BRITISH LEAVE SOMALILAND

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 280, 21 August 1940, Page 9

BRITISH LEAVE SOMALILAND

Brilliant Rearguard Action Fought SAFE WITHDRAWAL FROM BERBERA (British Official Wireless.) (Received August 20, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY', August 19. A communique issued in Cairo today states: “After lighting a brilliant rearguard action against picked Italian formations, supported by tanks, artillery and aircraft in overwhelming strength, all of the British force in Somaliland was successfully evacuated from Berbera last night." A War Office communique slates: “The original Allied dispositions in Somaliland were based on a scheme of close Franco-British co-operation. Under this scheme, the French forces at Jibuti were to hold the right flank—the pivot of the whole position. With the sudden secession of the French Government from participation in further hostilities, a new and grave situation was created. More than half the available Allied force had been neutralized, and it became immediately necessary to decide upon the most effective measures for dealing with the emergency. “Various alternatives were open to us. We could reinforce British Somaliland in sufficient strength to ensure its safety, but to do so would have involved employing important reserves and thereby weakening the reserves in other theatres of war more important'to our immediate war effort than Somaliland. The time factor was also a serious consideration. This plan, therefore, was reluctantly abandoned. “Another alternative was an immediate unresisting evacuation. This meant giving up British territory without fighting, and thereby losing the opportunity of inflicting losses on the enemy in men and’ material which will be difficult for him to replace. “The third course was to remain with our small force, using it to inflict the maximum losses on the enemy until withdrawal became inevitable.

“The third course was chosen, and the evacuation of Somaliland has now been successfully completed. Our force has been withdrawn. All guns except two which were lost in the earlier stages of action have been embarked. A great part of the materials, stores, and equipment have also been evacuated, and the remainder destroyed. Our wounded have been safely brought away. “British, Rhodesian, Indian, African, and Somali troops, working in the closest co-operation with the Navy and the R.A.F., have carried out the role assigned them with conspicuous skill and bravery against greatly superior strength. “ I'he enemy losses, particularly among the Black Shirt units, have been heavy and out of all proportion to our own.”