British Somaliland.2C 1940 Northern front, East Africa, 1940

in 1940, british somaliland garrisoned 631 members of somaliland camel corps (scc) , small party of police @ berbera armed small-arms , anti-tank rifles 29 motor vehicles, 122 horses , 244 camels mid-july, reinforcements of 2 infantry battalions had arrived. british hoped effort of invading british somaliland act deterrent , french in djibouti more tempting target. defeat in france in 1940 , french armistices germany , italy left british in somaliland isolated. on 3 august 1940, italians invaded 2 colonial brigades, 4 cavalry squadrons, 24 m11/39 medium tanks , l3/35 tankettes, several armoured cars, 21 howitzer batteries, pack artillery , air support. scc skirmished advancing italians main british force retired. on 11 august, major-general alfred reade godwin-austen took command reinforcements increased british garrison 5 battalions 4,500 british , commonwealth troops, 75 percent being african infantry , somali irregulars. main british defensive position @ tug argan gap, commanded road berbera , on 11 august, battle of tug argan began. 14 august, british close being cut off , 1 battalion left in reserve , next day, godwin-austen received permission withdraw colony. on 18 august, of british , local troops had been evacuated aden , italians entered berbera on evening of 19 august. british casualties 38 killed , 222 wounded; italians had 2,052 casualties , consumed irreplaceable resources. churchill criticised wavell abandoning colony wavell called godwin-austen s retirement textbook withdrawal in face of superior numbers.