Lieutenant Smyth succeeded in taking the bombs to the desired position with the aid of two of his men (the other eight having been killed or wounded), and to effect his purpose he had to swim a stream, being exposed the whole time to howitzer, shrapnel, machine-gun and rifle fire.In 1914, during the World War I the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs operated as part of the 8th (Jullundur) Brigade, 3rd Lahore Division on the Western Front in France, but was moved to Egypt in the late 1915 to fight against the Senussi, a tribal sect of Muslims led by Sayed Ahmed, also known as the Senussi.

The support received from the influential Turkish leader Nuri Bey has brought the Senussi a considerable advantage while fighting off the Italian occupiers of Libya.

When the German submarines started aiding Turkey and the Senussi by bringing weapons to Libya and attacking the coast of Egypt, Nuri Bey, half-brother of Enver Pasha, the Turkish War Minister at the moment, persuaded Sayed Ahmed to fight against Britain and join forces with Turkey to invade Egypt in the Turkish Holy War.

The first clash with the enemy in the Wadi (valley) Senab turned favorably only when the squadron of Australian Light Horse intervened and helped the cavalry.

Gordon left one company of the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs behind to protect the camp and planned to march towards Duwwar Hussein using two routes.

2 Company of the Sikhs, who were appointed as the advanced guard, started firing and fighting back winning some mounts.

While the enemy's flank increased and the British cavalry couldn't reorganize in time, the advanced guard, the 15th Sikhs were ordered to withdraw.

With the combined help of the troops and the sloop, HMS Clematis, which fired at the Senussi with two 4-inch weapons, the enemy was forced back and the 15th Sikhs gained the opportunity to regroup and take care of the dead and the wounded.