bulla on 26 May 1917 and arrived at Melbourne on 10 July. They were then returned to their State of origin and discharged by 22 May. Bean's Official History states that this came about through a series of miscommunications between the War Office , Department of Defence , Commonwealth Naval Board and
6903-552: The Suez Canal, the ferry is used to cross the canal between the two cities, holding both people and cars as well (for free). The time between the two cities across the canal by using the ferry does not exceed 10 minutes. Public buses are operated by Port Said Governorate's Agency for Public Passenger Transport. Private Transport also are available referred to as Micro Buses (14 seat minibus ). White and blue saloon car taxicabs are comfortable, asking reasonable prices. Earlier trolleybuses existed in city. The Port Said Library at
7020-431: The Train arrived in Suez on 4 May. No.4 Section was the largest of the Canal's divisions, and the Train's responsibilities increased when they arrived. As well as manning bridges and small vessels, building brides, they were now building wharves and piers, controlling tugboats and all military traffic crossing the Canal and constructing pumping machinery IX Corps knew what the Train was capable of and made sure that they got
7137-417: The Train itself, and that several months later, in July 1917, it was decided to reform the Train, but its members had dispersed too far to be recalled. During its existence, the Train had made two amphibious landings ( Gallipoli and El Arish ), and lost 25 sailors killed. Lieutenant Commander Bracegirdle was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Mentioned in Despatches three times for his command of
SECTION 60
#17327733167137254-407: The Train set sail under command of Lt. Bond for Lake Timsah on the Suez Canal on 17 January, arriving there on the 21st. Here, at Suez Canal No. 2 Section, the Train was responsible for manning and controlling existing bridges, building new bridges, control of tugboats and lighters and the distribution of stores. On 11 February, the Train split into three sections, with Lt. Bond commanding 57 men at
7371-405: The Train was returned to the 11th Division from IX Corps. The Train was then temporarily transferred, on 26 December 1915, to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps . Disciplinary matters, though were handled by Admiral Sir Rosslyn Wemyss , the Royal Navy officer commanding the Port of Moudros . By 5 February 1916, the transfer to I ANZAC Corps was official. After recuperating at Mudros ,
7488-410: The Train, embarked upon HMAT A53 Itria, reached its designated anchorage, and the landing was well underway. A party was sent ashore to find the best place to continue the landing, and where to later build the infrastructure to reinforce the Corps. Mid-morning, when Bracegirdle attempted to confer with the IX Corps Chief Engineer, Brigadier-General E.H. Bland CB CMG RE , as ordered, but
7605-459: The Train, while 16 of his men were also Mentioned in Despatches. Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy ( RAN ) is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. The Chief of Navy is also jointly responsible to the Minister for Defence (MINDEF) and the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF). The Department of Defence , which
7722-417: The ability to shoot back at anyone who attacked them. The AIF Official War Correspondent, Charles Bean came to Suvla Bay specifically to report on the Train, where he found that: There they are to-day, in charge of the landing of a great part of the stores of a British army. They are quite cut off from their own force; they scarcely come into the category of the Australian Force, and scarcely into that of
7839-411: The airport ceased in 1996. There are three main highways that connect Port Said to other cities in Egypt: The Port Said train station is on Mustafa Kamal Street and was built around 1904 when the Egyptian Railway Authority extended service in the region. There are frequent train services from Cairo, Alexandria and other main Egyptian cities to Port Said. The travel time between Cairo and Port Said
7956-425: The attack on the wireless station, and Bracegirdle had been left in command of the garrison when Commander Beresford was evacuated for medical treatment. The two officers were appointed on 24 February 1915. The Train grew to 115 men by 12 March and was encamped on Kings Domain, Melbourne . Bracegirdle and Bond had also discovered that no one left in Australian in either the Army or the Navy had any useful knowledge on
8073-592: The city and each community brought in its own customs, cuisine, religion and architecture. By the late 1920s the population numbered over 100,000 people. In the 1930s for example there were elegant public buildings designed by Italian architects. The old Arab Quarter was swallowed up into the thriving city. Port Said by now was a thriving, bustling international port with a multi-national population: Jewish merchants, Egyptian shopkeepers, Greek photographers, Italian architects, Swiss hoteliers, Maltese administrators, Scottish engineers, French bankers and diplomats from all around
8190-437: The city was called Πηλούσιον ( Pēloúsion ). Port Said was founded by Sa'id of Egypt on Easter Monday, April 25, 1859, when Ferdinand de Lesseps gave the first symbolic swing of the pickaxe to signal the beginning of construction. The first problem encountered was the difficulty for ships to drop anchor nearby. Luckily, a single rocky outcrop flush with the shoreline was discovered a few hundred meters away. Equipped with
8307-462: The clock. The sick list came down from 70 men before preparations began to a low of 7 on 12 December. The Chief Engineer of IX Corps, General Bland praised the Train for its work in preparing to depart Suvla, saying that From the time the 1st R.A.N.B.T. joined the IX Corps all ranks have worked hard, cheerfully, and well. They have rendered most valuable services in connection with the construction and maintenance of landing-piers, beach water-supply, and
8424-540: The command of the British IX Corps , the Train also supported the I ANZAC Corps and Imperial Camel Corps in the defence of the Suez Canal . They were the only Australian naval unit serving in a European theatre of war. They were therefore bent on proving, both to the Royal Navy and to the British Army, that they could overcome any difficulties. The Train was Australia's most decorated naval unit of
8541-613: The common French. In 1936 a treaty was signed between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Egypt called the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 . It stipulated the British pledge to withdraw all their troops from Egypt, except those necessary to protect the Suez Canal and its surroundings. Following World War II , Egypt denounced the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 , leading to skirmishes with British troops guarding
8658-475: The construction of pontoons. Of course, this was the First World War. The Train reached Port Said, Egypt on 17 July 1915, and was issued orders to continue on to England. The next day, the 18th, they received orders to the Dardanelles . Arriving at the Greek isle of Imbros , yet more new orders were received, transferring control of the Train from the British Admiralty , which had been given operational control of
8775-443: The coolest summer days of any other cities or resorts, although not significantly cooler than other northern coastal places. Modern Port Said is divided into seven districts: Port Said's districts are further subdivided in to eight qism (police ward) which had a total estimated population as of January 2023 of 680,375 people: (January 2023 Est.) Port Said has a number of higher education institutions. Port Said University
8892-678: The current Royal Australian Navy structure is O-10, an admiral who serves as the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) when the position is held by a Naval Officer. The navy has a O-11 position Admiral of the Fleet that is honorary and is currently held by Charles III , King of Australia . O-8 (rear admiral) to O-11 (admiral of the fleet) are referred to as flag officers , O-5 (commander) and above are referred to as senior officers , while S-1 (midshipman) to O-4 (lieutenant commander) are referred to as junior officers . All RAN Officers are issued
9009-571: The day, and together they form a metropolitan area with over a million residents that extends both on the African and the Asian sides of the Suez Canal. Port Said acted as a global city since its establishment and flourished particularly during the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century when it was inhabited by various nationalities and religions. Most of them were from Mediterranean countries, and they coexisted in tolerance, forming
9126-483: The early stage of the campaign. As there was no supply available, water had to be brought by sea, often in petrol tins. This responsibility was given to the Train on 12 August, they were able to source three fire engines and some hoses, which, with the Train's pontoons were used to pump supplies brought from transport ships to tanks on the beach. The fire hoses were kept under guard, and eventually replaced with metal pipe as soldiers would constantly make holes in it to get at
9243-404: The economic base of the city is fishing and industries, like chemicals , ultra-processed food , and cigarettes . Port Said is also an important harbour for exports of Egyptian products like cotton and rice , and additionally a fueling station for ships that pass through the Suez Canal. It thrives on being a duty-free port, as well as a tourist resort especially during summer. It is home to
9360-551: The end of the decade it had fallen further to five, with just 3,500 personnel. In the late 1930s, as international tensions increased, the RAN was modernised and expanded, with the service receiving primacy of funding over the Army and Air Force during this time as Australia began to prepare for war. Early in the Second World War , RAN ships again operated as part of Royal Navy formations, many serving with distinction in
9477-465: The first Australian casualties and deaths of the war occurred. On 14 September, HMAS Encounter barraged an enemy position at Toma with shells; it was the first time the RAN had fired upon an enemy and had shelled an inland location. On 17 September, German New Guinea surrendered to the encroaching ANMEF, with the overall campaign a success and exceeded the objectives set by the War Office. However,
9594-528: The first language of children born to parents from different communities. Italian was also widely spoken and was the mother tongue of part of the Maltese community, since the ancestors of the latter had come to Egypt before the Anglicization of Malta in the 1920s. Multilingualism was a characteristic of the foreign population of Port Said, with most people continuing to speak community languages as well as
9711-476: The former New South Wales, Victorian, Queensland, Western Australian, South Australian and Tasmanian ships and resources of their disbanded navies. The Defence Act 1903 established the operation and command structure of the Royal Australian Navy. When policymakers sought to determine the newly established force's requirements and purpose, there were arguments about whether Australia's naval force would be structured mainly for local defence or designed to serve as
9828-442: The ground taken for the winter, while the bulk of the troops would return in spring for a new offensive. Troops and equipment started slipping away from the front and aboard navy vessels from 8 December 1915. During the time, the Train's log shows work parties completion construction of roads and buildings on the same day as other parties were disassembling other buildings and stocking supplies for transport, with shifts working around
9945-462: The jetties. Still more innovative was the use of the same concrete for the lighthouse of Port Said , the only original building still standing in Port Said. In 1859 the first 150 laborers camped in tents around a wooden shed. A year later, the number of inhabitants had risen to 2000 — with the European contingent housed in wooden bungalows imported from northern Europe. By 1869, when the canal opened,
10062-551: The landing, charge of, and distribution of engineer material at Suvla, and have most willingly given their help in many other directions. Their work has been continuously heavy, and they have done it well. A fine example of endurance, good organisation, and discipline. Their commanders were indefatigable in anticipating requirements, and assisting whenever and where ever required. I bring them to your notice as two specially valuable and well-commanded units, which can be relied upon to do their best under difficult circumstances. The Train
10179-407: The lifeboats evacuating injured soldiers. The Train assembled the 110-metre-long structure in 20 minutes. The next few days were occupied with constructing further piers as well as landing troops and supplies to assist the landing and shifting their base from their landing point to Kangaroo Beach. Soon, the Train was put in charge of the landing's water supply, something that had been neglected during
10296-407: The locomotives that would be needed for the desert trains, which they did by converting two small vessels into floating pile drivers . Despite the best efforts of the railway engineers, by the time of the Battle of Magdhaba , the tracks were still 25 miles (40 km) from the town of El Arish, so the Train was called in to manage the landing of supplies on the beach. Unfortunately, the whole bight
10413-474: The manning and control of the steam-tug Daphne . Other jobs that fell to the Train to were to act as wireless operators and draughtsmen for the Army Corps and Lt Commander Bracegirdle was the "Beachmaster" of Kangaroo Beach. According to the Train's log, 30 September was a special day. It was the second day in a row that the base had not been shelled by Turkish artillery. Of course, they would make up for
10530-486: The most out of the Train they could. On the other hand, though, the weather conditions were harsher than they had been up at No. 2 Section, and the Ottoman troops were more active in their attempts at sabotage and air raids were common. The Train's HQ was set up at Kubri West, with a major detachment at Shallufa, and parties also working at Geneffe, Gurka Post, Baluchi Post, El Shatt , the town of Suez , Port Tewfik and
10647-767: The most senior sailor/soldier/airman in that service, and each wearing their own special insignia rather than their rank insignia. The Australian Army equivalent is the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army (RSM-A) and the Royal Australian Air Force equivalent is the Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOFF-AF). Chaplains in the Royal Australian Navy are commissioned officers who complete the same training as other officers in
10764-617: The objective was found to be further inland and an expeditionary force was required. Meanwhile, HMAS Australia was tasked with scouring the Pacific Ocean for the German squadron. The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (ANMEF) began recruiting on the same day that the taskforce arrived in New Britain , and consisted of two battalions: one of 1,000 men, and the other with 500 serving and former seamen. On 19 August,
10881-543: The outcome of Bracegirdle's survey at all: Recommend that personnel of Australian Naval Bridging Train be transferred to Australian army, with exception of 4 officers and 80 other ratings who will be retained in unit reorganised in two sections – one consisting of skilled engineers and kindred trades, and one of expert pier-builders and shore-workers. Personnel transferred to Australian army would be posted to whichever arm they are best suited. Anyone not accepting transfer to be discharged and returned to Australia Nonetheless,
10998-440: The oversight on 1 October, but for the sailors it was a welcome reprieve. While the Train wasn't itself involved in actual fighting, it was constantly shelled and bombed by Turkish forces. It was a common sight at Suvla to see 40 British soldiers under the direction of a RAN Petty Officer, working to bring supplies ashore during rough weather. The soldiers would openly look forward to returning to their trenches where they at least had
11115-592: The permanent forces, compared to the RAAF's 26.6% and the Army's 15.3%. Throughout the 2022-23 financial year 1,141 enlisted in the RAN on a permanent basis while 1,354 left, representing a net loss of 213 personnel. The following are some of the current senior Royal Australian Navy officers: Commissioned officers of the Australian Navy have pay grades ranging from S-1 to O-10. The highest rank achievable in
11232-500: The permanent population had reached 10,000. The European district, clustered around the waterfront, was separated from the Arab district, Gemalia, 400 m (1,300 ft) to the west, by a wide strip of sandy beach where a tongue of Lake Manzala reached towards the sea. This inlet soon dried out and was replaced by buildings; over time there was no division between the European and Arab quarters. Since its establishment, Port Said played
11349-524: The port of Salalah in Oman ), and the busiest container seaport in Egypt, with 3,470,000 TEU transported in 2009. The port is part of the Maritime Silk Road . It is divided into: The port is bordered, seaward, by an imaginary line from the western breakwater boundary till the eastern breakwater end. And from the Suez Canal area, it is bordered by an imaginary line extending transversely from
11466-478: The present war, propose that an offer be made to the Home Government to supply two Bridging Trains, completed to war establishment, the same to be manned by naval ratings drawn mainly from ranks of RANR It is proposed that, while retaining naval ranks and ratings in all other respects, the men comprising these trains should be paid, organised, equipped, and trained under military supervision. On 12 February,
11583-540: The remainder left Egypt in the wake of the Suez Crisis, paralleling the contemporary exodus of French-speaking Europeans from Tunisia. Most of the Greek community was also expelled or left the town under the rule of Gamal Abdel Nasser. After the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, also called the Six-Day War , the Suez Canal was closed by an Egyptian blockade until 5 June 1975, and the residents of Port Said were evacuated by
11700-677: The same. Principal Chaplains and MSWOs, however, have gold braid on the peak of their white service cap. From January 2021, MSWOs and all chaplains wear the branch's new non-faith-specific rank insignia of a fouled anchor overlaying a compass rose, which represents a united team front, encompassing all faiths and purpose. Chaplains and MSWOs have insignia that reflect their religion on collar mounted patches (Cross for Christian, Crescent for Muslim etc, Compass rose for MSWOs.) The RAN currently operates nearly 50 commissioned vessels, made up of nine ship classes and three individual ships, plus 11 non-commissioned vessels. In addition, DMS Maritime operates
11817-525: The scheme including zero tax and duties on tools, machines and raw materials related to the production of goods for export. Port Said has a hot desert climate (BWh) according to Köppen climate classification , but blowing winds from the Mediterranean Sea greatly moderates the temperatures, typical to the northern coast of Egypt , making its summers moderately hot and humid while its winters mild and moderately wet when sleet and hail are also common, yet less common than in Alexandria because Port Said
11934-779: The shore, salving of lighters and steamboats wrecked during gales, assisting in salving of T.B.D. Louis , disembarking of troops with their baggage on all beaches, and of munitions and stores. ... The duties allotted to the unit by the GOC the IX Army Corps were briefly as follows : Control and issue of all engineer and trench stores and materials, care and issue of trench bombs and demolition stores (for some weeks after landing, and until proper ordnance dumps were established), erection of high-explosive magazines, dug-outs, cookhouses, and galleys, assembly of hospital huttings, construction of iron frames for front-line wire entanglements; and
12051-479: The southern bank of the Canal connected to Manzala Lake, and the railways arcade livestock. Two breakwaters protect the port entrance channel: the western breakwater is about 3.5 mi (5.6 km) long, and the eastern breakwater is approximately 1.5 mi (2.4 km). The Suez Canal Dwelling Area is situated between latitudes 31° 21' N and 31° 25' N and longitudes 32° 16.2°' E and 32° 20.6' E. where vessels awaiting to accede Port Said port stay whether to join
12168-617: The subject of bridging trains, they would have to wait for their pontoons and vehicles to be built – meaning a wait of at least six weeks before they would be able to begin training, and that almost all of their unit would need to be taught to ride, on very few horses. The Train embarked upon HMAT A39 Port MacQuarie on 3 June with, according to the Train's Medical Officer, Dr E.W. Morris, 5 officers, 3 warrant officers , 267 Petty Officers and other ranks , 26 reinforcements, 412 horses, 5 6-horse pontoons and tressle waggons, and 8 other vehicles. They were headed to Chatham, England to be trained in
12285-648: The time of its inauguration reached about 14,000 books and was supplied by encyclopedias and modern references. Port Said has about 11 theatres. [1] Port Said has 23 parks which includes the Ferial Park (21,904 square meters ), the Farma Park (12,469.4 square meters), the Khazanat Park (2,000 square meters), and the Aldawlia Park (8 Hektars ). [2] The main sport that interests Port Saidis
12402-642: The unit would be required for the duties in Palestine on 8 February 1917. He was also instructed to find out how his men could be redistributed. 76 indicated they would be willing to transfer to the AIF , 43 to the Royal Navy , while the remainder wished to stay with the Train. After this, on 18 February, the War Office sent the Defence Department another telegram on the matter, which does not reflect
12519-523: The water inside. This was just some of the work that saw the Train removed from the 11th Division and directly attached to the IX Corps Engineers, becoming responsible for all work afloat or on the beach up to the high-water mark that the Navy might require. The principal duties allotted to the unit by the Royal Navy were as follows: Water supply, care of landing-piers, discharging of stores from store-ships and transports, lighterage of same to
12636-476: The world. All lived and worked alongside the large local Egyptian community. And always passing through were international travelers to and from Africa, India and the Far East. Intermarriage between French, Italian and Maltese was particularly common, resulting in a local Latin and Catholic community like those of Alexandria and Cairo. French was the common language of the European and non-Arab population, and often
12753-480: Was mined and the Royal Navy would be unable to sweep it without raising suspicions. The Train's mission was therefore to land on the beach and then construct two piers through the minefield. Little action was actually seen as the Turks slipped out of El Arish, apparently getting wind of the attack a day before the Train landed. But it was one of the few times that the Train supported other Australian forces in combat,
12870-657: Was chosen by an international committee composed of Great Britain , France , the Russian Empire , Austria , Spain and Piedmont . It is a compound name which composed of two parts: the French word port (marine harbour) and Said (the name of the ruler of Egypt at that time), who granted Ferdinand de Lesseps the concession to dig the Suez Canal. Urbanized residents pronounce the name [boɾsæˈʕiːd] or [poɾsæˈʕiːd] , while unurbanized residents pronounce it [bɔɾsaˈʕɛˑd] . In Ancient Greek ,
12987-495: Was expanded significantly and at its height the RAN was the fourth-largest navy in the world, with 39,650 personnel operating 337 warships, but no active submarines. A total of 34 vessels were lost during the war, including three cruisers and four destroyers. After the Second World War, the size of the RAN was again reduced, but it gained new capabilities with the acquisition of two aircraft carriers, Sydney and Melbourne . The RAN saw action in many Cold War –era conflicts in
13104-776: Was formed with members of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve who could not find billets in the RAN. Following the entrance of the Ottoman Empire in alliance with the Central Powers, HMAS AE2 was committed to the initial naval operation of the Gallipoli campaign . After the failure of the naval strategy, an amphibious assault was planned to enable the Allies' warships to pass through the Dardanelles and capture Constantinople . The RANBT
13221-490: Was previously made up of seven Force Element Groups , but after the New Generation Navy changes, this was restructured into four Force Commands: The Royal Australian Navy consists of over 50 commissioned vessels and over 16,000 personnel. Ships commissioned into the RAN are given the prefix HMAS ( His/Her Majesty's Australian Ship ). The RAN has two primary bases for its fleet: the first, Fleet Base East ,
13338-661: Was sent ashore, along with the invasion, for engineering duties. Later in the war, most of the RAN's major ships operated as part of Royal Navy forces in the Mediterranean and North Seas, and then later in the Adriatic, and then the Black Sea following the surrender of the Ottoman Empire . In 1919, the RAN received a force of six destroyers, three sloops and six submarines from the Royal Navy, but throughout
13455-526: Was the last Australian unit to leave the Gallipoli Peninsula, a party of 50 men under Sub-Lieutenant Charles Hicks was left behind to oversee the evacuation of the British forces. They left at 4.30am, on 28 December – eight days after the evacuation of Anzac Cove . The Train sailed to the Greek isle of Mudros , along with the rest of IX Corps. On reaching Mudros, Lt Commander Bracegirdle was hospitalised for Malaria and Jaundice, while command of
13572-550: Was to deprive the Imperial German Navy 's East Asia Squadron of regional intelligence by removing their access to wireless stations. On 11 August, three destroyers and HMAS Sydney prepared to engage the squadron at German Anchorages in New Guinea, which did not eventuate as the vessels were not present. Landing parties were placed on Rabaul and Herbertshohe to destroy its German wireless station; however,
13689-406: Was unable to be found. This forced the Train to sit idle until late afternoon when they were tasked with putting together a temporary pier at A Landing, which had been left without a party to construct it. It was the second day at Suvla when the Train began to come into its own, constructing two piers and rowing the second into place at A Beach, a trip of approximately 2 miles (3.2 km), for use by
#712287