Capture of Kassala Northern front, East Africa, 1940

kassala in 1940

the attack on kassala led frusci , major-general vincenzo tessitori italian , colonial forces comprising 6,500 men in 3 columns, gulsa east, gulsa west, equipped trucks , central, support regia aeronautica , cavalry squadrons acting vanguards. @ 3:00 a.m. on 4 july 1940, 3 columns, 19–22 miles (31–36 km) apart, started attack on kassala. cavalry, led lieutenant francesco santasilia, bypassed mount kasala , mount mocram , launched first attack. kassala defended fewer 500 men of sdf , local police, remained under cover during twelve-hour bombardment regia aeronautica , emerged begin defence of town. defenders knocked out 6 italian tanks , inflicted considerable casualties on attackers. @ 1:00 p.m., italian cavalry entered kassala , defenders withdrew butana bridge having lost 1 man killed, 3 wounded , 26 missing, of whom rejoined units. italian casualties 43 dead , 114 men wounded. gazzera occupied fort of gallabat same day , kurmuk in sudan. gallabat placed under command of colonel castagnola , fortified. @ kassala, 12th colonial brigade built anti-tank defences, machine-gun posts , strongpoints. italians disappointed find no strong anti-british sentiment among sudanese population.

italian artillery firing on kassala.

during italian attack @ kassala battalion of italian colonial troops , banda (irregulars) attacked gallabat , forced no. 3 company, eastern arab corps retire. karora occupied unopposed when sudanese police ordered withdraw , @ kurmuk on 7 july, colonial battalion , banda supported artillery , aircraft, overcame force of 60 sudanese police after short engagement. italian attacks had gained valuable entry point sudan @ kassala, made more difficult british support indigenous resistance in gojjam capturing gallabat , loss of kurmuk prompted of locals resort banditry. local sudanese opinion impressed italian successes population of kassala continued support british , supplied valuable information during occupation. sdf continued operate close kassala , on 5 july, company of 2nd warwick arrived @ gedaref act reserve sdf. british disovered rumours of arrival of warwick had reached italians in magnified form , platt decided bluff italians believing there far greater forces on sudan border. italian map captured on 25 july showed around 20,000 british , sudanese troops in kassala province. 5th indian infantry division ordered port sudan on 2 august.

gazelle force

in september 1940, 5th indian infantry division (major-general lewis heath) began arrive in sudan; platt held 29th indian infantry brigade (brigadier john marriott) around port sudan , rest, attachments sdf, ordered prevent italian advance on khartoum, goz regeb on atbara river gallabat, front of 200 mi (320 km). gazelle force (colonel frank messervy), based on skinner s horse, no. 1 motor machine-gun group of sdf , varying amount of field , horse artillery, assembled near kassala probe forwards, harass italians , keep them off-balance make impression of larger force , encourage defensive mentality. using term 5 instead of 5th in communications, managed persuade italian military intelligence 5 indian divisions occupied 5th indian division area. in november, after failed british attack @ gallabat, gazelle force operated gash river delta against italian advanced posts around kassala on ethiopian plateau, extent aosta ordered frusci, commander of northern sector challenge british raiders. 2 italian battalions conducted desultory operations against gazelle force 30 mi (48 km) north of kassala 2 weeks, withdrew.

in rome, general ugo cavallero, new capo di stato maggiore generale (chief of italian supreme command), had urged abandonment of plans invade sudan , concentrate on defence of aoi. january, signs appeared italians reducing number of troops on sudan frontier , withdrawal kassala seemed possible. news of italian disaster in operation compass in egypt, hit-and-run attacks gazelle force , activities of mission 101 in ethiopia, led frusci become apprehensive northern route kassala. on 31 december, troops on northern flank withdrew behind sabdaret, patrols forward @ serobatib , adardet , mobile column in sabdaret contingencies. frusci ordered retire kassala , metemma passes agordat gondar objected on grounds of prestige , proclaimed imminent british attack scattered. on 17 january, 12th colonial brigade withdrew kassala , tessenei triangle formed northern , southern roads kassala @ keru, giamal biscia , aicota.