Culquaber E AFR (id:#66295)

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Culqualber, Ethiopia 1941-11-21 (1 other)

Overview:

The last battle in Eastern Africa was not a walk in the park for the Allies. The final battle to dislodge the Italian forces in the region began on the 11th of November and was led by General Fowkes. A mixed group of Ethiopian militias and elements of the 25th East African Brigade assaulted Culqualber, supported by light armoured forces and air power. The Italian garrison, four battalions entrenched behind minefields and wire, halted the attack. Only Abyssinian mountain troops enjoyed any success, cutting off and destroying some pockets of resistance near Gondar. As a result, General Fowkes decided to use both brigades that he had available, the 25th and the 26th, to seize Culqualber. The plan was to attack with the 25th from the north and with the 26th from the south. He also enlisted the help of several local warbands for this attack. The native troops were happy to fight against the ‘Zaptié’, who were serving as colonial troops under the Italian flag. After a week of probes, heavy shelling, and aerial bombardment, Fowkes ordered the final attack against the ‘Costone dei Roccioni’ (Cliff of the Crags) on the 21st of November. In the south, the 26th moved in, supported by allied Uollo warbands and some detached elements of the 25th.

Defender: Italian (2° Compagnia and Compagnia Zaptié, 1° Gruppo Mobilitato ‘Carabinieri Reali’)  

Errata (source)