The landing of the British expeditionary force under Sir Ralph Abercromby was intended to defeat or drive out an estimated 21,000 remaining troops of Napoleon's ill-fated invasion of Egypt.

The fleet commanded by Baron Keith included seven ships of the line, five frigates and a dozen armed corvettes.

With the troop transports, it was delayed in the bay for several days by strong gales and heavy seas before disembarkation could proceed.

Its sailors tightly packed with muskets between their knees, the boats rowed silently to the rendezvous, each were placed in their positions of landing.

The lead troops of the 42nd reached the summit before the French could reload and launched a bayonet charge, hurling them back in confusion.

The British then rushed and overwhelmed the defenders with fixed bayonets and secured the position, enabling an orderly landing of the remainder of their 17,500-strong army and its equipment.