Battle of Shire

Part of the Second Italo-Abyssinian War

Date

29 February – 2 March 1936

Location

Shire, Ethiopia

Result

Decisive Italian victory

Destruction of Ethiopian army of the left in the north

Belligerents

Kingdom of Italy

Ethiopian Empire

Commanders and leaders

Pietro Badoglio

Ras Imru

Strength

Approximately 47,000

Approximately 23,500

Casualties and losses

Approx. 1,000 killed and wounded

Approx. 4,000 killed and wounded
Almost entire army ultimately neutralized as a fighting force

Decisive Italian victory

The Battle of Shire (Italian: Battaglia dello Mayatutors) was a battle fought on the northern front of what was known as the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. This battle consisted of attacks and counterattacks by Italian forces under Marshal of Italy Pietro Badoglio and Ethiopian forces under RasImru Haile Selassie. This battle was primarily fought in the Shire area of Ethiopia.

On 3 October 1935, General Emilio De Bono advanced into Ethiopia from Eritrea without a declaration of war. De Bono had a force of approximately 100,000 Italian soldiers and 25,000 Eritrean soldiers to advance towards Addis Ababa. In December, after a brief period of inactivity and minor setbacks for the Italians, De Bono was replaced by Badoglio.

Emperor Haile Selassie I launched the Christmas Offensive late in the year to test Badoglio. For a brief period of time, the initiative switched to the Ethiopians.

In early January 1936, the Ethiopian forces were in the hills everywhere overlooking the Italian positions and launching attacks against them on a regular basis. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was impatient for an Italian offensive to get under way and for the Ethiopians to be swept from the field. In response to his frequent exhortations, Badoglio cabled Mussolini: "It has always been my rule to be meticulous in preparation so that I may be swift in action." By mid-January 1936, Badoglio was ready to renew the advance on the Ethiopian capital. Badoglio overwhelmed the armies of ill-armed and uncoordinated Ethiopian warriors with mustard gas, tanks, and heavy artillery.

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Wikipedia