[PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM] Souvenir of Sinai & Palestine, compiled by Trooper J. Ellis, 7th Light Horse. ELLIS, J., Trooper

[Cover title]. [London? : privately published, c.1918]. Oblongfolio, 230 x 320 mm; original red cloth over boards, upper board with gilt-lettered title surmounted by theAustralian Commonwealth Military Forces badge (also in gilt); front pastedown inscribed in ink ?Sent by Dr. Goggins?; containing 96 black-and-white gelatin silver prints in uniform 60 x 100 mm format, window-mounted four-per side on [12] card leaves, all with gilt-printed captions on the mounts, and including images taken by Trooper Ellis in Cairo, Romani, Katia, El Arish, Mesaid, Rafa, Khan-Yunes, Bilah, Shallal, Wadi-Ghuzzeh, and Gaza, documenting operations against Ottoman Turkish and German forces, including many shots of captured prisoners and ordinance, and Lighthorsemen in action in the field; the album's contents have been exceptionally well preserved, with the prints and mounts in virtually flawless condition; the binding is likewise in excellent condition. An important photographic record of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade'scampaigns in the Middle East during World War One. Rare self-published album by Trooper J. Ellis (7th Light Horse Regiment, 2nd Light Horse Brigade) containing photographs taken by him which cover the period from the Battle of Romani to the Third Battle of Gaza (August 1916 - October 1917).Trooper Ellis is known to have compiled a similar album,Souvenir of Palestine,which has entirely different content. We believe that both of Ellis's albums are likely to have been published immediatelyafter the war, probably in late 1918. All of the surviving examples of these albums have an inscription on the front pastedown with the formula 'Sent by [xxxx]' - as in the album offered here - which suggests they may have been produced and sold in London and that they were then mailed to family or friends back in Australia. The SLNSW catalogue entry for Souvenir of Sinai & Palestine states: 'Ellis was the photographer, caption writer and self-publisher of the album.' The 2nd Light Horse Brigade was raised as part of the 2nd Contingent of the AIF. It was organised into threeregiments- the5th,6thand7th - each of approximately 520 men. The brigade's three regiments were drawn fromQueensland(5th) and New South Wales (6th and 7th). Trooper J. Ellis must therefore have enlisted in New South Wales. All of these units were raised throughout September and October 1914. The brigade embarked at Sydney for the Middle East in December 1914.