Battle of Keren
Battle of Keren | |||||||
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Part of the Second World War | |||||||
Indian troops at Keren (Cheren), May 1941 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Free France | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Ralph Monclar | |||||||
Units involved | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
13,000 | 23,000 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
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The Battle of Keren (
Background
Eritrea
Colonised by the Italians in 1885,
Eritrea has three climate zones: a coastal region of sandy plain and low scrub, a cool and fertile highland plateau in the north and the hot and arid Afar Depression in the south. The coastal region runs inland for 16–32 km (10–20 mi) in the east with elevations of up to 500 m (1,650 ft) and is hot and humid for most of the year, with June, September and October the hottest months.[2] At Massawa the average temperature is 31 °C (88 °F) and in summer can reach 49 °C (120 °F) in the shade. Most rain falls in the summer monsoon, with occasional showers in the winter. In the escarpments and valleys, the climate is temperate with only summer monsoon rains, except close to the coast, where there is some winter rain.[2]
May is the hottest month. Approaching the highland plateau, the elevation rises steeply to 1,800 m (6,000 ft), with some peaks 3,000 m (10,000 ft) high and the ground declines to the west. It is cooler, with the monsoon from June to September and light rain in April and May. The temperature is highest during the dry season from November to April and above 2,600 m (8,500 ft), sub-alpine temperatures are found.[2] The high ground continues into northern Ethiopia, where the mountains and ravines make ideal defensive terrain.[3]
Middle East Command
The British responded by building up a force of more than two
Italian Invasion of Sudan
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan shared a 1,600 km (1,000 mi) border with Italian East Africa and on 4 July 1940, was invaded by an Italian force of about 6,500 men from Eritrea, which advanced on a railway junction at Kassala and forced the British garrison of 320 men of the Sudan Defence Force (SDF) and some local police to retire, after inflicting casualties of 43 killed and 114 wounded for ten casualties.[5][6] The Italians also drove a platoon of No 3 Company, Eastern Arab Corps (EAC) of the SDF, from the small fort at Gallabat, just over the border from Metemma, about 320 km (200 mi) south of Kassala and took the villages of Qaysān, Kurmuk and Dumbode on the Blue Nile. From there the Italians ventured no further into Sudan, owing to lack of fuel. They proceeded to fortify Kassala with anti-tank defences, machine-gun posts and strong-points, later establishing a brigade-strong garrison. The Italians were disappointed to find no strong anti-British sentiment among the native population.[7][8]
Prelude
Keren
Northern front
The 5th Indian Infantry Division began to arrive in Sudan in early September 1940 and the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade was placed on the Red Sea coast to protect Port Sudan, the 9th Indian Infantry Brigade south-west of Kassala and the 10th Indian Infantry Brigade (
As the British forces approached Keren, Brigadier-General Nicolangelo Carnimeo, commander of the 2nd Eritrean Division and the X Territorial Defence Command, drew in his 5th and 44th Colonial Brigades from positions to the north. 42nd Brigade had reached Keren from Agordat almost intact, and the 2nd Brigade—which had suffered greater casualties there—was reforming. The 11th Regiment of the Savoia Grenadiers and the Alpini battalion of the 10th Savoia Grenadiers had just arrived after a three-day non-stop truck journey from Addis Ababa while the 11th Colonial Brigade was also in place, having previously been called from reserve in Addis Ababa. Meanwhile, the 6th Brigade—having relinquished its responsibilities at Metemma—was also making its way to Keren.[11]
Battle
5–8 February
At 08:00 on 1 February 1941, Gazelle Force was held up in crossing the Baraka River about 60 km (40 mi) from Keren, where the Ponte Mussolini had been blown and the approaches to the river mined.[12] By noon on 2 February, they were across the river and winding up the Ascidera Valley, until brought to a halt at the Dongolaas Gorge, about 6 km (4 mi) from Keren, where the road had been blocked by the Italians, who blew down the overhanging crags, to fill the gorge with boulders and rocks.
The
By 6 February, the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade (4th Indian Division) had arrived and next day, attacked the Dologorodoc feature east of the gorge, looping right through the Scescilembi Valley (known as Happy Valley) and then attacking from the south-east toward Acqua Col joining Mount Zelele and Mount Falestoh. On the night of 7 February, a company of (Outram's) the 4th Battalion/6th Rajputana Rifles took the col until 4:30 am, when they ran out of ammunition and were driven back to a lower feature. On 8 February, having spent most of the day under heavy artillery and mortar fire, they withdrew to their jumping-off positions.[14]
10–13 February
On the afternoon of 10 February, 3/
Platt decided to pause, regroup and train before making a further attempt at Keren. To release road transport to bring forward supplies for a new attack, the 5th Indian Infantry Division returned to Kessala where it could be maintained by the railhead for a period of intensive training until preparations were complete and the division could be brought forward again for the offensive.
Plan
The 4th Indian Infantry Division (Major-General Noel Beresford-Peirse) concentrated on the Sanchil side of the gorge and the 5th Indian Infantry Division (Major-General Lewis Heath) brought forward from Kessala once again, on the Happy Valley side. The Keren defences had been reinforced with the arrival of 6th Colonial Brigade from Metemma and also the 11th Blackshirt Battalion of the Savoia Grenadiers. The defenders now totalled 25,000 facing an attacking force which had grown to more than 13,000.[18] Beresford-Pierce was to attack with the 11th Indian Brigade, expanded to five battalions, against the peaks of the Sanchil mass and 5th Brigade against Mount Sammana on the left of his front. On the 5th Division front, the Italian reinforcements on Dologorodoc meant Happy Valley was dominated by the defenders and the attackers' artillery had had to be withdrawn from their forward positions in the valley to safer locations.[18][19]
Without the artillery, it was no longer considered practical to continue the
Do not let anybody think this is going to be a walkover. It is not. It is going to be a bloody battle: a bloody battle against both enemy and ground. It will be won by the side which lasts longest. I know you will last longer than they do. And I promise you I will last longer than my opposite number.[19]
15–27 March
At 07:00 on 15 March, the British and Commonwealth troops of 4th Indian Infantry Division attacked from Cameron Ridge making for Sanchil, Brig's Peak, Hog's Back and the three peaks of Mount Sammana. That night, the battle ebbed and flowed with attack and counter-attack inflicting very heavy casualties on both sides.
... one of the outstanding small actions of World War II, decisive in its results and formidable in its achievement... Next morning Messervy scrambled up Pinnacle to congratulate Reid and his Mahrattas and wondered how they had been able to scramble up with their equipment against fierce opposition, when he was finding it a pretty tough job without [either]... At the top, when he saw the victors, he was overcome by the splendour of their feat and his combative amber eyes filled with tears.[21]
In the early hours of 16 March, the defenders of Fort Dologorodoc counter-attacked Pinnacle and Pimple for several hours. The defences at the fort were depleted and during the counter-attack, the 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment made their way over a seemingly impossible knife-edge to surprise the defenders of the fort. The fort was captured after a determined defence by 06:30 with 40 prisoners taken.[19][22][23] Finally, Platt had the artillery observation point so greatly needed.
Through 16 March, the Italians counter-attacked while the 29th Brigade made an unsuccessful attack in the evening to Falestoh and Zeban, which was abandoned after dark on 17 March after a day exposed to blistering heat, fierce fighting and no supply.[22][19] For the next ten days, the 5th Indian Division position at Fort Dologorodoc—exposed to the enemy on three sides—was subject to intense fighting, as the Italians threw in more new units but failed to regain the position.[23]
On the Sanchil feature, the 4th Indian Division, with the 10th Indian Infantry Brigade under command, continued to batter away to no avail. On the night of 17/18 March, having suffered many casualties, they withdrew from the slopes of Sanchil and Brig's Peak and the 10th Brigade returned to the 5th Indian Division to reform. The 4th Indian Division continued to hold Hog's Back and Flat Top. Over the next three days, the Italian forces continued to counter-attacks on both sides of the gorge involving desperate, often hand to hand, fighting.[24]
Platt decided to regroup and concentrate his forces before attacking again and disbanded Gazelle Force (with Messervy taking over the 9th Indian Brigade) and brought the 5th Indian Infantry Division (which had been mopping up at Agordat) to the front. On 1 March his command was expanded by the arrival of Briggs Force from the north. Although it lacked the artillery for a big attack, Briggs Force drew off a significant part of the Keren garrison. This aided Platt's main offensive, which was being launched from the south-west. Briggs Force also menaced Massawa to the east, obliging the Italians to maintain a reserve on the coast.[25]
Platt and his commanders decided that the supreme attack should be made through the Dongolaas Gorge. Heath felt that, because of its physical defensive advantages, the Italians might have neglected its defence. On the nights of 16/17 and 17/18 March, escorted engineers reconnoitred the road block and attempted to make a start to clear it. This failed because of fire from the Italian lines. The information led Heath to decide that the key to the gorge was not Sanchil but two smaller features (the Railway Bumps) which overlooked the roadblock and could be approached, with much less opposition, along the railway line from the tunnel below Cameron Ridge.[26]
An attack on the defenders at the head of the gorge was planned to give the
On 24 March, diversionary attacks were made on Sanchil and just before midnight, the West Yorkshires and the 3/5th Mahrattas in Fort Dologorodoc moved down to take the lower hills overlooking the gorge. The West Yorkshires were able to take their hill unopposed but the Mahrattas met dug-in Italian opposition. By 07:30 the three hills were taken and the defences on the south eastern side of the gorge silenced.[26]
At 03:00 on 25 March, the 2nd Highland Light Infantry and the 4/10th Baluch Regiment on their right, advanced from the shelter of the railway tunnel, previously cleared by the sappers and miners, up the gorge. A hundred-gun artillery bombardment was raining down on the ridge on Sanchil above (to suppress any defensive fire from this dominating height) and the attack in the gorge achieved surprise, the defenders concentrating on Sanchil. The 3/2nd Punjab Regiment then advanced between the Baluchis and the West Yorkshires to clear the gorge. By 05:30, the railway bumps and most of the objectives were captured and the defenders no longer held positions from which to direct fire into the gorge below.[26][27]
The sappers and miners laboured on the road while the battles on the Sanchil and Dologorodoc features continued. By midday on 26 March, they had repaired the road through the gorge.[27] In the early hours of 27 March, the British artillery turned onto Zeban and Falstoh. The 29th Brigade passed through the 9th Indian Brigade to attack at 04:30 but found the defenders had withdrawn and were able to occupy Falestoh Ridge and the two Zeban summits unopposed.[26] The Italian position was untenable and by first light the Royal Air Force (RAF) was reporting their withdrawal along the road from Keren to Asmara. The defenders on the Sanchil ridge were less fortunate and the Savoia Grenadiers and Bersaglieri were cut off and left with no option but surrender. Fletcher Force was in Keren by 10:30 and was then sent in pursuit along the Asmara road.[26]
Aftermath
Analysis
From 27 March 1941, the route to Asmara and Massawa was open and Wavell was able to order the 4th Indian Division move to Port Sudan for transport back to
Casualties
In the 4th Division history of 1948, Stevens gave 3,273 casualties, of whom about ten per cent were killed.
Massawa
Rear-Admiral Mario Bonetti, commander of Italian Red Sea Flotilla and the garrison at Massawa, had 10,000 troops and about 100 tanks to defend the port.[33] During the evening of 31 March, three of the last six destroyers at Massawa put to sea, to raid the Gulf of Suez and then scuttle themselves but Leone ran aground and sank the next morning and the sortie was cancelled. On 2 April the last five destroyers left to attack Port Sudan and then sink themselves.[34] Heath telephoned Bonetti with an ultimatum to surrender and not block the harbour by scuttling ships. If this was refused, the British would leave Italian citizens in Eritrea and Ethiopia to fend for themselves. The 7th Indian Infantry Brigade Group sent small forces towards Adowa and Adigrat and the rest advanced down the Massawa road, which declined by 2,100 m (7,000 ft) in 80 km (50 mi) and the Indians rendezvoused with Briggs Force, which had cut across country, at Massawa by 5 April.[35]
Bonetti was called upon to surrender but refused again and on 8 April, an attack by the 7th Indian Infantry Brigade Group was repulsed. A simultaneous attack by the 10th Indian Infantry Brigade and the tanks of B Squadron 4th RTR broke through the defences on the west side. The Free French overran the defences in the south-west, taking Montecullo and Fort Umberto April 7 as the RAF bombed Italian artillery positions.
See also
- List of British military equipment of World War II
- List of French military equipment of World War II
- List of Italian Army equipment in World War II
- Order of Battle, East African Campaign (World War II)
Notes
- ^ Edward Ellsberg later wrote that after arriving in April, with a salvage crew and specialist equipment, the United States Naval Repair Base, Massawa opened on 8 May for repairs and maintenance.[36]
Citations
- ^ a b Playfair 1954, pp. 433, 439.
- ^ a b c Prasad 1963, p. 17.
- ^ Raugh 1993, p. 173.
- ^ Stewart 2016, pp. 148–162.
- ^ Schreiber 1995, pp. 262–263.
- ^ Raugh 1993, p. 72.
- ^ Schreiber 1995, p. 295.
- ^ Playfair 1954, pp. 170–171.
- ^ Mackenzie 1951, p. 53.
- ^ Prasad 1963, p. 160.
- ^ TAC 1942, pp. 37–38.
- ^ Mackenzie 1951, p. 52.
- ^ Mackenzie 1951, pp. 53–54.
- ^ Mackenzie 1951, pp. 54–55.
- ^ a b Mackenzie 1951, p. 55.
- ^ TAC 1942, p. 42.
- ^ TAC 1942, p. 43.
- ^ a b c d Mackenzie 1951, p. 56.
- ^ a b c d e f Brett-James 1951, §4.
- ^ Mackenzie 1951, p. 57.
- ^ Mackenzie 1951, p. 58.
- ^ a b Mackenzie 1951, p. 59.
- ^ a b TAC 1942, p. 44.
- ^ a b Mackenzie 1951, p. 60.
- ^ Playfair 1954, pp. 433–437.
- ^ a b c d e f Brett-James 1951, §5.
- ^ a b Mackenzie 1951, p. 61.
- ^ a b Raugh 1993, pp. 181–182.
- ^ Stevens 1948, p. 55.
- ^ Playfair 1954, p. 439.
- ^ Raugh 1993, p. 181.
- ^ Bruttini & Puglisi 1957.
- ^ Mackenzie 1951, p. 66.
- ^ Playfair 1954, p. 441.
- ^ a b Playfair 1954, pp. 441–442.
- ^ Ellsberg 1946, p. 160.
References
- Brett-James, A. (1951). Ball of Fire: the Fifth Indian Division in the Second World War. Aldershot: OCLC 4275700.
- Bruttini, A.; Puglisi, G. (1957). L'Impero tradito (in Italian). Florence: La Fenice. OCLC 493309049.
- Ellsberg, E. (1946). OCLC 834565666.
- OCLC 634226581.
- OCLC 1067716752.
- Prasad, B. (1963). Official history of the Indian Armed Forces in the second World War. Calcutta: Inter-Services Historical Section. OCLC 606083160.
- Raugh, H. E. (1993). Wavel in the Middle East, 1939–1941. London: Brassey's. ISBN 978-1-57488-640-5.
- Schreiber, G. (1995). Mediterranean, South-east Europe and North Africa, 1939–41. Germany and the Second World War. Vol. 3. Oxford: ISBN 978-0-19-822884-4.
- Stevens, George Roy (1948). Fourth Indian Division. London: McLaren. OCLC 35243128.
- Stewart, A. (2016). The First Victory: The Second World War and the East Africa Campaign. New Haven: ISBN 978-0-300-22871-7.
- The Abyssinian Campaigns: The Official Story of the Conquest of Italian East Africa. London: OCLC 184818818.
Further reading
- Ghergo, G. F. (2011). "La battaglia di Cheren". Storia Militare (in Italian) (213). Parma: Albertelli. ISSN 1122-5289.
- The Abyssinian Campaigns: the official story of the conquest of Italian East Africa. London: OCLC 184818818.