British counterattack at the Suez and the Italians capture Aden
Recap: After the Italian victory in Ethiopia in May 1936, the large build-up of British forces on the Ethiopian-Sudanese Border unnerved the Italians. Marshal Balbo pitched a “grand plan” for a war against the Allies to Mussolini. It was accepted and a multi-front war began between Italy and the Allies on the 11th May 1936.
At the start of the war the Italian I and IV armies had easily pushed over the French forces along Little Maginot Line (in the Alps) and expanded into Provence. The front became static with the arrival of two French armour divisions and the French forces also recently counterattacked and retook Marseille and are slowly pushing east. On the 20th May, the Italians were also able to capture Malta from the British and later Corsica from the French, securing the central Mediterranean.
In North Africa, the Italian 9th Army has captured Tunis and were now heading west to Algiers. The 10th Army and the 6th Army are besieging Alexandria and defending the line of the Suez against a determined British and Iraqi attack. To the south, in East Africa, the Italians were able to capture the strategic locations in the Somaliland, northern Sudan and British East Africa, trapping the British 3rd Army in the Sudan east of Ethiopia and annihilating the French 1st Army in the unforgiving Dankalia.
Europe
Venice
The Venetian tour of Hitler did not go the way he wanted it to. Mussolini refused to join in Hitler's Pact of Steel while only “one blade” was in the fire. He wanted a commitment to war by the German state before any such pact could be agreed to.
Two grumpy dictator's
Spain
The Italian Corps of Volunteer Troops, had arrived in Spain disembarking at La Coruña in Galicia (northwest). The Italian forces consisted of 1st "Dio lo Vuole" Blackshirt Infantry Division (semi motorised) and the Agrupación de carros de asalto y autos blindados (Tanks and Armoured Car Group). Not wanting to be outdone, Germany had also provided ground elements in the form inferior training tanks they called Panzer I's.
Italian Corps of Volunteer Troops and the ground elements of the Gemany's Condor Legion
CV-33's of the Agrupación de carros de asalto y autos blindados
Alpine Front
13th July: The northern sector of the Alpine front had been quiet for over a week. Late at night on the 13th July, the French forces again launched an attack from Grenoble. This time they attacked with the two divisions in Grenoble, along with two divisions in Ruffieux to the north. The defenders of Chambery, the 3rd ‘Ravenna’ Division were outnumbered 4:1 by their attackers.
General Guzzoni ordered an immediate counterattack from the Italian lines. The Italian 4th Alpine ‘Cuneenese’ Division at Annecy, to the north was ordered into the fray.
The third French attack on Chambery – this time the French are serious.
To the south, after stopping the French advance east on Coglin, the aggressive General Pintor had now manoeuvred his forces into position for a powerful counterattack. Six rested Italian divisions were in place around the French province of Brignoles. The mass assault was launched, with Major General Zincone taking command.
General Pintor’s mass assault on Brignoles
14th July: At Chambery, the counterattack by the 4th Alpine Division on Ruffieux was proving ineffectual. Now General Guzzoni ordered another attack, this time on Grenoble by the 4th ‘Livorno’ and the 33rd ‘Acqui’ Infantry Divisions, this time in the hope that the French would break off their attack on Chambery like they had on the 29th June and the 6th July.
The Italian counterattack works
Guzzoni’s strategy worked, the French soon gave up their attack on Chambery. The counterattack on Ruffieux was called off and the 3rd Alpine Division pulled back.
ASI
Nile Delta
8th July: reports arrived that a British Division had crossed the Suez at El Suewies to the south of the positions held by the Italians. The British, now identified as the 48th ‘South Midlands’ Division, then continued to advance to the northwest against the 102nd “Trento” Division which was dug in on the high ground east of Cairo.
The 1st ‘Eugenio di Savoia’ Division at Isma’iliyra continue to battle against two British and one Iraqi Division attacking from the other side of the canal.
The British counterattack is gaining momentum
12th July: The 1st ‘Eugenio di Savoia’ Division was now unable to hold out under the pressure of the attack British attack. As evening set in, di Bergolo ordered a withdrawal to the high ground to the west held by the 102nd. The bloody battle of Isma’iliyra was over with a total of 3,000 on both sides.
The British had now re-established two footholds on the western side of the Suez but the heroic defence by the 1st ‘Eugenio Savoia’ Division had stalled their advance leading to the fall of Alexandria and the Nile Delta.
The heroic defence of the canal by the 1st ‘Eugenio di Savoia’ Division comes to an end
13th July: The British pressure continued, this time their allies, the Iraqis, crossed the canal and entered the undefended streets of Port Said and occupied the city.
14th July: As two brigades of Blackshirts from the 7th ‘Cirene’ had moved into position west of the Iraqi’s, the Italians were able to counterattack against the 2nd Iraqi Infantry Division occupying Port Said.
Just to the south of these positions, the 27th ‘Sila’ Division had also moved up to the front line and launched into the tired British and Iraqi Division that had recently crossed the Suez at Isma’iliyra.
MAIN: The mighty the 27th ‘Sila’ Division attacks the allied forces that crossed the canal. INSET: Elements of the ‘Cirene’ Division on the offensive against the 2nd Iraqi Infantry Division
AOI
Sudanese Border
7th July: Messe’s offensive over the Blue Nile was faring poorly even though the 5th ‘Cosseria’ Division was now positioned behind (to the northwest) the British 19th Indian Division. The 1st Eritrean Division had been so badly mauled during its attempted crossing that it had ceased being a factor in the battle. This left the 5th ‘Cosseria’ to lead the attack with the 2nd Eritrean Division only now moving into position to support by an attack from the east. Lt General Messe called off the attack.
Battle of Ed Damazin
8th July to 11th July: All had been quiet along the Sudan-Ethiopian border since Messe had called off his attack. The British had been shuffling forces around along the border but Messe was in no hurry to press the advantage. Surely the British were on tenuous supply lines and it was only a matter of time before they were completely at their mercy.
12th July: The stubborn 19th Indian Division suddenly launched an attack against the weak spot in the Italian lines, against Berti ‘s III Corps HQ unit across the river in Sennar province. Messe immediately counterattacked in force, with four fresh and experienced divisions. The 2nd Italian attack on Ed Damazin had begun.
LEFT: The British attack an Italian weak spot. RIGHT: The 2nd Battle of Ed Damazin begins
13th July: The next day the 19th Indian Division pulled out of their attack against the III Corps in Sennar. Just to the south, the British 7th Army launched a new attack in an attempt to relieve the pressure on the 19th Indian Division at Ed Damazin. Out of Malakal the 10th Indian Division attacked the Eritrean Corps in Debre Markos. Once again the Blue Nile would prove a serious barrier to the attackers.
Indian sappers at work on setting up a more permanent crossing point
The British 10th Indian Division launches a desperate attack across the Blue Nile against the Eritrean Corps
Jubaland Offensive (British East Africa (Kenya))
13th July: After the defeat of the 20th Indian Division at Kisumu a week earlier the British appeared to have lost the war in Uganda. It appeared inevitable that the Italians would advance west, cut off the British 3rd Army and seal their fate. It came as a total surprise to Maj General Frattini, when reports came in that more British troops had been sighted on the western border. Here, Major General Loyd had marched his troops the long way around the western side of Lake Victoria in support of the 3rd Army. Within hours, the Italian 29th ‘Piemonte’ and Ovest Bassacampi ‘Celere’ Divisions found themselves under attack by the British 4th Infantry Division.
The Italian Divisions at Kisumu find themselves under attack by the British 4th Infantry Division.
The British 4th Infantry begin to wonder if they have bitten off more than they can chew
Arabia Felix
7th July: In 26BC the Roman governor of Egypt, Aelius Gallus, invaded Arabia Felix at the behest of Emperor Augustus. The expedition fell apart in the burning deserts and from the onset of unknown diseases. Gallus lost most of his army and was driven out by the natives. Now after twenty centuries it was time for a new Italian army to invade Arabia Felix. Not part of Balbo's original plan, this was Marshal Graziani's doing. Securing both sides of Bab-el-Mandeb would provide Italy with certain strategic benefits as well as denying the Royal Navy local ports. The British had left Aden undefended, so it was expected to be an easy campaign.
After several months of inactivity, the Red Sea fleet slipped out of the port facilities at Ed before dawn and headed south through the Gate of Tears (Bab-el-Mandeb).
Italian movements at the Gate of Tears
Aden before the Dubat invasion
11th July: Mid-morning on the 11th July the 1st Dubat Division made an uncontested landing at the port of Aden the capital of the British Aden Protectorate. Before they could get a chance to dig in, the Royal Yemenite Army based out of Sana’a, north of Aden attacked south against the newly established Dubat positions.
The Royal Yemenite Army on the offensive and the British carrier fleeting attack the Italian Red Sea Fleet
As the Red Sea fleet was heading north out of the waters around Aden, it was intercepted that night by a British carrier task force lead by the HMS Glorious and Courageous. With the support of a submarine flotilla and the help of the darkness, the small Red Sea fleet was able to slip away relatively unscathed.
12th July: The fleet had moved north and docked at Ed where it picked up the waiting Est Bassacampi Division. Disembarking from port as soon as possible, the Eritrean troops then began an amphibious landing against the undefended Yemenite port of Al Hudaydah.
The Est Bassacampi Division begins its landing in Yemen