on 13 november 1918, thereafter celebrated in egypt as yawm al jihad (day of struggle), zaghlul, fahmi, and sharawi were granted an audience with general sir reginald wingate ('wingate pasha'), the british high commissioner. they demanded complete independence with the proviso that britain be allowed to supervise the suez canal and the public debt. they also asked permission to go to london to put their case before the british government. on the same day, the egyptians formed a delegation for this purpose, al wafd al misri (known as the wafd), headed by saad zaghlul. the british refused to allow the wafd to proceed to london.