An important part of warfare in the desert: setting up camp, or rather digging in.
An excavation had to made for each tent to safeguard it in case of an attack by the enemy, needing every soldier to grab a shovel and start digging. The loose soil was then used to form a low “wall” around the tent to protect it against shrapnel.
Our hero took this photograph, developed it himself and sent it along with one of his regular letters to his wife in South Africa.
The English version of this story (Battlefront Cook in Egypt and Italy) is available online as e-book.