Amba Alagi in WW2 History | World War II Database

19 Apr 1941

Abyssinia

Indian 5th Division (marching south from Amara, Eritrea, Italian East Africa) and British 1st South African Brigade (marching north from Addis Ababa, Abyssinia) attacked toward the 7,000-strong Italian garrison at Amba Alagi, Abyssinia. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

1 May 1941

Abyssinia

Viceroy of Italian East Africa Duke of Aosta and 7,000 troops were trapped at Amba Alagi, Abyssinia by Indian 5th Indivision to the north and South African 1st Brigade in the south. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

3 May 1941

Abyssinia

Allied and Italian troops engaged in heavy fighting at Amba Alagi, Abyssinia. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

4 May 1941

Abyssinia

29th Brigade of the Indian 5th Division launched another attack at Amba Alagi, Abyssinia, capturing 3 hills between 0415 and 0730 hours. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

5 May 1941

Abyssinia

3/2nd Punjab Battalion advanced toward the Italian stronghold at Amba Alagi, Abyssinia at 0415 hours. They were pinned down by 12 Italian machine guns for the most of the day. The attack was called off at dusk. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

8 May 1941

Abyssinia

Indian troops attacked Amba Alagi, Abyssinia at dawn, taking the Falagi Pass and three hills east and south of the city, respectively. Later in the morning, Italian troops counterattacked and recaptured two of the hills. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

10 May 1941

Abyssinia

Indian troops marched out the Falagi Pass, which was captured on the previous day, toward the 11,400-foot Mount Gumsa east of Amba Alagi, Abyssinia. Italian troops who held Mount Gumsa would be withdrawn into Amba Alagi after sundown. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

11 May 1941

Abyssinia

South African 1st Brigade arrived at Amba Alagi, Abyssinia. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

15 May 1941

Abyssinia

South African and Indian troops linked up at Triangle Hill near Amba Alagi, Abyssinia; they were also joined by Abyssinia guerrilla forces. Meanwhile, Allied shelling of the Italian fortress damaged a oil tank, causing a major oil leak into the garrison's only source of drinking water. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

16 May 1941

Abyssinia

With drinking water fouled in the Italian stronghold of Amba Alagi, Abyssinia, the Italian Viceroy Duke of Aosta requested the British to send in fresh water. When the British refused, he called for a ceasefire in order to begin surrender negotiations. By this point, his forces had suffered incurring 289,000 casualties. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

17 May 1941

Abyssinia

Viceroy of Italian East Africa Duke of Aosta surrendered Amba Alagi, Abyssinia to the British at 1730 hours. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

18 May 1941

Abyssinia

General Mosley Mayne, British commander of Indian 5th Division, had lunch with Italian commander Duke of Aosta at Amba Alagi, Abyssinia. The Italian duke agreed to not destroy guns, to not destroy supplies, and to dismantle or identify mines. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

19 May 1941

Abyssinia

4,777 Italian and colonial troops formally surrendered at Amba Alagi, Abyssinia at 1115 hours, parading out of the fortress with rifles on their shoulders. ww2dbase [Invasion of Italian East Africa | Amba Alagi | CPC]

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis

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