▁the ▁ship ▁joined ▁up ▁with ▁a ▁larger ▁con voy ▁that ▁was ▁bound ▁for ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁theatre . ▁ ▁Middle ▁East ▁S ail ing ▁via ▁Col om bo , ▁the ▁batt alion ▁dis emb ark ed ▁in ▁Bomb ay , ▁transfer ring ▁to ▁the ▁R oh na ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁journey . ▁Trans itting ▁the ▁S uez ▁Canal , ▁it ▁dis emb ark ed ▁at ▁El ▁Kant ara , ▁in ▁Egypt , ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁En ▁route ▁to ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁Brigade ▁was ▁re ass igned ▁to ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Division , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁re organisation ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁divisions ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁prior ▁to ▁I ▁Corps ' ▁deployment ▁to ▁Greece . ▁Upon ▁arrival ▁in ▁Egypt , ▁the ▁batt alion ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁base ▁in ▁Gaz a ▁dub bed ▁K ilo ▁ 8 9 , ▁where ▁it ▁concentr ated ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 / 1 3 th ▁and ▁ 2 / 1 7 th ▁Batt al ions , ▁which ▁had ▁arrived ▁earlier ▁in ▁Palest ine ▁as ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Division ▁attempted ▁to ▁make ▁good ▁its ▁equipment ▁and ▁training ▁def ic ien cies . ▁The ▁batt alion ' s ▁war ▁equipment , ▁including ▁vehicles , ▁arrived ▁in ▁mid - F ebru ary ▁and ▁throughout ▁the ▁month ▁the ▁troops ▁were ▁introduced ▁to ▁the ▁B ren ▁light ▁machine ▁gun , ▁firing ▁it ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁at ▁the ▁J aff a ▁Range ▁and ▁pract icing ▁construct ing ▁def