Troubled Days of British Somaliland

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21197, 21 August 1940, Page 9

Troubled Days of British Somaliland

iTALY’S SMALL GAIN

j AFRICAN POSSESSION ACQUIRED 56 YEARS AGO GREAT WAR SKIRMISHES (By Roscoe Denton) of the least-known Empire possessions in Africa, British Somaliland, has been evacuated by the weak British forces, bringing the first decisive effect on Great Britain’s Middle Eastern war strategy of the downfall of France. Prior to the French debacle Allied war plans had thrown the main burden of military activities in North Africa upon France’s forces, while French Somaliland troops were expected to cooperate with the small forces in British Somaliland to throw back any attempted Italian thrust from her East African possessions. France’s default at once made Britain’s retention of Somaliland an impossibility, unless more important troop concentrations in the Near East were weakened to provide reinforcements. That would have been unwise so, according to a War Office communique, it was decided to inflict as heavy casualties on the Italians as possible with the small available force before evacuation of the territory was completed. In temporarily relinquishing control of British Somaliland, the Imperial Forces have apparently saved almost their entire equipment. Italy’s New Position Italy will now control the entire Somaliland territory which was previously shared between Britain, France, Abyssinia, and Italy. It is very doubtful, however, whether Italy's latest acquisition will compensate her for the effort expended in driving out the British. From a strategic point of view Italy’s gain can be little. Certainly she now controls the entire African coast of the Gulf of Aden, the important entrance to the Red Sea which leads to the Suez Canal. The most vital portion of the Red Sea entrance, however, is the 20-miles-wide Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, the African side of which Italy could already command as a result of the French European downfall which would break up the resistance of French* Somaliland. Italian prevention of British shipping entering the Red Sea would have serious implications. The ability of the Italian East African forces to accomplish that, however, is very doubtful despite the fact that the strait is only 20 miles wide. The British Navy still commands the Gulf of Aden and battleship guns could prevent the Italians from constructing shore batteries in French Somaliland sufficiently heavy to place an artillery blockade upon the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb. British Red Sea Shipping , There is an island in the strait which is still under British control as is the naval base at Aden on the Arabia side of the Red Sea. The island is named Perim and a two-miles-wide passage on the Aden side should still enable British shipping

to proceed into the Red Sea unmolested. Italian occupation of British Somaliland has not brought the enemy any nearer Egypt or the important Suez Canal zone. In fact it has done little but expend Italian lives and military stores which cannot easily be replenished direct from Italy while the British Navy commands the Mediterranean Sea. Still the Italian naval force hides in fortified bases, afraid to venture out upon the very work for'which it was designed—opening Italian communications in African bases. The wealth of the people of British Somaliland consists chiefly in their livestock. Exports are products [ such as fibre, hides, ivory, ostrich feathers, coffee and mother-of-pearl. Gum and resin are also available in good quantities. Italy will benefit little from Somaliland resources as far as war materials are concerned. History of the Possession British interest in the Somali coast dates from the early years of the 19th century- About the time when British authority was being established in New Zealand trade activity with India was being developed along the Somali coast. When British influence was becoming more firmly established in the territory Egypt occupied certain areas between 1874 and 1875. Egyptian control was short-lived, however, and in 1884, in consequence of the revolt of the mahdi in Egyptian Sudan, the garrisons of Egypt on the Somali coast were withdrawn. Thereupon Great Britain, partly to secure the route to the East through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, occupied Zeila, Berbara, and Bulhar, important centres in the present British Somaliland, for it was realised that it was important to prevent any other power from establishing itself in a position which might menace British control of sea routes to the Suez Canal. During 1884, 1885, and 1886 treaties guaranteeing British protection of the territory were concluded with various Somali tribes and in 1888 the limits of the British and French spheres were defined. The other inland boundaries of the protectorate were defined by agreements with Italy in 1894 and with Abyssinia in 1897. War W T ith Neighbouring Tribe In 1899 trouble arose between the administration and a mullah of the Habr Suleiman Ogaden tribe, who had acquired great influence in the Dolbahanta country. Known as the “Mad Mullah,” he raided British interests in 1900 and the following year a British expedition was despatched to suppress his rising. In 1902 another expedition followed and fighting continued spasmodically throughout 1903 until the mullah was driven out of British territory in 1904. In 1909 the rebel was again organising raiding parties and the following year the British decided to abandon the interior of British Somaliland. Efforts to restore order were inevitable and armed action was taken in 1914 after British soldiers had been killed in Dervish raids during the preceding months. An end was put to the mullah’s activities in 1920 when the entire Dervish force was destroyed mainly as a result of Royal Air Force activities. The overthrow of the mullah marked the deliverance of the country from 21 years of Dervish oppression. Thereafter the Somali tribes were left in peace, contented under British rule.