On November 4, 1956, at the peak of the escalating battle of Port Said, a British destroyer and several French warships – shielded by an air force – attempted to invade Egypt through the Strait of Borollos. The Strait, which links central Egypt with the Borollos Lake, is part of the Borollos province, the capital of which is the coastal city of Balteem, and is a strategic entry point into Egypt from the north. At 2 am, as the strait was enveloped in darkness, a small Egyptian unit consisting of three military torpedo boats was on the ambush, even though the fighters knew that they were dealing with a superior rival. The British-French alliance was taken by surprise as the small boats suddenly sent up a big cloud of smoke that blocked visibility; the small boats then began shelling and gunning the enemy’s force. In a matter of minutes, the suicidal operation was accomplished and the entire invading force was devastated. But almost all the Egyptian fighters were killed by the air force, which pursued them until dawn. Although more than five decades have elapsed, El Borollos continues to take…
