The East African campaign (also known as the Abyssinian campaign) was fought in East Africa during the Second World War by Allied forces, mainly from the British Empire, against Axis forces, Italy and their colony of Italian East Africa, between June 1940 and November 1941. Forces of the British Middle East Command, including units from the United Kingdom and South Africa, as well as large numbers of colonial troops from British India, Kenya, Somaliland, West Africa, Northern and Southern Rhodesia, Sudan and Nyasaland participated in the campaign. These were joined by the Force Publique from Belgian Congo, Imperial Ethiopian resistance movements and a small unit of Free French.
Italian East Africa was defended by Italian forces of the Comando Forze Armate dell’Africa Orientale Italiana (Italian East African Armed Forces Command), with units from the Regio Esercito (Royal Army), Regia Aeronautica (Royal Air Force) and Regia Marina (Royal Navy). The Italian forces included about 250,000 soldiers of the Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali (Royal Corps of Colonial Troops), led by Italian officers and NCOs.
Hostilities began on 13 June 1940, with an Italian air raid on the base of 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF at Wajir in Kenya and continued until Italian forces had been pushed back from Kenya and Sudan, through Somaliland, Eritrea and Ethiopia in 1940 and early 1941. The remnants of the Italian forces in the region surrendered after the Battle of Gondar in November 1941, except for small groups that fought a guerrilla war in Ethiopia against the British until the Armistice of Cassibile in September 1943, which ended hostilities between Italy and the Allies. The East African campaign was the first Allied strategic victory in the war.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_African_campaign_(World_War_II)
The Game
We played a Flames of War historical scenario set in February 1941 in Somalia.
HyperWar: East African and Abyssinian Campaigns [Chapter 15]
The link is to the book, “East African and Abyssinian Campaigns”, by Neil Orpen; Chapter 15, “Rolling up the Juba Line”, which provides excellent background for this battle.
Situation: The Juba River in Italian Somaliland was the only natural barrier between the Kenyan border and Mogadishu, and thus it had to be held. The loss of this river line would force the Italians to evacuate Southern Somalia. However, the river line was over 140 miles long, and even an army as large as the Italian/Somali colonial force could not occupy a frontage this wide. Thus the Italians kept the river under observation and planned to move forces to counterattack any Allied attempts at making a crossing.
The South African Brigade found a suitable crossing point just upstream from the small town of Yonte, about 15 miles from the coast near the port of Kismayu. Two companies of the Transvaal Scottish regiment crossed the lightly defended river on collapsible boats, along with their supporting 3″ mortars and HMGs. Two batteries of 18-pdr. field artillery and six armored cars were available to provide additional fire support from across the river. The task of the two South African companies was to hold the bridgehead until pontoon bridging equipment could be brought forward and erected, enabling follow-on forces to cross the river in strength. By nightfall, the South Africans were in position and ready to defend the bridgehead.
Terrain: The 8X5 foot table was set with the long axis running east-west. The Juba River ran along the western and southern edges of the table. Inside the loop of the river was an area of bush with some patches of thicker bush. Shallow wadis bordered this ground along its northern and eastern sides. Beyond this ground to the east was an area of open bush and then a clear slope rising up to another area of open bush. To the north was a large area of clear ground with two cultivated fields near the river and a low crest that provided some cover.
The open bush did not block line of sight but provided concealment from any direct fire that crossed more than six inches. The thick bush blocked line of sight and provided concealment just like woods. The “medium” bush blocked line of sight beyond 12 inches and provided concealment. The wadis provided concealment and bullet proof cover.
The battle would be fought at night in pitch darkness and at dawn. Maximum sighting distance at night would be D6 X 2 inches. Two turns before dawn, sighting distance would be D6 X 3 inches. One turn before dawn, sighting distance would be D6 X 4 inches. Once the sun rose it would be full daylight.
South African Deployment: The South African senior commander decided to deploy his two companies in an L-shaped formation along the forward edges of the medium and thick bush in order to cover the clear ground and open bush beyond (which happened to be the historical deployment). The front line of infantry and HMG teams used the wadis for cover, with additional teams dug in to their rear. B Company, on the eastern side of the perimeter, had its right flank anchored on the river, with two platoons and the company CP lining the wadi and the third platoon and the mortar battery dug in to the immediate rear. A Company had a wider frontage to cover on the northern side of the perimeter. The first A Company platoon was in the wadi adjacent to B Company, the two platoons forming a right angle along the edge of some thick bush. Then there was a small gap between the first platoon and the other two platoons, which deployed side by side along with the A Company CP. The left flank of A Company was “in the air” with a wide gap between it and the river. Three armored cars covered each flank with fire from across the river. All of the platoons were in good cover, but the perimeter was very extended, especially along the northern side.
Italian Forces and Plans: The Italian commanders held the initiative and had options regarding when to attack and with how much force. The first available force was a half-battalion of two poorly motivated Somali rifle companies with medium MGs and light mortars, which was ready to attack at midnight. The next available force was another half-battalion of similarly armed but better-motivated Somalis that would be ready to attack just before dawn. The next day, two more half-battalions of Italians and Somalis, supported by light field artillery and Breda 20mm AA guns, would arrive. All of these forces would arrive on the eastern side of the table, but could be shifted to the northern side.
The Italian commanders decided to make a probing attack at midnight with the first Somali half-battalion, taking advantage of the darkness to get close to the South African positions. If this attack failed, the survivors would pull back and attack again at dawn, along with the second Somali half-battalion.
Action Report: The Italians ordered one Somali company make a direct attack on the eastern side of the South African perimeter while the second Somali company moved around to the north to attack the northern side of the perimeter. To reflect the delay this second company would incur getting into position, it would enter the table using the rules for reserves, rolling to enter starting on Turn 1. The first company deployed just beyond maximum sighting distance, 16 inches from the South African front line, and advanced through the open bush with its four platoons in line. Only a few teams of B Company could see the Somalis in the darkness, and they opened fire, causing some casualties. The field artillery also ranged in, causing additional losses and pinning the targeted platoon.
On Turn Two, one Somali platoon charged though the open bush and made contact with B Company. Surviving the defensive fire, it killed one team in close combat before being pushed back by a counterattack. The second Somali company had one platoon arrive from the north, which tried to assault the A Company platoon at the angle. However, the Somali platoon was driven back by defensive fire and was later wiped out by concentrated small arms and mortar fire. The Italian light mortar battery tried to range in but failed (and would fail to range in over the entire course of this first engagement).
The next three turns saw the remaining Somali platoons enter from the north and move to threaten A Company’s extended line as they arrived, but A Company was able to shift troops along the wadi to counter each advance as it went forward. The Somali attack was bogged down all along the line, and with no effective mortar support, it was clear the South African position could not be breached. The Italian commanders ordered the Somalis to break off, and during the rest of the night, they shifted all the survivors of this force (now down to six platoons) to the north.
Just before dawn, the second Somali half-battalion arrived from the east, and the battle was renewed. The newly arrived half-battalion attacked B Company directly from the east, while the first half-battalion attacked A Company from the north. Both forces concentrated most of their infantry and all of their mortar fire against the angle where A and B Company joined.
As the sun rose, the Somalis in both battalions took heavy losses in the exchange of fire. However, the repeated mortar bombardment seriously weakened and pinned the A Company platoon holding the angle, enabling a Somali assault to go in. The South African position at the angle was overrun, and the defending platoon was eliminated.
The Somalis pushed troops into the breach, using the thick bush for cover. Having no reserves on hand to plug the breach, the South Africans covered the gap with small arms fire and ranged in their mortars and artillery. The Somalis in the breach took heavy losses and were pinned. The South African guns then shifted their fire and silenced the Somali mortar batteries.
With the loss of the mortars and many of their MGs, along with many of their riflemen, the Somali troops lacked the strength and the will to continue the battle. The Italian commanders ordered a retreat.
Although the Italians commanders had a hard time in this game, they actually did better than their historical counterparts by causing some losses to the South Africans and by breaching the perimeter. In the historical battle, the South Africans easily defeated both attacks while suffering only a few casualties. So honors to both sides!
Historical Aftermath: Two days later the pontoon bridge was built, and the South African Brigade crossed the Juba River in strength, rapidly rolling up the Italian/Somali defenses in both directions and opening the road to Mogadishu.
- TJ