The Abyssinian Campaigns

[Widebrim]

^^Thanks for the links, grazie! Interesting story on the ascari now living in Rome.

 

[Widebrim]

Well, it's not from the Abyssinian Campaign, but it's only about 4 years later, and does show a colonial trooper.

 

[dr greg]

Colonial desert wars

This is also a fascinating but little-known conflict (apart from some hollywood nonsense roughly based on it) around the same time and area, I'd never heard of this battle until very recently,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disaster_of_Annual

 

[Corto]

Don't forget "Scoop" by Evelyn Waugh. If I remember correctly that's a fictionalized (and wonderfully satirical) account of Waugh's own participation in that conflict.

 

[Widebrim]

This is also a fascinating but little-known conflict (apart from some hollywood nonsense roughly based on it) around the same time and area, I'd never heard of this battle until very recently,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disaster_of_Annual

Thanks, dr greg, for that link. We often hear about how North African tribes would harass the French (and often successfully), but the Spaniards also had more than their share of problems with El-Krim and other leaders in the Spanish Protectorate and Spanish Sahara. These conflicts were responsable for the formation of the elite Spanish Foreign Legion, much as how the Algerian conflict resulted in the formation of the French Foreign Legion in 1831. And it was in the Legion that future Spanish dictator, Francisco Franco, made a name for himself. Sorry for being fftopic: .

 

[Widebrim]

Ascari in Ethiopia

"...dance around their commanding officer..."

 

[carebear]

Thanks, dr greg, for that link. We often hear about how North African tribes would harass the French (and often successfully), but the Spaniards also had more than their share of problems with El-Krim and other leaders in the Spanish Protectorate and Spanish Sahara. These conflicts were responsable for the formation of the elite Spanish Foreign Legion, much as how the Algerian conflict resulted in the formation of the French Foreign Legion in 1831. And it was in the Legion that future Spanish dictator, Francisco Franco, made a name for himself. Sorry for being fftopic: .

I don't think that's off-topic much if at all, considering how it ties this thread into the existing one on the Spanish Civil War.

History is a continuity, not a series of discrete incidents.

 

[cookie]

This is also a fascinating but little-known conflict (apart from some hollywood nonsense roughly based on it) around the same time and area, I'd never heard of this battle until very recently,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disaster_of_Annual

Franco was involved in the Spanish Legion in this campaign - his first major campaign.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Franco

 

[Widebrim]

History is a continuity, not a series of discrete incidents.

Very true.

 

[Widebrim]

Taken in the area of Adua (Adowa), 1936, this shows a medical corps 2nd Lt. with the 26th battalion.

He is wearing a sahariana tunic, which was initially issued to colonial troops in Libia, and became official issue for officers in WWII. It was also used by some members of the German army and Luftwaffe in North Africa.

 

[Story]

"...dance around their commanding officer..."

Tribal apples and oranges, but one night in September 2008 at Sather AFB we watched about 75 departing Ugandan 'contractors' dance their 'Going Home" happy dance. Impressive and probably not too far a performance from that 1936 photo.

 

[Widebrim]

Tribal apples and oranges, but one night in September 2008 at Sather AFB we watched about 75 departing Ugandan 'contractors' dance their 'Going Home" happy dance. Impressive and probably not too far a performance from that 1936 photo.

Hey, Uganda is not too far from where the Ascari hail...

 

[Story]

Hey, Uganda is not too far from where the Ascari hail...

Yeah, but they're North African/Islamic while Ugandans are Swahili language based southern African animists/Christians.

Still, the Ugandan guys (and gals) would have been the grandchildren (and some possibly were) of the King's African Rifles - opposite side of the 1940 - 41 fight. http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=57089

 

[Widebrim]

Yeah, but they're North African/Islamic while Ugandans are Swahili language based southern African animists/Christians.

Still, the Ugandan guys (and gals) would have been the grandchildren (and some possibly were) of the King's African Rifles - opposite side of the 1940 - 41 fight. http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=57089

Well, actually the Ascaris who served in the Italian Army were from Italian East Africa (Eritrea, Somalia). That's why I wrote that Uganda (which is in central Africa) wasn't too far from where the Ascaris came from (especially the Somalis)...

 

[Atinkerer]

About 10 years ago, during a trip to Italy, I met an old friend of the family who fought in The Abyssinian Campaigns. When he was introduced to me, I was told he suffered terribly during the war. So, I said "Oh, you were in WWII'? But he said he wasn't in WWII, he said fought in Abyssinia. I didn't know anything about Abyssinia, and didn't want to dredge up an ugly past. So I left it at that.

Tony

 

[Widebrim]

About 10 years ago, during a trip to Italy, I met an old friend of the family who fought in The Abyssinian Campaigns. When he was introduced to me, I was told he suffered terribly during the war. So, I said "Oh, you were in WWII'? But he said he wasn't in WWII, he said fought in Abyssinia. I didn't know anything about Abyssinia, and didn't want to dredge up an ugly past. So I left it at that.

Tony

That poor man was obviously scarred by his experiences in the Italo-Ethiopian War, and it was wise of you not to inquire more. But it does make you wonder what he did go through...

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

The cavalryman in the Newsweek's pic is a "zaptiè", e.g. a member of the colonial troops of the Carabinieri;

I can tell from the metal insignia of his head-dress.

He was a NCO, as he's wearing a rank chevron;
to me it looks like the single chevron of a "muntaz" (corporal).

Ciao!!

 

[Widebrim]

^^Thanks for that info! One wonders what became of that corporal...

 

[Story]

Found this while looking for something else - fits into the 2nd Act of the Abyssinian Campaign.

http://rapidttp.co.za/milhist/vol106em.html

BRITISH MOTORCYCLES IN KHAKI
With special reference to their use by the
Union Defence Forces in the Second World War

 

[Story]

Amedeo Guillet, who died on June 16 aged 101, was the Italian officer who led the last cavalry charge faced by the British Army.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/7866571/Amedeo-Guillet.html