Royal Corps of Eritrean Colonial Troops

Eritrean Ascaris in 1889

TheRoyal Corps Of Eritrean Colonial Troopswere indigenous soldiers fromEritrea,who were enrolled asaskarisin theRoyal Corps of Colonial Troops(Regio Corpo di Truppe Coloniali) of theRoyal Italian Army(Regio Esercito) during the period 1889–1941.

Characteristics

These regular troops played an important role in the initial conquest of the various colonial possessions of theKingdom of Italy.They subsequently acted as garrison and internal security forces in theItalian Empire,and finally served in large numbers during theItalian conquest of British Somalilandand theEast Africancampaign of 1940-41.

History

Except for the German parachute division in Italy and the Japanese in Burma no enemy with whom the British and Indian troops were matched put up a finer fight than those Savoia battalions at Keren (Eritrea). Moreover, the Colonial troops, until they cracked at the very end, fought with valour and resolution, and their staunchness was a testimony to the excellence of the Italian administration and military training in Eritrea

The Italian Army made extensive use of locally recruited indigenous soldiers inItalian East Africa.These troops comprised infantry, cavalry and some light artillery units. They were recruited initially fromEritreansand subsequently fromSomalis,with Italian officers and some non-commissioned officers. The ItalianAskarisfought in theFirst Italo–Ethiopian War,theItalian-Turkish War,theSecond Italo-Abyssinian Warand World War II (East African Campaign).

Out of a total of 256,000 Italian troops serving in Italian East Africa in 1940, about 182,000 were recruited fromItalian Eritrea,Italian Somaliaand the just recently occupied (1935–36)Ethiopia.In January 1941, Commonwealth and Free French forces invaded Italian-occupied Ethiopia and the majority of the newly recruited Ethiopian Ascaris serving with the Italian Army in East Africa deserted. Most of the Eritrean Ascaris however remained loyal until the Italian surrender four months later.

Development of theAscari

The name"ascar"is the Arab word for "soldier". The Eritrean Ascari originated from a mercenary Arab group employed by theOttoman Empireand calledBasci Buzuks.This irregular force was created in Eritrea by theAlbanianadventurer Sagiak Hassan, who worked for local Eritrean tribes in the second half of the 19th century.

In 1885 the Italian colonel Tancredi Saletta, commanding officer of the Italian troops during the conquest of Eritrea, brought the Basci Buzuks (with their armaments and families) into Italian service as irregular auxiliaries. In 1889 the first four regular battalions of Eritrean soldiers were created inAsmara.Those Eritrean troops were incorporated into the Italian colonial Army with the nameAscari.They were successfully used in battle by the Italians, for the first time, against theDervisciinSudan.

Initially the Eritrean Ascari comprised onlyinfantrybattalions, although Eritrean cavalry squadrons (Penne di Falco) and mountain artillery batteries were subsequently raised. By 1922 units ofcamel cavalrycalled "meharisti" had been added. Those Eritrean camel units were also deployed inLibyaafter 1932. During the 1930sBenito Mussoliniadded somearmored carsunits to the Ascari.

Prior toWorld War Iservice with the Ascari had become the main source of paid employment for the indigenous male population of Eritrea. During the expansion required by the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1936, 40% of eligible Eritreans were enrolled in these colonial troops.

Uniforms and ranks

Until 1915 Eritrean units wore white uniforms comprising long coats and loosely cut trousers for all occasions.Khaki drillclothing was subsequently adopted for active service and ordinary duties, though the white uniforms were retained for ceremonial duties.

Eritrean regiments in Italian service wore high redfezzeswith coloured tufts and waist sashes that varied according to each unit. As examples, the 17th Eritrean Battalion had black and white tufts and vertically striped sashes; while the 64th Eritrean Battalion wore both of these items in scarlet and purple.

The Eritrean Ascari had the following ranks, from simple soldier to senior non commissioned officer:Ascari-Muntaz(corporal) -Bulukbasci(lance-sergeant) -Sciumbasci(sergeant). TheSciumbasci-capos(staff-sergeants) were the senior Eritrean non-commissioned officers and were chosen according to their fighting performance in battle. All of the commissioned officers of the Eritrean Ascari were Italian, who wore similar uniforms and insignia to their counterparts in the regular Italian Army

Performance in battle

Graves of unknown Ascaris killed in 1941 during theBattle of Keren

The Eritrean Ascari were considered the best of Italy's colonial soldiers, with a reputation similar to that of theGurkhasin the forces of theBritish Empire.They were accordingly widely employed in other Italian colonial possessions in Africa. Eritrean NCOs were seconded to newly raised Somali and Ethiopian units after 1936.

Notable events in the history of Italy's Eritrean Ascaris included:

1. First Battle of Agordat- (Mahdist War)
2. Second Battle of Agordat- (Mahdist War)
3. Battle of Kassala- (Mahdist War)
4. Battle of Coatit- (First Ethiopian War)
5. About six thousand Eritrean Ascaris, serving in both infantry and artillery units, were present at theBattle of Adwawhere they fought against 120,000Ethiopianson 1 March 1896. Of these, 2,000 ascari were killed and 800 were captured and mutilatedby having their right hands and left feet amputated by the victorious Ethiopians, who considered them to be traitors.
6. In theItalian conquest of Ethiopia(1935–1936) the veteran Eritrean Ascaris, with their high morale and aggressive spirit, played a key role, often taking the lead during attacks.About 60,000 Eritreans served in both regular ascari units and in irregular bands. Nearly 5,000 Eritrean Ascaris were killed in this war.
7. DuringWorld War IIa number of Eritrean Ascari were awarded the Gold Medal for Military Honor at both theBattle of Cherenand at theAmba Alagi.Some of the remaining Ascari fought with lieutenantAmedeo Guilletin hisItalian guerrillaagainst theAlliesafter the Italian Army surrender inGondarin November 1941.

Amedeo Guillet and his "Gruppo Bande Eritrea"

One of the most famous Italian officers who commanded groups of Eritrean Ascari in Ethiopia and Eritrea wasAmedeo Guillet.

Amedeo Guilletand his "Gruppo Bande a Cavallo Amhara"

At the beginning of World War II the Italian ViceroyAmedeo Duke of Aostagave lieutenant Guillet command of the 2,500 strongGruppo Bande Eritrea,an irregular unit made up mainly of recruits fromHamasien.This force was primarily a cavalry one, but also included camel mounted troops and someYemeniinfantry led by Eritrean Ascari NCOs.

At the end of 1940 the Allied forces faced Guillet on the road toAmba Alagiclose to Cherù. He was charged with the task of slowing theAlliedadvance from the North-West. His Eritrean ascaris had some success in doing this but suffered many casualties. Guillet's most important battle happened towards the end of January 1941 at Cherù when he decided to attack enemyarmoured units.At dawn theGruppo Bande Tigre,armed only with sabres, rifles and hand grenades charged an Allied column which included armoured vehicles. They passed unhurt through the Allied force who were caught unaware. Guillet then turned to charge again. In the meantime however, the Allies had organised themselves and fired horizontally with their howitzers, inflicting heavy losses on the Italian-led troops and their horses. This was the last cavalry chargeCommonwealthforces faced and the last but one in the history of Italian cavalry.

Guillet's Eritrean ascaris suffered losses of about 800 in little more than two years. In March 1941 his forces found themselves stranded outside the Italian lines. Guillet began a private war against the Allies. Hiding his uniform near a farm owned by Italian colonists, he conducted guerrilla raids with his remaining askaris against Allied forces for almost eight months. He was one of the most famous Italian "guerrilla officers" inEritreaand northern Ethiopia during theItalian guerrilla war,a failed attempt to preventItalian East Africafrom being dissolved.

Eritrean Ascari after World War II

Many Eritrean Ascari fought for the independence of Eritrea after WWII. Among these wasHamid Idris Awate,nicknamed theFather of Eritreabecause he fired the first shots of theEritrean War of Independenceagainst the Ethiopians.

After the official end of theItalian Empirein 1947, the Italian government had created organizations dedicated to the welfare of former Ascaris living in Italy and Eritrea.

In 1950 the Italian authorities created apension fundfor nearly 140,000 Eritrean Ascari who had served in the Italian Colonial Army. Even if the amount was minimal (the equivalent of $100 yearly), this was paid through the Italian Embassy in Asmara and was of some value in the underdeveloped economy of Eritrea after World War II.

During the 1992-93UN Intervention in the Somali civil war,an elderly Ascari joined an Italian unit with his original uniform and rifle, stating that he had sworn a lifetime oath to "Italy, to the King and to the Duce." By the end of the mission he had been given the rank of marshal.

In 1993, 1,100 Ascari were still living in Eritrea. By 2006 only 260 were known to still be alive. One surviving ascari, Beraki Ghebreslasie, lives inRome.

See also

• Bands (Italian Army irregulars)
• Eritrea
• Italian Eritreans
• Dubats
• Zaptié
• Italian Empire
• Hamid Idriss Awate
• Amedeo Guillet

Bibliography

• Bereketeab, R.Eritrea: The making of a Nation.Uppsala University. Uppsala, 2000.
• Lowe, C.J.Italian Foreign Policy 1870–1940.Routledge. 2002.
• Mackenzie, Compton(1951).Eastern Epic: September 1939 – March 1943 Defence.Vol. I. London: Chatto & Windus.OCLC59637091.
• Negash, Tekeste.Italian colonialism in Eritrea 1882-1941 (Politics, Praxis and Impact).Uppsala University. Uppsala, 1987.
• Shillington, Kevin.Encyclopedia of African History.CRC Press. London, 2005.ISBN1-57958-245-1

Volterra, Alessandro. "Sudditi coloniali< Ascari eritrei 1935-1941". FranAngeli, Milano, 2005

External links

• The Museum of the Ascari
• Photos of Eritrean Ascari
• Institute of Eritrean Culture
• Website dedicated to the Eritrean Ascari
• Ascari in Rome 1937 (in Italian)
• Ascari of EritreaCollection of about 200 pictures listed by categories