Formed in October 1914, it raided Sheik Saiad en route to Egypt, defended the Suez Canal in early 1915, before taking part in the Gallipoli Campaign (April to December 1915).

The Ottoman Empire maintained a small fort at Sheik Saiad guarding the entrance to the Red Sea.

After the defeat of the Turkish attempts to cross the canal, the division was dispersed and the brigade was sent to Gallipoli in April 1915.

[5] The brigade was switched to ANZAC Cove where it was attached to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, with which it took part in the Battle of Sari Bair (6–21 August 1915).

1st Battalion, 6th Gurkha Rifles was the only unit to reach the top of the ridge and see the Dardanelles; shelled by the Royal Navy, a Turkish counter-attack drove them off.